NC Recycling Issues
NC Division of Pollution Prevention and
Environmental Assistance
THANK YOU SPONSORS
Alcoa
Duke Energy
APR
ECVC
Asheville
Johnston County
Brunswick County
Lee County
Cary
NC Beverage Association
Catawba County
Orange County
Chatham County
Raleigh
Sonoco
MILLIONS
DISPOSAL FORECAST
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
19911992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
Tons
2004
2005
2006
People
2007
2008
2009
SOLID WASTE OPTIONS
Landfill
Transfer Station
Waste-to-Energy
Composting
Recycling
NC WASTE STREAM
Newspaper
7%
Corrugated
Cardboard
6%
Office Paper
3%
Magazines
3%
Paperboard
5%
Other Waste
49%
Mixed Paper
3%
Plastic Bottles
3%
Glass
5%
Aluminum Cans
Steel Cans 1%
2%
Food
13%
THE 3 R’S
REDUCE
REUSE
RECYCLE
WHY RECYCLE?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Saves limited natural resources
Prevents air and water pollution
Saves energy
Provides raw materials for industry
Creates jobs
Saves landfill space
Improves our nations ability to compete
Keeps habitats intact
Reduces greenhouse gas emissions
RECYCLE?
CLIMATEWHY
CHANGE
& RECYCLING
DEFINITIONS
• Preconsumer vs. Postconsumer
• Commingled vs. Source Separated
• Recyclable vs. Recycled
• Closed Loop Recycling
Recycling Myths
busted
“Any plastic product that
has a number within the
chasing arrows is
recyclable.”
Recycling Myths
busted
Photo courtesy of jars2go.com
THE 3 ARROWS - CYCLE
Collection of Recyclables
Manufacturing of the Material
Buy Recycled Products
1. COLLECTION
Curbside
Drop-off
Out and About – Reverse
Vending Machines
Deposit Programs – not in NC
2. MRF SEPARATION PROCESS
MRFs IN NC
3. BUYING RECYCLED
SUPPLY AND DEMAND
GLOBAL ECONOMY
RECYCLING MARKETS
$120
$100
$80
$60
$40
$20
$0
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
Mixed Paper
2002
2003
Newsprint
2004
2005
Cardboard
2006
2007
2008
2009
RECYCLING MARKETS
RECYCLING MARKETS
http://p2pays.org/rbac/pricing_trends.html
RECYCLING COSTS
Personnel
Transportation
Equipment
Maintenance
However, disposal also has these costs
and has less environmental benefits.
How can we/government/organizations
stimulate demand for recovered
material?
NC LANDFILL BANS
Take a guess: Which of the following are banned from
landfills?
Motor Oil (Used)
Aseptic Packaging
Oyster Shells
Glass Containers
Scrap Tires
Newspaper
Yard Trash
Aluminum Cans
Styrofoam
Plastic Bottles
Antifreeze
Appliances
Food Waste
Lead-Acid Batteries
Televisions
Wooden Pallets
Motor Oil Filters
Phone Books
Rechargeable Batteries
Computer Equipment
Hard Bound Books
Beverage Containers from ABC Permitted Facilities
NC LANDFILL BANS
Take a guess: Which of the following are banned from
landfills?
Motor Oil (Used)
Yard Trash
Plastic Bottles
Wooden Pallets
Oyster Shells
Scrap Tires
Aluminum Cans
Antifreeze
Lead-Acid Batteries
Motor Oil Filters
Appliances
Televisions
Computer Equipment
Beverage Containers from ABC Permitted Facilities
Any other
myths I can
bust?
Recovered Recyclable Material
Weight
75 lbs of aluminum cans
1.5 tons of aluminum cans
116 pounds of #1 PET plastic flaked
3.8 tons of clear glass
40 tons of paper
19.49 tons of newspaper
314 pounds of #1 mixed PET plastic
287 pounds of #2 mixed HDPE plastic
59 tons of steel cans
Price per weight
53 cents per pound
53 cents per pound
$39 per ton
$50 per ton
11 cents per pound
$63 per ton
Money from
recycables
$39.75
$31.32
$148.20
$7,000.00
$974.50
$31.57
$3,717.00
In America, 2500 aluminum cans are used every second.
63 percent of all aluminum cans used are recycled
1 hour = 3600 seconds, 1 day = 24 hours
How many
How many
How many
How many
How many
cans
cans
cans
cans
cans
are recycled each second?
are recycled each hour?
are used each hour?
are used each day?
are not recycled each day?
Landfills in NC
NC Division of Pollution Prevention and
Environmental Assistance
TYPES OF LANDFILLS
 Municipal Solid Waste
 Construction and Demolition Debris
 Land Clearing and Inert Debris
LANDFILL SCALEHOUSE
 Charged based on weight not volume
LANDFILL COMPACTORS
 But compaction of waste is important for
airspace and saving volume
LANDFILL COMPONENTS






Clay and Plastic Liners
Leachate “Garbage Coffee” Collection
Methane Gas Collection
Groundwater and Methane Testing Wells
Storm Water Run-Off Pipes
Daily Cover
LANDFILL COMPONENTS
LANDFILL METHANE USE
 Co-generation facility in Catawba County, sent
to manufacturing facility near by
Recycling Myths
busted
“Material in a landfill
quickly degrades.”
CLIMATE
WHY
CHANGE
RECYCLE?
& COMPOST