on Recycled Paper
JEROME LINCOLN MINIDOKA
A REGIONAL COOPERATIVE FOR INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT
P.O. Box 159,1050 W. 400 S.,
Burley, ID 83318
208-432-9082
FAX 208路432路6915
ANNUAL REPORT
October 1,2001 - September 30,2002 COMMODITIES PROCESSED In the last twelve months, the Blaine County Resource Recovery Center processed 1,936 tons of cardboard, newsprint, metal cans, magazines, glass, mixed residential paper, and a couple grades of office paper. The 1,936 tons represents a 3% reduction below the amount of2,007 tons of materials processed in the same twelve months of the preceding year. This 3% annual decline in commodity follows a 2% decline in the prior year. Table 1 identifies the volumes of recyclable materials handled in each of the past twelve months. TABLE 1 COMMODITIES RECOVERED
Tons per Month
Month
Cardboard
Newsprint
Aluminum Cans
Glass
Mag.
Tin Paper
October 2001
75.7 Tons
21.5 Tons
1.8 Tons
36.5 Tons
2.2 Tons
14.4 Tons
22.0 Tons
November
65.7
24.9
1.8
31.2
2.3
8.6
28.6
December
88.5
17.8
1.7
37.9
2.3
9.9
12.6
January 2002
72.0
20.]
1.9
46.4
2.6
15.3
27.3
February
55.5
18.7
1.3
39.4
2.5
6.6
14.3
March
68.]
20.8
1.8
42.8
2.3
12.5
21.5
April
57.9
20.6
1.9
36.0
1.9
10.0
17.2
May
59.4
22.7
1.8
31.4
2.1
14.2
17.5
June
63.3
20.5
1.4
35.0
1.8
11.3
21.8
July
85.1
21.1
2.4
55.6
1.8
6.9
13.8
August
80.6
24.8
2.3
59.0
1.8
8.9
19.0
September
63.9
20,6
1.8
4l.5
1.7
15.4
19.3
Total
835.7
254.1
21.9
429.7
25.3
134.0
234.9
It is important to determine which ofthe recyclable commodities is experiencing a in volume since there is a wide variability in value of each commodity. The revenues from sale of the commodities helps off set the cost of operating the recycling center and provides a buy颅 back program which in tum helps fund collection of some commodities. This reduction commodity volume, and hence revenues comes off a stepped-up路public awareness progralm this past year that was geared to increasing recycling volumes throughout south central
A comparison of the amounts of the different types of commodities processed in each Ofrhe past four years can be found in Table 2
TABLE 2 COMMODITY VOLUMES BY YEAR Commodity
1999
2000
2001
Cardboard
828 Tons
876 Tons
883 Tons
836 Tons
Newsprint
192
303
270
254
Aluminum Cans
26
25
21
22
Glass
494
451
446
430
Tin Cans
30
27
25
25
2002 I
I
Mixed Paper
124
138
136
134
Magazines
248
245
227
235
1,942 Tons
2,007 Tons
This table identifies a decrease in both cardboard (-47 tons) and newsprint (-16 tons) are two of the three commodities providing the primary sources of revenue. On a positive aluminum cans, which is the other of the three major revenue producing commodities" in reased 1 ton. The next set of data identifies how the recyclable materials are getting to the processing enter. Recyclable materials are transported to the Blaine County Resource Recovery Center by ood River Rubbish and Recycling (the curbside collection program), by Recycling Services (the primary commercial recycler), and those persons that transport the materials on an inclivi1ual basis (self hauls). I
1
In this past year, the curbside collection program accounted for 50% of all marketable (cardboard, newsprint, mixed residential paper, aluminum, and tin). Recycling Servicles responsible for bringing in 33% of the marketable materials, and self hauls account for thj remaining 17%. The following Table 3 provides for a more detailed breakdown. I
TABLE 3 COMMODITIES BY CARRIER
Commodity
Wood River Rubbish
Recycling Services
Cardboard
342 Tons
435 tons
59 Tons
Newsprint
197
20
37
Mixed Paper
175
36
158
Aluminum
16
2
4
Tin
22
0
3
Total
752 Tons (50%)
493 Tons (33%)
Self Haul
261 Tons (17%)
As compared to last year, the amount of marketable materials derived from the curbside collection program decreased by 20 tons. The commercial recycling collector's volumes were down by 9 tons. The amount of marketable materials dropped off by the self hauls decreased by 20 tons, which was the highest proportional decrease (10%)
OPERATION COSTS AND REVENUES The overall trend of operating expenses exceeding operating revenues continued again this year. Some good news can be found, however. First, the combined value of the recycling commodities marketed this past year was nearly $22,000 higher than in the proceeding year, which means the value of newsprint, cardboard, aluminum/tin cans, office paper, and magazines processed through the Blaine County Recycling Center was worth more per ton. Expressed another way, we gained 26% more revenue from 3% less volume. Second, most of the increase in operating expense can be attributed to increased buy-back payments (which total $24,762 or an increase of $7,400 over last year). The buy-back payments, which are made to the local commercial recycler, the curbside recycling contractor, and Blaine County residents hauling bigger volumes of aluminum cans, tend to create a fmancial incentive to increase the amount of marketable commodities hauled to the recycling center. Market projections for recycling commodities in the upcoming year call for stable pricing for fiber markets (newsprint and cardboard), slight decreases for scrap metal, and the potential of slight increases for used beverage containers.
TABLE 4 1999 - 2000
REVENUE VS EXPENSE
2000 - 2001
2001- 2002
Revenues
$160,472.89
$ 76,677.40
$ 99,362.35
Expenses
$130,152.17
$100,974.06
$113,116.26
$30,320.72
($24,296.66)
( $13,753.91)
Net
The 1,936 tons of recycled materials, which would otherwise be handled as solid waste, saved Blaine County and its residents $36,978 in the avoided cost of solid waste transfer and landfill expense. The value of the avoided cost, $36,978, when factored against the net loss ($13,754 ) yielded an overall value of $23,224 for the operation of the resource recovery center. The invaluable resource of community service labor utilized at the Resource Recovery Center increased this past year. 1,339 hours of community service labor were utilized this past year. This increased level of community service does not include the time and effort of other efforts, such as the Environmental Resource Centers special events recycling project.
RECYCLING IDGHLIGHTS Three recycling highlights were realized this past year in the Wood River Valley. Approximately 625 tons of glass were used in a road construction project near the intersection of East Fork and Highway 75. The use of nearly one full year of glass collected at the recycling center in the road construction project was put together largely through the efforts of Senator Clint Stennett. The Idaho Dept. of Transportation has indicated the next road construction project, planned for next year, can use 800 tons or more of glass. The second recycling project undertaken was the first computer recycling event, which was held in conjunction with the annual Blaine County spring clean-up. 116 computer monitors and a total of 4,500 pounds of e-waste were recycled during this event. The Blaine County Commissioners spearheaded the development of this project. A plastics recycling pilot project was initiated this summer by the Environmental Resource Center. This plastic recycling program focused on the recycling of plastic bottles (co-mingled 1&2) from special events. Further, Blaine County residents took up the project and began hauling plastic bottles to the recycling center. To date, the combined efforts ofthe ERC and the residents have resulted in the recycling of nearly 1,100 pounds of marketable plastic bottles. Southern Idaho Solid Waste is pleased to have been able to support the efforts of those individuals and organizations to expand recycling opportunities in the Wood River Valley.