2. Methods, Caveats
This is primary research in early stages!!
Information sources include DPW reports wherever
possible (FY). Otherwise, sources are Recycling Data
Sheets (CY)
Main weakness is # households served! Some have
been carefully computed; others have not.
Please review your own data, request LA4 form from
Assessor’s office and provide me with corrections as
needed.
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 2
3. Definitions and Range of Options
• Education and Outreach
• WBE= Waste Ban Enforcement
• WBE + MREC (Municipal Recycling Enforcement Coor.)
• 3-bag or 4-bag limit
• SSR (without wheeled carts)
• SSR only (with carts) or RecycleBank only
• Automated SW (64-g)
• WRP, one bag limit, or 39-g barrel automated collection
• PAYT (with stickers)
• PAYT (bags, fee for all trash)
• SSR + Automated SW collection (64-g carts)
• SSR + PAYT or Automated SW collection (<40-g carts)
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 3
4. Waste Ban Enforcement
• Definition:
– Hauler is required to leave behind any “visible recyclables”
(hopefully with a sticker but not always).
– Requires DPW and Selectmen/City Council support
• Examples and impact on Tons of SW per household served
– North Andover (2/2005, 1.35 -> 1.2, down 12%)
– Andover (5/2005, 1.4 -> 1.3, down 7%)
– Chelmsford (2/2006, 1.14 -> 1.0, down 12%
– Tewksbury (9/2008, 1.48 -> 1.35, down 10%)
– Billerica (10/2007, 1.54 -> 1.36, down 13%)
– Lexington (9/2007, 0.82 -> 0.81, down 2%)
• Conclusion: Impact on SW = 5-13% if T/hh > 1.0
• If T/hh < 1.0, then reduction less significant
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5. MREC = Municipal Recycling
Enforcement Coordinator
• Either existing staff or DEP grant-funded staff
• FY09 Grants given to:
Billerica, Chelmsford, Tewksbury, Springfield, and Lynn
• May/June 2009 vs 2008 Results:
– Billerica – SW down 8%
– Chelmsford – SW down 7%
– Tewksbury – SW down 11%
– Waltham down 3% without a MREC or any changes
• Conclusion: 7-11% impact on tonnage depending on
starting point.
• Note: This can be enough to pay for coordinator’s salary
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6. 3- or 4-Bag Limit
• Definition: Households limited to 3 or 4 bags or barrels per
week curbside.
• Examples:
– Mansfield (FY07) reduced SW 15% from 1.3 to 1.1 T/hh
– Tyngsborough (FY07) reduced SW 5% from 1.06 to 1.0 T/hh
– Framingham (FY08) reduced SW 4% from 1.04 to 1.01 T/hh
• Conclusion: 3- or 4-bag limit drops SW to ~1.0T/hh
• Real enforcement is KEY!
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7. Automated SW (64-g barrels)
• Truck with mechanical arm, residents receive free barrel, pay for
2nd barrel or overflow bags
• Examples from first 7 months:
– Billerica reduced SW 23% from 1.26 T/hh to 1.02
– Burlington reduced SW 27% from 1.24 T/hh to 0.84 (+ weekly R)
– Tewksbury reduced SW from 1.34 T/hh to 1.0 T/hh (added condos)
– Tyngsborough reduced SW 13% from 0.93 to 0.86
– Lowell reduced SW 25% in first 12 mos, down from 1.46
• Conclusion #1: Starting Point Matters; Brings SW down to
~0.9 to 1.0 T/hh;
• Conclusion #2: Smaller barrels would bring SW down more.
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 7
8. Barrel Size Matters
Springfield SW Tonnage 1994-2004, using 96-g Barrels
60,000
50,000
40,000
Tons per year
30,000 Auto and
Semi-Auto
Manual
20,000 Rubbish
10,000
0
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 8
9. Single-Stream Recycling (SSR) w/o
Carts
• Residents use own containers but can mix fiber and
containers (“zero sort”)
• Examples:
– Braintree: SW down 5% from 1.36 to 1.29
– N. Andover (weekly): SW down 6% from 1.13 to 1.06
– Westford (some carts): SW down 2% from 1.22 to 1.2
– Framingham: SW down 8% over 2 yrs with SSR and 3-bag
limit from 1.04 to 0.97
– Quincy: SW down 7% from 0.87 to 0.82
– Weymouth: SW down 5% from 1.15 to 1.10
• Conclusion:Prepared by Carolyn Dann
4/06/2010
SSR alone will reduce SW 5-7% 9
10. Single-Stream Recycling With Carts
Residents receive standardized cart, collected with
automated truck, “zero sort”
Examples:
Boston: SW down 15% over 3 years from 0.8 to 0.67
Conclusion: More impact when combined with SW
limits, PAYT, or dedicated carts for SW.
