MSW Management January/February 2016

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Recently awarded a SWANA Excellence Award, the Hartford Landfill, owned and operated by the state of Connecticut’s Materials and Innovation and Recycling Authority, features 35 acres of ClosureTurf, an engineered synthetic turf closure system, and a one megawatt Solar Electricity Generating Facility (EGF). Instead of investing in a traditional membrane/soil landfill cap, the closure budget was used on ClosureTurf and the money saved on virgin soil was invested into the Solar EGF which will power many of the surrounding homes. The decision to utilize the top deck of ClosureTurf for solar can be made at any time in the future and may be done in phases of expansion, as planned with Hartford.

A simplified and environmentally-improved method, ClosureTurf is an alternative to traditional soil cover systems commonly used to cap landfills and combines six functional layers of traditional Subtitle D cover into three components: a 50-mil thick structured geomembrane manufactured by AGRU America; a tufted geotextile known as engineered synthetic turf; and an infill which can be either sand or a cementitous infill. It has only 18% of the carbon footprint of a traditional cover, conserving 100,000 cubic yards of clean, virgin soil and 18,000 truck trips to deliver the soil on site. Additionally, ClosureTurf eliminated the potential impacts of slope erosion on the surrounding community, which consisted of many thriving businesses, including ten new car dealerships. ClosureTurf also greatly reduced long-term costs as the system requires little to no maintenance.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 www.mswmanagement.com

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January/February 2016 / Vol. 26 / No. 1

[ www.mswmanagement.com ] EDITOR

John Trotti – jtrotti@forester.net

MANAGING PRODUCTION EDITOR

Brianna Duncan

IT/ONLINE SUPPORT

Steven Grimaud

WEB EDITOR

David Rachford

WEBMASTER

Nadia English – nenglish@forester.net

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Arturo Santiago

DIRECTOR OF ONLINE MEDIA & IT

John Richardson

BRAND MANAGERS

Shane Stevens, Glenys Archer, Suzy Shidlovsky, Laine Wilkinson, Campbell Baker

SENIOR BRAND MANAGERS

Mark Gersten, Geoff Solo, Eileen Duarte

SALES & MARKETING COORDINATOR

Carmody Cutter

COVER STORY

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING SALES

Adam Schaffer – aschaffer@forester.net

20

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Deja Hsu

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Features 20

Tyler Adair

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Doug Mlyn

Compost: The Sustainable Solution

ART DIRECTOR

Not just for plant establishment, but for soil/water protection (and conservation), and green infrastructure

DIRECTOR OF CIRCULATION

BY RON ALEXANDER

Judith Geiger

Steven Wayner – swayner@forester.net

MARKETING COORDINATOR, EDUCATION & TRAINING

Phil Johnson – pjohnson@forester.net

28

Food Waste Part 1: Ben Franklin, Swill, Swampers, Hamlet, and Chewing Gum...A Legal Smorgasbord “In general, mankind, since the improvement in cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires.” –Ben Franklin

Courtney Keele

MRF: Safety and Efficiency

Keith Rodgers

BY CAROL BRZOZOWSKI

The Future of Recycling in the United States—Can It Pay for Itself?

BY MARC J. ROGOFF

Using Horizontal Extraction Wells to Contain Leachate Plumes Near Landfills It is relatively common for older, unlined landfills to have a bad effect on adjacent groundwater quality, even if they have been capped.

BY WILLIAM G. SOUKUP AND WILLIAM J. LEE

Departments

SIGN UP FOR YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION

Editor’s Comments 6 Spotlight 50 Viewpoint 8

Project Profile 52

Guest Editorial 10

Marketplace 56

SWANA News 12

Advertiser’s Index 56 Reader Profile 58

COVER PHOTO: ©iStock/LECHATNOIR

FINANCE & HR MANAGER

John Pasini – jpasini@forester.net

PUBLISHER

Daniel Waldman – dw@forester.net

There’s been media attention directed on the “ills” of recycling in the US in both the solid waste industry press, as well as national reports published in mainstream publications.

48

Beth Tompkins – btompkins@forester.net

AR/AP

Changes in the wastestream are necessitating new ways of designing—or redesigning— MRF to maximize efficiency and safety in a footprint that accommodates both goals.

