2. Where Does our Garbage Go (U.S.)?
• Solid waste, or “MSW” =
Typical discards from
households & businesses;
does not include mining
wastes, industrial wastes, etc.
• U.S. generated 250 million
tons in 2011 according to U.S.
EPA (~400 million counting
construction & demolition
debris).
• MSW generation tracks closely
with economic trends and
GDP.
Solid Waste Management in the U.S. 2011 (in
tons and percentages)
WTE
29,000,000
12%
Recycled
87,000,000
34%
Landfilled
134,000,000
54%
Sources: US EPA
3. Where Does our Garbage Go (Philadelphia)?
• 2.7 million tons + of solid
waste generated in 2012.
– Residential = 25%
– Commercial/Institutional
= 75%
• ~50% of all (residential +
commercial) solid waste
recycled in 2012.
Landfilled
724,010
27%
Recycled
1,364,255
50%
WTE
640,743
23%
4. Solid Waste Management Trends in Philadelphia
Philadelphia MSW 2007-2012
3,500,000
3,000,000
Tons Per Year
2,500,000
2,000,000
1,500,000
1,000,000
500,000
-
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Recycled & Composted
1,221,029
1,025,394
1,175,842
1,493,955
1,396,987
1,364,255
Disposed
1,964,247
1,771,033
1,495,412
1,437,419
1,443,037
1,351,800
5. How Should We Manage our Solid Waste?
Source Reduction
Reuse
Recycling
Least
Preferred
Disposal
w/energy
recovery
Disposal
Most
Preferred
• US EPA developed
solid waste
management
hierarchy in late
1980s.
• Source, or waste
reduction means
minimizing or not
creating waste in the
first place.
• Recycling is
preferred way to
manage materials.
6. Environmental Benefits of Recycling
• Greenhouse gases (GHG)
are emitted during product
life-cycles, which include
extraction, manufacturing,
usage, & disposal.
• Recycling & waste
reduction are effective
tools for reducing GHG
emissions from:
– Raw materials extraction
– Energy consumption
during manufacturing
– Reducing methane
emissions from landfills
Graphic courtesy of US EPA
7. Link Between Solid Waste & GHG Gas Emissions
Infrastruct
ure
1%
Prov. of
Goods
29%
Other
Transport
9%
Local
Transport
15%
Building
HVAC &
Lighting
25%
Calculation sources: U.S. EPA
42% of GHG
for “stuff”
Prov. of
Food
13%
Appliances
/Devices
8%
• Traditional “sectorbased” calculations
understate impact
of waste.
• “Systems-based”, as
shown, takes
purpose of GHG
emissions into
consideration.
8. Economic Benefits of Recycling
• About 2% of $12.36 trillion U.S.
GDP in 2007
• Labor intensive & creates jobs at
10/1 ratio vs. disposal.
• Multiplier impact with economic
activity created at each stage.
• 2008 five-state (PA, NY, MA, ME,
DE) economic study:
– 11,738 recycling or recycling-reliant
establishments (3,803 in PA)
– Workforce of 100,500; payroll of $4.2
billion (52,316 & $2.1 billion in PA)
– $35 billion in gross receipts ($20.5
billion in PA)
9. Not Recycling = Throwing Money Away
Material
Average Market
Tons Disposed in Value Per Ton
U.S.
(2012)
=
Disposed Income
Newspaper
2,766,400
$
104
=
$
287,705,600
Cardboard
4,755,000
$
132
=
$
627,660,000
PET Plastics
1,895,700
$
600
=
$ 1,137,420,000
HDPE Plastics
3,311,000
$
500
=
$ 1,655,500,000
665,000
$
1,200
=
$
Aluminum Cans
798,000,000
10. Key Recycling Requirements & Policy Goals
• PA Act 101 (1988):
– Mandatory recycling for
municipalities with more than
5,000 persons.
– Includes commercial recycling
requirements.
– Established 35% recycling
goal.
• City ordinance requirements
(10-700) includes commercial
recycling (1994).
• Greenworks goals including
25% residential diversion rate
and 70% landfill diversion
rate.
11. Recycling in Philadelphia: Vintage 1990’s to mid
2000’s
• Program much-maligned…
• Funding support & staffing
issues.
• Recycling coordinator
turnover.
• Every-other week pickup,
limited materials.
• Less than 40,000 tons per year
from curbside program.
