SWMCB DIVERSION
RESEARCH STUDIES
Commercial and
Organics Recycling
Lisa Skumatz
Skumatz Economic Research Associates Inc (SERA)
762 Eldorado Drive, Superior CO 80027
(303)494-1178 skumatz@serainc.com
OUTLINE
 Scope of work
 Brief discussion of baseline generation
and diversion
 Goals and measurement
 Recommended strategies
 Q and A
SERA
PROJECT SCOPE
 Two research topics:
 Organics (food/paper) recycling (comm. and
res.)
 Commercial recycling
 Three project steps
 Secondary research- tools, goals, mandates,
other issues
 Review MPCA goals and strategies
 Provide recommendations
SERA
BASELINE DATA
Total
Problem Waste
Landfill Total
Recycling Materials* Processing
Trash
TOTAL
MSW
Managed**
1,344,267
69,375
862,290 811,028 1,673,318 3,057,333
* Not managed by recycling or at processing facilities
** Total of recycling, problem materials, and trash, minus 29627 tons recycling
at processing facilities to avoid double-counting
SERA
BASELINE DATASTREAMS
Total Divertible
Organics in trash
going to Landfill /
WTE
181,800
147,000
328,800
Res. Organics
Commercial Organics
Total Organics
Total Organics in
trash going to
landfill / WTE
312,700
295,700
608,400
Residential
Commercial
Total
Total Recyclables in trash
going to landfill / WTE
(Recyclables only, no SSO)1
272,300
279,800
552,100
Total Diverted in 2010
(From SWMCB 2010
SCORE)
719
126,647
127,366
Recycling Tons Diverted 2010
(Recyclables only, no SSO) (From
SWMCB 2010 SCORE)
295,900
886,700
1,215,9002
SERA
PROCESSING CAPACITY
 Recycling- Reported (county interviews) not
to be a limiting factor
 Organics-Capacity may be a factor,
transportation and location is a challenge
Facility Type
Food to people
Food to animals (direct)
Food to animals (feed)
Organics composting facilities
Total
Tons/year
500
11,900
75,300
109,000
196,700
% of Capacity
0.3%
6.0%
38.3%
55.4%
100.0%
SERA
GOALS AND
MEASUREMENT
MPCA recommended goals
SERA
GOALS (N. America)












Edward Island – goal 65% diversion (currently 61%)
Metro Vancouver, BC – 70% diversion from landfill an WTE by
2015 (currently 55%)
Portland Metro- 64% recovery goal by 2009 (currently 57%)
Regional District of Nanaimo, BC- 75% by 2010, Zero Waste long
term (currently 61%)
Marion County, OR- 55% diversion goal (currently 58%)
Tompkins County, NY- 75% by 2016 (currently 60%)
Alameda County Stopwaste, CA- 75% landfill diversion (state
goal) (currently 68%)
San Francisco, CA – Zero waste by 2020 (currently 77%)
Sunnyvale, CA - 75% landfill diversion (currently 66%)
Santa Barbara, CA- 75% landfill diversion (currently 66%)
Markham, ONT- 70% goal (currently 66%)
Nantucket, MA (currently 92%)
SERA
GOALS (N. America)


Commercial Recycling (50-75% diversion, +80% part.)
in highest achieving communities (San Francisco, Seattle,
Alameda County, Metro Vancouver, BC Portland, OR, Owen
Sound, ONT, Prince Edward Island)
Organics Diversion- Average overall diversion 52%,
Residential- 7-9lbs/hh/week (food & paper) (25-30 with
YW), Businesses- 20-90% of targeted stream
 Renton, WA- 42%
 Kirkland, WA- 43%
 Castro Valley Sanitation District- 34%
 Enumclaw, WA – 34%
 Edmonds, WA (Diversion is for food scraps / food soiled
paper alone) – 13%
SERA
Is the 60% Recycling Goal
Realistic for the SWMCB
Region?