44

Hayley Hogan – hhogan@forester.net

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION & TRAINING ACCOUNTANT/CHAIR, LOVE & HAPPINESS COMMITTEE

BY CONSTANCE HORNIG

32

PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER, EDUCATION & TRAINING

Go online for new subscriptions, renewals, or change of address:

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MSW Management (ISSN 1053-7899) is published seven times annually

by Forester Media Inc., 2946 De la Vina Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, 805-682-1300, fax: 805-682-0200, e-mail: publisher@forester.net,Web: www.foresternetwork.com. Periodicals postage paid at Santa Barbara, CA, and at additional mailing offices. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from publisher. Entire contents ©2016 by Forester Media Inc. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to MSW Management, 440 Quadrangle Drive Ste E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Changes of address can be completed online at www.cdsreportnow.com/renew/now?msw or mailed to 440 Quadrangle Dr., Ste. E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440; please provide your mailing label or old address in addition to new address. Include ZIP code or postal code. Allow two months for change. Editorial contributions are welcome. All material must be accompanied by stamped return envelopes and will be handled with reasonable care; however, publishers assume no responsibility for safety of artwork, photographs, or manuscripts. Every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy, but the publishers cannot accept responsibility for the correctness or accuracy of information supplied herein or for any opinion expressed.The publisher states that all editorials and opinions, including those that express the opinion or policy of the publisher or editor, do not necessarily represent the opinion or policy of SWANA. Subscription Rates: seven issues of MSW Management are $76 per year in the US ($95 in Canada, $160 elsewhere). Send the completed subscription card with a check to 440 Quadrangle Dr., Ste. E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Reprints: All editorial material in MSW Management is available for reprints. Call 805-679-7604 or e-mail reprints@ forester.net for additional information. List Rentals: 1-800-529-9020 ext. 5003, dfoster@inforefinery.com. Articles appearing in this journal are indexed in Environmental Periodicals Bibliography. Back issues may be ordered (depending on available inventory) for $15 per copy in the US ($20 in Canada, $35 elsewhere). Send written requests for back issues along with check or money order in US funds payable to MSW Management, P.O. Box 3100, Santa Barbara, CA 93130, USA. Provide address for where copies should be shipped. Allow six weeks for delivery.

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25th ANNIVERSARY

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EDITOR’S COMMENTS I BY JOHN TROTTI

Footprints in the Sand

T

he debate as to the value of recycling—especially the residential component—was fully flocked and raging well before my ascension to MSW Management’s pulpit (1992) with good and honest people taking up cudgels in support of antithetical positions with near religious ferocity. So this latest flurry of activity, spawned at least in part by another of journalist John Tierney’s backhanded swipes at the practice (NY Times, October 3, 2015), is neither surprising nor filled with damning new information. But unlike its June 30, 1996 predecessor, Tierney’s latest salvo has succeeded in provoking responses that suggest that the waste industry and its recycling community are taking some features of the attack very seriously (as demonstrated by the response by Robin K. Wiener, President, Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries; Jennifer M. Jehn, President and CEO, Keep America Beautiful; and David Biderman, Executive Director and CEO, Solid Waste Association of North America that you will find on page 8). I view this as a positive reaction that is apt to do more to move our transitioning focus from waste to materials management than through the crafting of Maginot Line defenses in support of 1980’s waste wars.

To me, the current challenge to recycling is an opportunity to take a long hard look at what our real role is and in doing so review our efforts on programs and practices invested in today’s environmental, economic, and social realities, not those of another epoch.

Materials Management Futures In line with these thoughts, I was speaking with a member of MSW Management’s Editorial Advisory Board about what the magazine should be concerning itself with for the future—2025 and beyond— and he asked, “Why so far in the future? I’m more concerned about what to do next week, much less next month or year.”

Of course, the immediate concerns are always going to be on the front burner, and yes, it’s hard for us to elevate our focus to some “if…come…maybe” point in the future when there may be dragons poised to broil us right around the next bend. Indeed, no matter how well prepared we are—or think we are—it is our job to respond to situations over which we exercise little if any control. Yet that is exactly why it is important for us to stop every once in a while and consider what the future is likely to bring…and what we can do to exercise some amount of control over the outcome.

Reacting to the World of 2025 Will the wonderful world of solid waste management in 2025 be significantly different from today? Barring catastrophe, probably not. In fact many factors that will dictate our activities a decade from now are already pretty well locked on a course that is not likely to change.