• Negative perceptions:
– Too much trouble
– Unclear what was recyclable
– Fines most effective motivator
10
Popular
8
6
4
2
0
-2
-4
-6
-8
Unpopular
-10
13. Curbside Recycling Program
• One of the 1st curbside recycling
programs in U.S. (c. 1986).
• 525,000 households serviced by
Streets Dept.
• 120,000+ tons for 2012; ~460 lbs.
per HH annual yield.
• Recyclables accepted include:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Mixed paper & cardboard
Metal food & beverage cans
Plastics #1-7
Glass bottles and jars
Aseptic cartons
Seasonal yard waste collection
• Fiscal benefits to city (FY 2013):
– $3.2 million in revenues
– $7 million in avoided disposal fees
Photo courtesy of Peter Tobia
14. Recycling Rewards Program
• Philadelphia original
Recyclebank pilot (2006).
• Program became City-wide
2010.
• ~190,000 households have
signed up for the program.
• Outreach, events, and overall
program visibility are key
elements:
– 2012 summer sweepstakes
– Recycling bin distribution
events
– America Recycles Day
– Green Schools Project
– U.S. Conference of Mayors
Award
15. Where do Recyclables Go?
• Recyclables delivered to Materials Recovery Facility (a.k.a. MRF,
pronounced “murph”).
• Recyclables processed using screens, trommels, optical sorting, eddy
currents, etc.
• Speed & angles of processing lines calibrated.
• FY 2013 fiscal benefits = $30 per ton revenue vs. paying $58.11 per ton to
dispose of trash.
Photos courtesy of Resource Recycling Magazine and Waste Management, Inc.
16. Comparative Curbside Recycling Rates (metals,
plastics, glass, and paper only)*
Austin
Philadelphia
Boston
Atlanta, GA
Minneapolis
San Diego
New York
Dallas
Baltimore
San Antonio
Denver
Phoenix
Fort Worth
Miami-Dade County
Washington, DC
Chicago
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
*Sources are varied and include city performance measure reports, departmental program reports, or operating budget documents from 2012 or 2013.
17. Other Initiatives & Programs
• Public space recycling
opportunities (920 Big-Belly
sites).
• Recycling drop-off centers at
sanitation yards accept other
materials:
– Electronics
– Household Hazardous
Waste
– Styrofoam
• Insinkerator food waste project
• Public event recycling:
– 87% recycling/composting
rate at 2012 Philadelphia
Marathon
18. Commercial & Institutional Recycling
Graphic courtesy of Keep America Beautiful
• Commercial & institutional MSW stream = 2
million tons (served by private haulers).
• Recycling mandated since 1994.
• 50% + commercial recycling rate.
• Small & medium sized businesses need more
tools to help ensure compliance and achieve
cost efficiencies.
• Paradigm shift needed in way commercial solid
waste services are provided (allow for rightsizing).
• Considerable private/institutional innovation
underway:
– C&D recycling
– Organics & food waste recycling
19. Future Recycling Initiatives & Challenges
• Waste stream is changing with less
paper, more plastic, less glass, etc.
• City needs to consider additional
materials to push residential
diversion rates higher:
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
– Household metals e.g. pots, pans,
etc.?
– Additional plastics?
– Textiles?
– Organics?
2012
2015
2025
2030
Residential Recycling %
Commercial & Institutional Recycling %
Diversion from Landfill %
• Increase use of drop-off center
network.
• Examine options to increase
recycling in multifamily
communities.
20. Future Recycling Initiatives & Challenges
Streets
Dept.
Allied
Agencies
(MOS,
PWD)
State &
National
(PROP, US
Recycling
Conf.)
SWRAC
Recycling &
Waste
Reduction
Goals
Environmental
Organizations
Civic &
Neighbors
Assoc.
Regulated
Businesses
Business
organizations
(Corridors,
Chamber,
etc.)
• Solid Waste Management Plan
rewrite.
• Explore partnerships with allied
agencies, school district.
• Continue to leverage and build
public-private partnerships.
• Expand commercial recycling
support.
• Increase public space recycling.
• Recycling program “rebrand” to
link all opportunities.
21. Conclusions…
Recycling is a demonstrated
environmental protection success
story with environmental and
economic benefits.
Is a “low-hanging fruit” for cities and
counties to use to help reduce their
carbon footprints.
Recycling allows for hands-on and
visible opportunity for citizens and
businesses to help their environment.
Recycling can be a “gateway” to other
positive environmental behaviors.