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11. RecycleBank
Residents receive a recycling barrel and earn coupons
based on the weight of recyclables collected
On a individual household basis
On a route basis
On a community-wide average basis
Results – Info not yet available on City-wide basis
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12. Waste Reduction Program, Basic
Service PAYT, One “Free” Barrel
Residents allowed first barrel (up to 36-g), have to buy
bag for extra trash at ~$2/bag
Examples:
Hamilton: SW down 32% from 0.96 to 0.71 T/hh in first 12
months
Wenham: SW down 25% from 0.98 to 0.73 T/hh
Longmeadow: SW down 24% from 0.91 to 0.69 T/hh
Conclusion: WRP reduces SW to 0.7-0.8 T/hh
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 12
13. Full PAYT
Residents pay for every bag of trash or use a sticker on
each bag of trash
Examples:
Natick: PAYT since FY04, FY08 SW was at 0.70
Malden – SW down 50% after 1 year from 1.21 to 0.58 T/hh
Gloucester – SW down 25% in first 9 mos, from 0.69 with
sticker-PAYT to a projected 0.52 T/hh with bag-PAYT
Shrewsbury – down 39% from 1.10 to 0.68 T/hh
Worcester – PAYT for many years, CY07 was 0.48! (w/o BW)
Conclusion: Full PAYT reduces SW to 0.5-0.7 T/hh;
Bags significantly more effective than stickers.
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14. SS-R+Automated SW Collection or PAYT
• Residents receive 2 barrels: one for SW, one for recycling, “Zero sort”
• Examples:
– Holden (96-g R, 64-g SW) : reduced from 1.14 in CY06 to 0.81 in FY08
– Ashland (SSR+PAYT): SW down 38% from 0.96 to 0.6
– Newton (Automated SW+Automated SS-R): Piloted Oct ‘08-Jan ‘09;
Started City-wide in October ‘09. Early results:
Oct + Nov ’07 = 4726
Oct +Nov ’08 = 4000, 15% less than pre-pilot.
Oct + Nov ’09 = 3379, 16% less than last year, (but Sept was 7% less).
Comparing to ‘07, SW is 29% less.
T/hh was 0.93 and could get to 0.79 if SW drops 15% all year.
– North Attleborough (SSR&PAYT): SW down to 0.54 T/hh
• Conclusion: SS-R + Automation/PAYT can reduce SW to 0.6- 0.8
• Results will depend on size of SW barrel.
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 14
15. Mansfield’s Variety Approach
3-Barrel Limit -> SW down 12%, from 1.3 to 1.1
Started 3-
10000 barrel limit
9000
8000
FY99
7000
FY00
6000 FY01
FY02
5000
FY03
4000 FY04
FY05
3000
FY06
2000 FY07
1000
0
Jul-98 Jul-99 Jul-00 Jul-01 Jul-02 Jul-03 Jul-04 Jul-05 Jul-06 Jul-07 Jul-08
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 15
16. FY08 Had Automated SW (64-g)
SW Down Another 19% from 1.1 to 0.9
Started 3-
10000 barrel limit
9000 April '07
Started
8000 Automated SW
FY99
7000 FY00
FY01
6000
FY02
5000 FY03
FY04
4000
FY05
3000 FY06
FY07
2000
FY08
1000
0
Jul-98 Jul-99 Jul-00 Jul-01 Jul-02 Jul-03 Jul-04 Jul-05 Jul-06 Jul-07 Jul-08
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 16
17. Added SS-Recycling
SW Down Another 8%, from 0.9 to 0.8
Started 3-
10000 barrel limit
9000 April '07
Started
Automated SW FY99
8000
FY00
7000 FY01
FY02
6000
FY03
5000 FY04
July '08 Started FY05
4000 SS-Recycling
FY06
3000 FY07
FY08
2000 FY09
1000
0
Jul-98 Jul-99 Jul-00 Jul-01 Jul-02 Jul-03 Jul-04 Jul-05 Jul-06 Jul-07 Jul-08
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 17
18. Preliminary Conclusions
Starting point matters - Always ask about “before”!
More reduction predicted if >1.0 Ton/household
Program matters
5-10% reduction possible with EWBE, MREC, 3-4
bag/barrel limit, SS-R only
25-35% reduction with WRP, Automated SW*
35-50% reduction with PAYT, Automated SW&SSR*
*Barrel size matters!