SERA
GOALS (COMMERCIAL)
Source separated organics diverted from the waste stream and
the source reduction and yard waste credits are not
included in the recycling calculations.
Figure 1.9: Tons Needed to Reach 60% Goal1 (Available Recycling Tons 552,1002)
Target Year
2015
2020
2025
2030
Target Number
45% - 48%
47% - 51%
49% - 54%
54%- 60%
Total Tons Needed
1,375,800-1,467,500
1,436,900 - 1,559,200
1,498,100 - 1,651,000
1,651,000 - 1,834,400
Tons above 2010
(Recycling Only)
159,900 - 251,600
221,100 - 343,400
282,200 – 435,100
435,100 - 618,500
% of Stream
29% - 46%
40% - 62%
51% - 79%
79% - 112%
SERA
GOALS AND IMPACTS
Tons Needed to Reach Recycling Goal by Year (Recycling Only) (Available Commercial
Recycling Tons 279,800)
Year: 2015 (45% - 48%)
If 100%1 from Commercial
If 50% from Commercial
Year: 2020 (47% - 51%)
If 100% from Commercial
If 50% from Commercial
Year: 2025 (49% - 54%)
If 100% from Commercial
If 50% from Commercial
Year: 2030 (54%- 60%)
If 100% from Commercial
If 50% from Commercial
Tons above current level
159,900 – 251,600
80,000 – 125,800
% of COMMERCIAL Tons Available
57% - 90%
29% - 45%
Tons above current level
221,100 – 343,400
110,500 – 171,700
% of COMMERCIAL Tons Available
79% - 123%
40% - 61%
Tons above current level
282,200 – 436,100
141,100 – 217,500
% of COMMERCIAL Tons Available
101% - 156%
50% - 78%
Tons above current level
436,100 – 618,500
217,500 – 309,300
% of COMMERCIAL Tons Available
156% - 221%
78% - 111%
SERA
Is the 15% SSO Recycling
Goal Realistic for the
SWMCB Region?
SERA
GOALS (SSO)
Year
Goal
‘New’ Tons Needed
2015
3% - 6%
% of Divertible
% of Total Organics Stream2
Tons Available1
None3 to 56,000
None to 16%
None to 7%
2020
4% - 8%
None to 117,200
None to 34%
None to14%
2025
6% -12%
56,000 to 239,500
16% to 70%
7% to 28%
2030
9% -15%
147,800 to 331,200
43% to 97%
17% to 38%
 Facility capacity is an issue at 10.5%
SSO diversion if no new facilities
open
SERA
Recommended
Strategies
SERA
STRATEGY RESEARCH
 Examined existing in-house data from
organics programs (recent BMPs research
for EPA Region 5)
 Used in-house data to identify high
performing commercial programs
 Identified communities using the MPCA
Plan strategies
 Used existing data, interviews, published
literature to identify programs with strong
potential
SERA
RECOMMENDATIONS
 Those that have the ‘biggest bang’ for the
Region
 Those that can increase access to
diversion for more generators
 As well as those that can be implemented
quickly/easy
SERA
RECOMMENDATIONS
Used SERA WDAM to develop impact
estimates
Two ‘Packages’ of strategies
1) High impact / low cost per ton
2) Lower impact / higher cost per ton but
avoid mandates
SERA
PACKAGE 1
 ORDINANCE- Commercial fees embedded in trash
bills/mandatory pay for program (organics and
recycling)
 OUTREACH- Social marketing campaign, business
technical assistance, targeted
materials/generators (focus on Comm. SSO)
 ORDINANCE/CONTRACTING- Curbside residential
SSO with costs embedded for all. Switch to
every-other-week trash
 ORDINANCE- Require haulers to report tons
collected and diverted for all sectors
 ORDINANCE (Optional)– Mandatory Recycling and
SSO or disposal ban
SERA
Hauler reporting of tonnages to track progress,
ability to audit books of haulers to assure they
are offering / providing the required services
(above)
0.0% - 0.0% 0.0% - 0.0% 0.0% - 0.0%
PACKAGE 1
==> IF high diversion not met, trigger with
Mandatory SSO / Ban for commercial
recycling and/or organics
Recommended Package 1 - High
TOTAL PACKAGE 1 (without Mandatory)
Diversion, Low City Cost Per Ton
TOTAL TONS DIVERTED FOR PACKAGE 1
(without Mandatory, thousands)
TOTAL PACKAGE 1 (with Mandatory)
Commercial Program Fees Embedded in Trash
TOTAL
TONS DIVERTED
FOR PACKAGE
Bill
OR mandatory
pay for service
- Recycling 1
AND
organics thousands)
(with mandatory,
Commercial Technical Assistance and Social
Marketing to reach out; target outreach on
sectors and high volume materials (OCC,
paper, organics) in appropriate (targeted)
sectors
Residential organics service added with
embedded fee, trash switched to every other
week (organics waste diversion incidental to
yard waste collection, but only organics waste
reported here). Establishes curbside yard /
organics collection.