In short, 2025’s die is already cast and what we’ve tried to do in these pages is heighten your awareness of many of these issues.

You have—or at least should have—a pretty good idea of what your waste [material] stream is going to look like both in terms of size and constitution, even if you are in the midst of dramatic change.

As brought home in the recent downturn, the state of the economy and changing demographics will have an impact on the amount and characteristics of disposal, but the differences still lay within expected limits. The same—though to a somewhat lesser extent—holds true

with diversion opportunities, where the processes for significant change would almost certainly have to be well advanced by now. That said, I would like to mention a possible exception—one upon which we will elaborate in future issues—having to do with waste-to-energy activities where many existing contracts will expire or come up for renegotiation in the next several years. If you’re facing such a situation, all bets are off until you’ve got a new deal in place.

Many of us have experienced significant change in our workforce throughout the last decade, not only in terms of its cultural makeup, but its expectations in terms of working environment and compensation.

What these mean in both short- and long-range terms is really a function of how resolutely and effectively we’ve met the challenges and taken advantage of the opportunities these changes have presented to us.

How’s Your 2030 Vision?

You might reasonably ask just how far into the future can we look before we’ve gone from the ridiculous to the sublime? For an answer, I’d like to pose another question: How long does it take for something to go from concept to reality in your community? It really depends on what you’ve got in mind, how great a departure it represents from the way things are done at present, and what the cost is relative to the benefit. If you’re talking about replacing existing carts with similar equipment and the issue for all intents and purposes is cost, then the factors affecting lead time come down to: (1) doing the analysis, (2) selling the decision makers, and (3) implementing the change.

Though by no means a trivial effort, still this kind of project can be accomplished in a reasonably short period of time.

But what if in conjunction with replacing existing carts, your object is to initiate an automated collection system? What kind of lead time are you looking at then? Starting from scratch, could you complete the transformation by 2020? Maybe you could propose its completion by then, but I wouldn’t bet the farm or your daytime job on it. Why? The more variables you throw into the game and the more aspects of community life you touch, the longer things take.

You may think, for instance, that since a lot of communities have already adopted automated collection, you should be able to cookiecutter their experience into yours.

Think again. For every situation in which such plagiarism works there are a dozen in which local differences make it quite a challenge.

Then, there are the myriad details to be tied down, many of which involve compromise and tradeoffs. But even when you think you’ve put all of the mechanical and operational issues into an irresistible package, you’ve got to sell the program…not once, but invariably again and again. And each of these will involve revisions that range from “cosmetics” to major surgery. With each iteration, undoubtedly you will be reacting to new information and perhaps even different goals until what you end up with may bear little resemblance to what you started with.

While 2030 may appear to be a long way out there—admittedly too far for most of the activities that fill your day—once you accept that where substantive change is involved you’ve embarked not on a project but rather a process, it’s closer to the effective horizon than you might think. MSW

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VIEWPOINT I BY ROBIN K. WIENER, JENNIFER M. JEHN, AND DAVID BIDERMAN

Editorial Advisory Board

Joint Industry Viewpoint on Recycling

Laurie Batchelder Adams

David Biderman Executive Director Solid Waste Association of North America Silver Spring, MD

Sara L. Bixby

R

ecent media reports have painted a confusing and misinformed picture of recycling, calling it wasteful, ineffective, and costly. Unfortunately, these articles completely overlook the positive economic impact of this activity on the United States economy. The reality is that recycling in the US is a vibrant activity and a key driver in domestic and global manufacturing, supplying more than 130 million tons annually of scrap metals, paper, electronics, plastics, rubber, glass, and textiles for manufacture into new products.

The business of recycling represents nearly $106 billion in annual economic activity and is responsible for 471,587 direct and indirect US jobs, generating more than $4.3 billion in state and local revenues annually, and another $6.76 billion in federal taxes.

The environmental impact of recycling cannot be ignored. The reality is that recycling is an important part of our national infrastructure, providing an effective and currently irreplaceable means of reducing landfill space and transforming end-of-life products and materials into valuable materials that are used to manufacture new products. Numerous independent studies have shown that recycling offers environmental benefits over landfilling and incineration. Among the most important are the reduction in energy use to manufacture with recycled feedstock (compared to using virgin material) and the very dramatic reduction in air pollutants, including greenhouse gas emissions, as a result of reduced energy usage. EPA found that municipal recycling and composting in 2013 reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 186 million tons, comparable to annual emissions from more than 39 million passenger cars.

