WasteZero President Mark Dancy's presentation at the Waste360 Recycling Summit

1. Changing the Payment Model:
Pay-as-You-Throw and Financial Efficiency
Mark Dancy
Sept. 10, 2015

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An Outdated Payment Model
The key to effective waste diversion is in moving away from the flawed flat-fee or no-fee payment model.
Nearly all of the problems associated with trash stem from the fact that it is not priced effectively.
Waste disposal has changed…
…but the payment
model has not.

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Lack of Utility Pricing
Request2Flat Fee or No Fee1
Solid Waste $25.00
CITY OF ANYTOWN
ANYTOWN, USA
PO BOX 1234
CITY OF ANYTOWN
ANYTOWN, USA
PO BOX 1234
ANYTOWN, USA
Blank Check3
The flat-fee or no-fee payment model creates inefficiencies,
wasting financial, operational, and environmental resources.
Electricity Gas Water
Residents pay for most utilities based on how much they use.
Trash is different: In most places, trash is the last unmetered utility.

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The Solution: Pay-As-You-Throw
PAYT realigns the solid waste payment model to allow people to pay for trash based on how much
they generate. This creates strong economic incentives to reduce waste, saving money and
resources for residents and municipalities.
Benefits of Changing the Solid Waste Payment Model:
Solid waste is reduced
Recycling increases
Collection and disposal costs drop
The environment is improved
Landfill life is extended

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Cash
Residents pay a set fee in cash for each bag they dispose of at a
convenience or transfer station.
Variable-Rate Carts
Residents choose from among different sizes of carts, paying
more for the larger carts and less for the smaller ones.
Overflow
Residents pay a flat fee that covers everything they can fit into a
certain size cart, and then pay extra (usually by the bag) to
dispose of anything that does not fit into that cart.
Stickers/Tags
Residents pay by the bag by affixing a pre-paid tag or sticker to
each bag of trash.
Bags
Residents dispose of their waste in specialized bags approved
by the municipality and clearly marked with the municipal seal
or other unique instructions or information.
Types of PAYT
PAYT programs can take many different forms:
In WasteZero’s experience, bag-based pay-as-you-throw systems are the most effective.

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The Bag-Based PAYT Model
• Fairest to residents
• Easiest to implement
• Most effective
Pay per Bag for Trash Less MSW,
More Recycling
Cut Fees
(when possible)
Bag-based PAYT is the most effective available means of reducing municipal solid waste.
1 2 3
• No direct cost to municipalities
• Works with any collection method, automated or manual

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The Most Effective Intervention
1,100 lbs.
900 lbs.
440 lbs.
0
250
500
750
1000
1250
1970s—Before the
Recycling Revolution
National Average,
After 40 Years of
Recycling Education
Average in Cities With
WasteZero
Trash Metering
Annual Pounds per Capita of US
Household Solid Waste Disposed
40 Years
3 Months

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Pay-as-You-Throw Results: MSW Reduction
WATERVILLE, MAINE
54% DECLINE IN MSW IN 1 YEAR
MALDEN, MASS.
52% DECLINE IN MSW OVER 5 YEARS
SANFORD, MAINE
41% DECLINE IN MSW IN 3 MONTHS
WORCESTER, MASS.
55% DECLINE IN MSW OVER 21 YEARS

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Pay-as-You-Throw Results: Financial Impact
Program Revenue:
$46.8 Million
Net Financial
Impact:
$94.5 Million Total
Average $4.5
Million per Year

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Compatibility
Automated Trash Collection Single-Stream Recycling
Household Organics
Collection
Bag-based pay-as-you-throw programs work well across the range of existing collection models.
… as well as with any other form of existing programs municipalities consider successful.

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Thank You!
Mark Dancy
President, WasteZero
mdancy@wastezero.com
843-655-6674
www.wastezero.com