Low
day of City staffer FTE per
hauling company to
request, analyze data;
assume 5 firms per county.
(less than $30K for 6
counties)
$0
$350-500 for
Includes cost of inspecting
1 year Gov't
organics; Budget (in random loads at faciliites
% of Total Tons
% of Total Tons
(Comm'l
% of Total Tons Cost/Ton
<$150/ton incl. Thous $,
to enforce; can ramp
(Comm'l Recy) - organics) - NEW (Resid'l organics) Range - Cost/Ton Range- across all
7.2%
- 8.1% 5.1%
- tons
down / up if needed.
8.9% 5.6% tons
7.7% City$0-$25 Generator YW SWMCB)
$750-1500 Notes
NEW- tons
- NEW
3.0% - 5.5% 1.7% - 5.2% 3.5% - 6.5%
$12
$227 $1.2-3.7 mill.
Total tons diverted: 140K-
50 -
92
29 -
87
58 -
109
7.2% - 11.6% 5.6% - 8.6% 5.1% - 7.2%
2.5%
121 --
4.0%
194 1.5%94 --
4.0%
143
86 --
0.5% -
1.5% 0.2% -
1.2%
-
-
-
3.5% -
-$25 to $500
(higher for small
generator, lower
(with potential
savings) for
$2-$6
large
290K (rounded)
$1.9-5.2 million
Excludes (relatively low)
Totalfortonsadministration
diverted: 300K-/
cost
$200-600 auditing
121
460K (rounded)
Depends on budget
-$25 to $500
assigned by city - well(higher for small
designed technical
generator, lower
assistance can continue to
(with potential
pull more tons from the
savings) for
sector at reasonable
$50-$100
large $1000-3000 cost/ton.
Adds more than double
these tons in addition as
$350-500 for
yard waste diversion,
organics;
which lowers effective cost
<$150/ton incl.
per ton to $100-200/ton for
SERA
6.5%
Low
YW
$25-150 generators.
% of Total Tons
% of Total Tons
(Comm'l
% of Total Tons Cost/Ton
(Comm'l Recy) - organics) - NEW (Resid'l organics) Range NEW tons
tons
- NEW tons
City
1 year Gov't
Budget (in
Thous $,
Cost/Ton Range- across all
Generator
SWMCB)
Notes
Recommended Package 1 - High
Diversion, Low City Cost Per Ton
Commercial Program Fees Embedded in Trash
Bill OR mandatory pay for service - Recycling
AND organics
Commercial Technical Assistance and Social
Marketing to reach out; target outreach on
sectors and high volume materials (OCC,
paper, organics) in appropriate (targeted)
sectors
Residential organics service added with
embedded fee, trash switched to every other
week (organics waste diversion incidental to
yard waste collection, but only organics waste
reported here). Establishes curbside yard /
organics collection.