0-10% reduction if 1.0 T/hh or less, with Automated SW w
64-g barrels
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 18
19. Next Steps
Hear from Boston, Hamilton, Lowell, Malden, North
Attleborough
Test future results against the “preliminary
conclusions”
Improve quality of data for # of Households served
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 19
20. Boston: Semi-automated Single-
Stream Recycling
Start Date: 7/1/09
Program details:
64-g barrel for each household
1 cart for buildings with 1 to 3 units
2 carts for buildings wit 4 and 5 units
3 carts for 6 units
7+ unit buildings owners are required by law to provide
wheeled-carts (100,000 0f the total 300,000)
weekly recycling
Total households served = 300,000
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21. Boston: Getting to “Change”
No change to collection cost; hauler chose to extend
contract
Pilot program
DEP grant
Cart donations from cart vendors
5 pilots over 2 years showed significant increase in R tons
Residents’ positive response
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 21
22. Boston: Implementation Lessons
Delivery
Better Formula: 1 cart for single-family; 2 carts for 2 to 4-
unit residences; 3 carts for 5 and 6-unit residences
Record serial numbers
Publicity
Mailings, ads, video, cart itself, cart lid graphic
Collection
Anticipate longer collection initially
For crowded streets, residents to put cart on street between
parked cars to give recycling truck driver access to cart
Other options - old trash barrel with lid and sticker, old
recycling bin, clearby Carolyn Dannbag
4/06/2010 Prepared plastic 22
23. Boston: Impact on SW
“Before” (FY06 and FY07) Boston's SW & R History
300,000 households
SW =~0.8 tons SW per household
SW Tons R Tons
166,336 165,475
158,169
149,516
143,847
“After” (FY09) SW Total = 134,740
0.72 T/hh/y in FY09
0.67 T/hh/y projected for FY10
15% reduction in SW and
17,202
56% increase in R 12,052 11,898 11,058 12,581 13,753
comparing FY10 to FY07 FY05 FY06 FY07 = FY08 w SS FY09 w SS FY10 w SSR
"before" pilot pilots citywide
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 23
24. Lowell: Automated SW
Start Date: 3/2/09
‘Hybrid’ UBP Program details:
Annual fee of $125/year per household
68-gal wheeled-cart provided for SW for each household
Seniors eligible for 35-gal cart (for discounted price)
weekly dual-stream curbside recycling
serves single to 4-family, ‘owner-occupied’ 5- and 6-
family & residential portion of ‘mixed-use’
25,000 households served
35-gal (PAYT) draw-string ‘overflow’ trash bag
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 24
25. Lowell: Getting to “Change”
Hauler offered to re-negotiate (1 yr early) if switched to
automation
4 Surrounding communities already committed
Manager publicized urgent need to stem financial
losses in SW program
Preparatory steps… wrote new ordinances
Plenty of outreach
Included City Council in decisions, field trips to
Nashua and Worcester
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 25
26. Lowell: Implementation Lessons
Work on Assessor’s [eligibility/distribution] list
Start early: six to eight months necessary
Outreach!
Parades, football games, sandwich boards
Markets, festivals, flyers, electric sign boards
Website, hotline
Clearly designate one Dept. to handle inquiries.
Assign extra staff for 1 wk before & 2 after
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 26
27. Lowell: Impact on SW
“Before” (3-08 to 2-09) Lowell SW Tonnage
12-m rolling totals
SW Total = 40,000 50,000
45,000
1.6 tons per household 40,000
35,000
30,000 New Barrel Program
25,000
“After” (3-09 to 2-10) 20,000
15,000 CY03 CY04
CY05 CY06
SW Total = 29,000 10,000
CY07 CY08
5,000 CY09 CY10
1.1 tons per household 0
Jan-10
Jan-03
Jan-04
Jan-05
Jan-06
Jan-07
Jan-08
Jan-09
27.5% reduction in SW
$715,000 saved in tip fees
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 27
28. Hamilton: Waste Reduction Prgm
Start Date: 5/18/08
Program details:
Each household can use own <36-g barrel for trash “free”
Bi-weekly recycling
33-gallon overflow bag costs $1.75
Serves all housing units
Total households served = 2460
Same hauler for trash and recycling, no change in contract
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29. Hamilton: Getting to “Change”
League of Women Voters study in FY07 re PAYT
Waste Ban Enforcement in FY08
Support from Town Administrator and Selectmen
Town counsel saw a need for Town Meeting vote
Recycling Committee conducted outreach:
Public meeting
Cable, email, website, outreach to groups
Coordinated presentations at Town Meeting
Selectmen then affirmed by voting to set bag fee at $1.75
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30. Hamilton: Implementation Lessons
No DPW Director during transition
Constant contact with hauler
Businesses, churches – provided individualized help
Hotline - high touch approach, relief for DPW staff
Residents – free in-home coaching
Barrel stickers - provided for shared driveways and
multi-families, all residents notified
Outreach by signs, email, cable, hotline, neighbors,
news articles, mailed flyers to all
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31. Hamilton: Impact on SW
“Before” (4-07 to 3-08) Hamilton Solid Waste Tonnage
12-m rolling totals
• SW Total = 2733 4,000
Waste Reduction
3,500 Program started 3-08
• 1.04 tons per household
3,000
2,500
2,000
“After” (4-08 to 3-09) 1,500
Waste Ban
Enforcement
started 4-07
• SW Total = 1856 1,000
• 0.71 Tons per household 500
-
• 32% reduction in SW
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 31
32. Malden: Pay As You Throw
Start Date: 10/6/08
Program details:
All trash must be in blue bag, one free bulky item / week
33-gallon bag costs $2.00 each
15-gallon bag costs $1.00 each
Weekly curbside and drop off recycling
Serves all housing units with 6 units or fewer
Total households served = 17,783
Population = 56,000
City contracts w/JRM Hauling for trash and recycling
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33. Malden: Getting to “Change”
For the Mayor of Malden, it was all about
balancing the City’s $130 million dollar budget and
avoiding avoiding substantial program and
personnel cuts.