Yes, some segments of the recycling industry—particularly those that handle municipal recyclables—are currently experiencing unique challenges as a result of a changing business model and increas-

ing quality concerns. In those segments, decreased commodity prices combined with efforts to make recycling more convenient for consumers have affected both the economics and the processing requirements for recyclables. However, it is important to recognize that the public and private entities involved with municipal recycling are taking proactive steps to address program funding and material quality to offset lower commodity prices. It is also important to put municipal recycling in perspective. Although it manages more than 80 million tons annually, this effort accounts for less than half of the total recycling activity occurring in the US each year.

Unfortunately, by narrowly focusing on certain negative details while lumping everything else together, the media reports effectively discourage people from recycling altogether.

This would be a major setback for US residents and future generations, and it is why as an industry, organizations such as ISRI, Keep America Beautiful, and the Solid Waste Association of North America partner to showcase the enormous environmental and economic benefits of recycling. With America Recycles Day approaching on November 15, let’s focus on what works; address the challenges; better engage the public on what to recycle; and develop the processes, technology, and markets needed to expand robust, sustainable recycling. Turning our backs on recycling altogether would significantly hurt the US balance of trade and reduce jobs in the recycling industry—manufacturing that has come to rely on recyclables as a feedstock, the environment, and sustainable materials management.

That would be a major step backward for our country and the health of the planet. MSW

Recycling in the US is a vibrant activity and a key driver in domestic and global manufacturing.

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President LBA Associates Denver, CO

Robin K. Wiener is President of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Jennifer M. Jehn is President and CEO for Keep America Beautiful, and David Biderman is the Executive Director and CEO at Solid Waste Association of North America.

Deputy Executive Director Solid Waste Association of North America Silver Spring, MD

Frank Caponi Head, Air Quality Engineering Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts Whittier, CA

John Carlton Senior Vice President Gershman, Brickner & Bratton Inc. Fairfax, VA

Steven P. Christman QEP, Executive Director Northeast Indiana Solid Waste District Ashley, IN

Tim Flanagan General Manager Monterey Regional Waste Management District Marina, CA

Anne Germain, P.E.* Director of Waste and Recycling National Waste & Recycling Association Washington DC

Victoria Johnson Director of Solid Waste Charlotte, NC

Kevin Kiernan Division Director King County Solid Waste Division King County, WA

Allen Lynch Manager, North Shore Recycling Program North Vancouver, BC, Canada

Tony Miano Solid Waste Manager City of Tempe, AZ

Michael Michels Vice President Cornerstone Environmental Group Plymouth, WI

Jeffrey S. Murray, P.E., BCEE Senior Project Manager HDR Inc. Raleigh, NC

Chuck Peterson Senior Environmental Specialist The World Bank Washington DC

Alfred Rattie Director of Market Development US Composting Council Bethesda, MD

Paul Sgriccia, P.E. Principal US Waste Market Sector Leader Golder Associates Wixom, MI

Brian Tippetts Business Manager Hilltopper Refuse and Recycling Service Onalaska, WI

Eugene Tseng, J.D. President E. Tseng, and Associates Agoura Hills, CA

James D. Warner Chief Executive Officer Solid Waste Management Authority Lancaster County, PA

Ana E. Wood Solid Waste Director City of Jacksonville, FL *Board Certified Environmental Engineer

[ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 ]

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GUEST EDITORIAL I BY LAURIE BATCHELDER ADAMS

Are Recycling Marketing Cooperatives Still an Effective Option for Rural Systems?

I

n the 1990s and early 2000s, many non-profit recycling organizations in the US and Canada operated cooperative networks developed to maximize potential and minimize costs. Over 60 of these “coops” focused on brokering recyclables collected by their members. This focus varied in terms of number and type of members served, materials accepted, and range of services. Many of us may remember coops that are no longer in business (think the Long Island Cooperative Marketing Program, the Recycling Marketing Cooperative for Tennessee, and the Southwest Public Recycling Association). Some of these and others like them could not continue to attract brokers and/ or haulers during the cyclical economic downturns. More recently, other coops have struggled providing the solution to a problem that is disappearing (such as those that focus solely on source-separated materials).