Hauler reporting of tonnages to track progress,
ability to audit books of haulers to assure they
are offering / providing the required services
(above)
==> IF high diversion not met, trigger with
Mandatory SSO / Ban for commercial
recycling and/or organics
2.5% -
4.0%
1.5% -
4.0%
-
0.5% -
1.5%
0.2% -
1.2%
-
-
0.0% -
7.2% -
-
0.0%
8.9%
0.0% -
5.6% -
3.5% -
0.0%
8.1%
0.0% -
5.1% -
-$25 to $500
(higher for small
generator, lower
(with potential
savings) for
$2-$6
large
Excludes (relatively low)
cost for administration /
$200-600 auditing
Depends on budget
-$25 to $500
assigned by city - well(higher for small
designed technical
generator, lower
assistance can continue to
(with potential
pull more tons from the
savings) for
sector at reasonable
$50-$100
large $1000-3000 cost/ton.
Adds more than double
these tons in addition as
$350-500 for
yard waste diversion,
organics;
which lowers effective cost
<$150/ton incl.
per ton to $100-200/ton for
6.5%
Low
YW
$25-150 generators.
Costs assume less than 1
day of City staffer FTE per
hauling company to
request, analyze data;
assume 5 firms per county.
(less than $30K for 6
0.0%
Low
$0
counties)
7.7%
$0-$25
$350-500 for
organics;
<$150/ton incl.
YW
Includes cost of inspecting
random loads at faciliites
to enforce; can ramp
SERA
/ up if needed.
$750-1500 down
PACKAGE 1 ADD-ON
1 y ear Gov 't
More expensive, but complementary programs
to Package 1
Pgm #s
Residential social marketing to outreach on organics /
yard (and recycling) - only organics tons reported
here.
O1
Small businesses (1CY) may use residential recycling
program with no fee
C7,O2
% of Total Tons % of Total Tons
% of Total Tons
(Comm'l
(Resid'l
Cost/Ton
(Comm'l Recy) - organics) - NEW organics) - Range NEW tons
tons
NEW tons
City
-
0.5% -
-
0.7%
-
0.8% - 1.5% $250-500
-
$200-300
Budget (in
Thous $,
Cost/Ton Range- across all
Generator SWMCB)
Notes
n/a $3000-$8,000
n/a
May be spread over several
years; costs arise because many
$2000-3000 businesses, small percent of tons.
SERA
PACKAGE 2






ORDINANCE- Haulers must ‘offer’ recycling and SSO to all
accounts
POLICY / CONTRACT- Small businesses may use residential
recycling services (with same fee)
INCENTIVE /OUTREACH- Recycling co-ops (commercial)
OUTREACH- Social marketing campaign, business technical
assistance, targeted materials/generators (focus on Comm.
SSO)
POLICY / INCENTIVE– Continue / expand schools programs
ORDINANCE- Require haulers to report tons collected and
diverted for all sectors
SERA
Pgm #s
1 year Gov't
% of Total Tons % of Total Tons
Budget (in
% of Total Tons
(Comm'l
(Resid'l
Cost/Ton
Thous $,
(Comm'l Recy) - organics) - NEW organics) - Range - Cost/Ton Range- across all
NEW tons
tons
NEW tons City
Generator
SWMCB)
Notes
Optional Package 2 - Avoid Mandates
Require haulers to "OFFER" recycling and organics
service, with fees NOT embedded in trash rates.
Small businesses (1 CY) may use residential
recycling program WITH fee (same as res cost &
containers)
Recycling Cooperatives, to help aggregate tons from
multiple small businesses to make it practical for
haulers to collect materials from these businesses.