In putting together his FY09 budget, Mayor
Howard included a residential PAYT program
citing an estimated $2.5 million dollars could be
freed up - from disposal cost savings and revenue
from the sale of PAYT bags.
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34. Malden: Implementation Lessons
The City over-estimated average # of large bags per
week per household, and introduced a small bag 3
months into the program, so projected bag
revenues were down. On the plus side, the savings
from cost avoidance for disposal was way up.
Were the City to do it all over again, they would
have bag vendor manage all retailer invoicing /
collections. Now, larger retailers remit payment to
the City for bags. As a result, the City needs to keep
their bag vendor appraised of delinquent retailers.
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 34
35. Malden: Lessons Continued
Be flexible in the first few weeks of program.
The outcry from not involving the public from the
beginning has been challenging, but would have
certainly slowed, if not, jeopardized
implementation.
Need larger recycling containers with even larger
recycling decals (and change wording from co-
mingled to containers or bottles and cans to make
clearer).
Anticipate and make provision for language and
cultural obstacles.
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36. Malden: Impact on SW
“Before” (10-07 to 9-08) 25,000
SW Total = 20,750 20,000
•1.17 tons per household 15,000 SW
10,000
R
“After” (10-08 to 9-09)
5,000
•SW Total = 10,428
•0.59 Tons per household 0
Before After
•50% reduction in SW
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 36
37. N.Attleborough: PAYT + SS-R
Start Date: PAYT – September 1998
SSR – July 2008
Program details:
– Annual flat fee covers all fixed program expenses.
All trash must be in a town bag or have appropriate tag.
33-gallon bags cost $1.50/ea · 15-gallon bags cost $1.00/ea
Bag tags cost $3.00/ea · Bulky tags cost $2.50/ea
Weekly recycling beginning in 1998
Changed to SS-R July 2008
Serves all residential dwellings with 4 units or less
Total households served in 2009 = 8,027
Population = 26,900 in 2009
Same hauler for trash and recycling
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 37
38. N. Attleborough: Getting to “Change”
1998 the landfill was capped and closed.
Committee negotiating the new contract was
motivated to reduce trash and increase recycling.
New hauler contract included a clause – each year the
total tonnage was less than 6,020, the town would
receive a reduction in the annual bill. $5,500 for every
86 tons less than the 6,020.
Disposal costs combined with collection.
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 38
39. N.Attleborough: SS-R Implementation
Lessons
Begin distributing carts at least three weeks before
switching to new system.
Assign carts to addresses by number and record for future
use.
Carts are included in contract price and owned by hauler.
Revenue share on recycling.
Investigate clear (see through) carts and/or lids.
Focus on education and outreach - attend school
orientation nights, PTA and Town meetings with
demonstration materials.
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40. N. Attleborough: Impact on SW
“Before PAYT” (FY98)
6,735 tons SW per year = 0.94 T/hh
“After PAYT” (FY99)
4,732 tons SW per year = 0.66 T/hh N. Attleborough SW
History
30% reduction in SW
in Tons/HH served/Year
1.00
0.90
0.80
“With PAYT, Before SSR” (FY08) 0.70
0.60
5,475 tons SW per year = 0.69 T/hh
0.50
0.40
0.30
“After PAYT & SSR” (FY09) 0.20
0.10
4,331 tons SW per year = 0.54 T/hh 0.00
FY98 FY99 FY08 FY09
21% additional reduction in SW
"before "after "PAYT but "after
PAYT" PAYT" before SS- PAYT and
R" SSR"
4/06/2010 Prepared by Carolyn Dann 40