The New Mexico Recycling Coalition (NMRC) also operated a rural marketing cooperative (Rural Recycling Resources, or R3) between 2012 and 2014. R3 was one of several integrated strategies NMRC undertook to help achieve access to recycling by more than 80% of the state. It’s this overall success that ultimately led to the closing of R3’s doors. The aggregation of increasing recyclable tons through a well-implemented hub and spoke network eventually attracted more processing competition to the state, giving communities new processing and end use outlets. Single-stream also has become more established in the urban areas, increasing options for rural recyclers. Today, many of NMRC’s previous “customers” are successfully marketing and brokering their own materials. (Next door in Colorado, we watch all of NMRC’s successes with great interest.)

There are a few coops that are still helping rural and urban members sell their recyclables. The Maine Resource Recovery Association (MRRA) has marketed source-separated materials for over two decades—moving over 15,000 tons per year. A majority of MRRA’s 170 members have used these services. In recent years, however, staff have watched some members begin collecting single-stream recyclables (which the coop does not broker) and the demand for this service decrease. Even though MRRA is not totally reliant on coop fee revenues, the organization is expecting this trend to continue and has proactively developed a strategic plan to find new revenues and ways to continue providing value to its membership.

The Cooperative Teamwork & Recycling Alliance (CTRA) has operated a successful recyclables marketing cooperative in Texas for 21 years. Like MRRA, CTRA also targets rural, multi-stream programs. The organization provides equipment guidance and grant writing; coordinates transportation; and markets traditional recyclables, batteries, and electronics. The sole source of CTRA funding is a brokerage fee equal to 10% of net revenues earned by members. Because of a revenue-share system in which both parties benefit from low transportation costs and high market pricing, members are assured that CTRA is driven by their best financial interests. Today, CTRA has 60 members that represent over 500 private, public, and non-profit entities, and diverts nearly 7,000 tons of material annually.

The Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA) has been active since 1981 and has one of the most expansive marketing cooperatives. Serving 400 members in six New England states, the organization

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brokers over 80,000 tons per year of source-separated and single-stream recyclables, MSW, HHW, C&D debris, electronics, and other materials. NRRA uses a well-established system of member contracts, vendor approvals, and pricing negotiations. Despite this structure, staff are nimble enough to stay on top of dynamic markets and savvy enough to maintain good relationships with both their member/suppliers and vendor/buyers. NRRA keeps vendors interested in a three-party system by marketing their services to members and reducing their administrative burden (the organization conducts all billing). Because member marketing costs do not vary with revenues earned, the organization has weathered the fickle economy well. Because it can broker any reasonably marketable waste commodity—and operates in a region with some landfill haul/tip fees as high as $90, to $130—NRRA expects to serve its suppliers and buyers for the foreseeable future.

To my mind, these coops demonstrate important “abilities” that have helped foster their own longevity and provide replicable models for the rest of us to consider: • Breadth and flexibility in meeting member needs: In addition to materials brokering, many recyclers need their coop partners to help them decide whether to stick with source separation or jump on the single-stream bandwagon, to design efficient “spokes”, to assist in communicating with the public, and more. Additionally, being able to provide market expertise and accommodate new material commodities is key in an industry whose players, pricing, and needs change faster than I can type. In other words, staying relevant is as much the name of the long game as tonnage.

• Providing tangible benefits to both suppliers and buyers: All of these non-profits provide their members with marketing skills most local governments and small businesses don’t have—they are also reliable partners who won’t go out of business or relocate when markets tank (or stay tanked, as the case may be). But keeping processors interested in a three-party system through a combination of consistent financial benefits and trust is also critical to bringing (and keeping) all parties at the table.

• Diverse funding sources: Most of these organizations have multiple revenue sources (base membership dues, conference registrations, grants, equipment sales, etc.). This diversity allows the organizations to reliably pay marketing revenues and keep both members and vendors “whole” and recycling over the long-term.

Many rural recyclers don’t generate enough materials to cover long-haul costs or attract the attention of end users. Many more don’t have the resources to maintain sustainable operations or negotiate the erratic secondary materials market place. A regional, non-profit third-party cooperative can be a strategic part of making grass-roots diversion robust enough to turn the current diversion-to-disposal ration on its ear. MSW Laurie Batchelder Adams is President of LBA Associates, Inc. in Denver, CO. She is a past president of the Colorado Association for Recycling and SWANA’s International Board of Directors. Thanks to Sarah Pierpoint and English Bird (NMRC), Victor Horton (MRRA), Rachel Hering (CTRA), and Michael Durfor (NRRA) for their input to this article.