Commercial Technical Assistance and Social
marketing to reach out on new program initiatives for
Commercial sector
Continue and expand schools organics diversion
programs
C9, O5
0.1% - 0.3% 0.1% - 0.2% 0.1% - 0.2%
C7
0.1% - 0.2%
-
-
-$25 to $500
(higher for small
generator,
lower, with
potentiall more
savings, for
$4- $50
large) $70 - $250
Low
$300-$600 Low
C8
0.1%
0.3%
$0-$50
n/a
$100-200
C1, C2,
C3, O1,
O2, O10 -$250.5%
to $500
- (higher
2.0% for0.3%
small- generator,
1.5% lower, -with potentiall
$50-$100
more savings, for large) $1000-3000
O8
Hauler reporting of tonnages to track progress, ability
to audit books of haulers to assure they are offering /
providing the required services (above)
C6, O4
TOTAL PACKAGE 2
TOTAL TONS DIVERTED FOR PACKAGE 2
(thousands)
-
0.1% - 0.2%
-
$200-$400
0.0% - 0.0% 0.0% - 0.0% 0.0% - 0.0%
0.8% - 2.7% 0.5% - 1.9% 0.1% - 0.2%
13 -
45
8-
32
1-
3
Low
$17
n/a
$500-1000
$0
$37 $1.6-4.4 mill.
Costs assume less than 1 day of
City staffer FTE per hauling
company to request, analyze
data; assume 5 firms per county.
(less than $30K for 6 counties)
Total tons diverted = 22K-80K
SERA
GOALS AND IMPACTS
Year: 2015
If 100% from Commercial
If 50% from Commercial
Tons above current level
159,900 – 251,600
80,000 – 125,800
% of Recycling Tons Available
57% - 90%
29% - 45%
Tons above current level
221,100 – 343,400
110,500 – 171,700
% of Recycling Tons Available
79% - 123%
40% - 61%
Tons above current level
282,200 – 436,100
141,100 – 217,500
% of Recycling Tons Available
101% - 156%
50% - 78%
Year: 2020
If 100% from Commercial
If 50% from Commercial
Year: 2025
If 100% from Commercial
If 50% from Commercial
Year: 2030
Tons above current level
% of Recycling Tons Available
If 100% from Commercial
436,100 – 618,500
156% - 221%
If 50% from Commercial
217,500 – 309,300
78% - 111%
Impacts of
Package 1 (no
mandate) 58K117K tons
Impacts of
Package 1 (with
mandate) 121K
–194K
Pkg 1: Commercial 58,000 to 117,000
If mandated / banned 121,000 to 194,000
Pkg 2: 13,000 to 45,000
SERA
GOALS AND IMPACT
Figure 1.18: Organics Recycling Goals and Impacts of Programs
Year
Goal
‘New’ Tons Needed % of Divertible Tons Available1 % of Total Organics Stream2
2015 3% - 6%
None3 to 56,000
None to 17%
None to 7%
2020
4% - 8%
None to 117,200
None to 36%
None to14%
2025
6% -12%
56,000 to 239,500
16% to 73%
7% to 28%
2030
9% -15%
147,800 to 331,200
45% to 101%
17% to 39%
Pkg 1: Organics 87,000 to 196,000
If mandated / banned 180,000 to 264,000
Pkg 2: 9,000 to 25,000
Several strategies presented themselves as programs
Impacts of
Package 1 (no
mandate) 87K196K tons
Impacts of Package 1
(w/ mandate) 180K264K tons
SERA
INCLUDED IN REPORT
 Detailed information on each
program (where, how, advantages,
pitfalls) and more programs
(comm.(14) SSO (17)
 Discussion of mandatory recycling /
bans
 Example cities / programs
 Expanded inventory of commercial
and organics programs identified
SERA
QUESTIONS / DISCUSSION:
Lisa A. Skumatz, Ph.D.
Principal, SERA, Inc.
Juri Freeman
Sr. Analyst
762 Eldorado Drive, Superior, CO 80027
Phone: 303/494-1178
email: skumatz@serainc.com
freeman@serainc.com
SERA