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NEWS FROM THE SOLID WASTE ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA

CONTENTS

®

WASTECON 2015 Recap D

• WASTECON 2015 RECAP • SWANAPALOOZA REGISTRATION OPEN

uring the last week of August 2015, attendees from all over gathered at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida, to talk trash with their peers at the 53rd annual WASTECON. With a venue featuring lush greenery, running waterfalls and fascinating wildlife, WASTECON 2015 was certainly an event to remember.

EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS AND TRAINING EXPLORE THE FUTURE OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT WASTECON’s theme, Inventing the Future of Solid Waste Management, was apparent from the very start of the conference. With technical sessions that put an emphasis on industry transitions, safety necessities and innovative solutions, the solid waste industry has a bright future ahead.

This year’s Mega Sessions were bigger than ever, featuring New York City Department of Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, CEO and Co-Founder of Rubicon Global Nate Morris and a panel discussion moderated by Don Ross of Kessler Consulting. Each session had a packed room with industry professionals eager to listen, learn and engage.

In addition to the Mega Sessions and technical sessions, dedicated professionals took full advantage of SWANA’s Summer Training and Exam Center that included full day courses that focused on landfill operations, managing 12 MSW MANAGEMENT

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recycling systems, managing collection systems, organics collection, composting programs and solid waste management systems.

ATTENDEES MAKE MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS, DISCOVER NEW PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGY ON THE EXHIBIT FLOOR The exhibit show floor was a flurry of activity from show beginning to show end. Attendees visited exhibitors to learn about new technologies, services, products and customized solutions to fit their needs and help their businesses continue to grow. From landfill technology to hauling solutions, recycling processes and management strategies, the hall offered something for every professional.

SWANA’s popular Break Zone in the middle of the exhibit floor also gave attendees the opportunity to take a break, check email, and enjoy refreshments while conversing with SWANA staff and board members about industry happenings.

[ www.mswmanagement.com ] MSW MANAGEMENT

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NEWS Opening Reception Monday evening, August 24, WASTECON’s Opening Reception was held on the exhibit hall floor for the first time in WASTECON history. This jam-packed event offered food, fun and the opportunity for attendees to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. With a “South Florida Street Festival” theme, many enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, as well as the opportunity to show off their dance moves on the customized dance floor featuring salsa instructors.

Awards Breakfast Honors the Best in the Solid Waste Industry The annual awards breakfast took place on Tuesday morning, honoring those industry professionals and organizations whose programs have stood out in the past year. The Excellence Awards recognized organizations for their outstanding programs and facilities, the Professional Achievement Awards honored individuals for their personal contributions to the profession and SWANA and the Faculty Awards recognized the valuable work and commitment of volunteers who develop and teach SWANA’s training courses.

Continuing from the success of the inaugural Unsung Heroes class, the Class of 2015 SWANA Unsung Heroes also were recognized.

To view a complete list of award winners, visit SWANA.org/Awards.

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Young Professionals at WASTECON SWANA’s Young Professionals (YP) presented their inaugural National Solid Waste Design Competition on Monday morning at WASTECON. Teams from four universities competed in the student team competition to solve a “real world” problem faced by solid waste professionals.

First and second place prizes were awarded respectively to the teams from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Florida Atlantic University.

Garnering rave reviews each year, the annual YP Networking and Minute Mentoring event allowed SWANA YPs to connect with their peers and talk with successful, established mentors. The event also is an opportunity for young professionals to learn more about SWANA and its YP group.

Inaugural 5K Fun Run/Walk Donated Funds to a Great Cause The inaugural WASTECON 5K Fun Run/ Walk supported a great cause. Proceeds from the event were given to charity Give Kids the World, a non-profit organization whose mission is to fulfill the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses and their families from around the world to experience a memorable, joyful and costfree visit to Central Florida attractions.

More than 75 people participated in the inaugural event, raising more than $2,000.

SWANA intends to make this a recurring activity at future events.

Additionally, SWANA’s Florida Chapter Casino Night Networking event also supported the charity, with proceeds of more than $5,000 going to Give Kids the World.

WASTECON 2016 takes place in Indianapolis, Indiana, August 22–25, 2016. Stay tuned to www.WASTECON.org for more information.

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NEWS

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NEWS

Registration Now Open!

SWANApalooza 2016 Taking Over Charleston

F

rom April 4-7, 2016, in Charleston, South Carolina, SWANA’s three spring technical conferences, now collectively known as “SWANApalooza,” are shaping up to bring you in-depth education about landfill gas and biogas, landfill management and zero waste.

NEW! Additionally, SWANA’s Spring Training and Exam Centers are being held in conjunction with SWANApalooza to continue to help you meet your professional development needs.

NEW THIS YEAR! The 2016 Fleet Management Expo, with its outdoor exhibit area featuring live demos, will be held in Charleston, in partnership with SWANA and SWANApalooza.

SWANApalooza 2016 will be all you’ve come to love and more. This year’s event features: • The latest technology, products and advancements • Special events for you to connect with other industry professionals

• Dozens of technical sessions, featuring •

the latest hot topic in diverting resources from the landfill: food waste And more!

Registration is now open and you’ve still got time to secure early bird pricing! Visit www.SWANApalooza.org for registration information, hotel accommodations and the conference program.

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palooza

Charleston, SC • April 4 - 7, 2016

SWANA

Spring Training Center

Landfill lll Gas s & Biogas Symposium m

Road R to Zero Z Waste W Conference

Fleet Management E Expo

Landfill Symposium

LMOP

(Lan (Landfill Methane Outreach Program)

Workshop

SWANApalooza.org

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Erth Products

RECYCLING

Compost: The Sustainable Solution Not just for plant establishment, but for soil/water protection (and conservation), and green infrastructure BY RON ALEXANDER

T

he use of recycled organics is one of our nation’s greatest assets, and we can utilize them to address several of society’s vexing challenges. The commercialization of composting as an economic method to manage organic (carbon-based) “wastes,” got its rebirth in the late 1970s, and has grown from coast to coast, with over 4,500 larger-scale facilities in operation. These facilities manufacture a unique soil-amending product—“compost”—which can be used in a multitude of applications (see Compost Applications, pg. 21) that provide many benefits (see Compost Benefits, pg. 24). Indeed, over the past 35 years+, compost has become a staple of the landscaping industry and a “fan favorite” of home gardeners. Of course, compost is also popular in many other markets, including turf establishment, and maintenance and agriculture. Compost has the ability to improve the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of soil, allowing plants to 20 MSW MANAGEMENT

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better benefit from their relationship with the soil. “Healthy” soils assist plant health and sustainability by: • reducing soil compaction in heavy soils, • improving moisture holding capacity and availability, • providing some nutrients (for both the plants and the soil microbes), and • supplying stabilized carbon, which is food for soil microbes.

Some of these microbes work symbiotically with the soil roots to help plants better absorb nutrients and water, while others offer natural disease suppression. But there’s much more to the story, as compost can be used in more sustainable landscaping practices, and in soil and water management techniques that are often less expensive and more effective than current techniques. Hence the concept of the “Compost: The Sustainable Solution” program, which is focused on landscaping, turf, general construction, and land management projects.

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The three main components of the program are:

• the “Strive for 5%” concept—don’t establish landscape plantings or turf before amending the soil to a 5% organic matter content,

• using compost (actually a coarse or woody version of compost) in erosion and sediment control applications, and

• using compost in low-impact development (LID) and green infrastructure type applications (e.g., component to green roof or bioswale media, etc.).

Interestingly, aside from helping plants establish and grow, all three of the applications above provide important environmental benefits related to water and soil protection and conservation, and stormwater management. The importance of mentioning these technical benefits is that with a changing climate, the general public will end up incurring greater costs related to managing the effects of both more frequent and severe droughts, as well as rainstorm events (e.g., flooding). Aside from the recent excessive drought conditions (e.g., California, Texas) that we have been experiencing which exacerbate the spreading of wild fires, and in the case of California post-fire conditions that lead to mudslides, many communities have also had to deal with the cost of managing evergrowing volumes of stormwater.

Two examples of coastal city chaos caused by these changing environmental conditions include New York City having to deal with two “500-year storms” which occurred in just three years and caused tens of billions of dollars of damage; and, Washington DC’s 10-year, $2.5 billion stormwater infrastructure project. In these examples, we aren’t suggesting that the use of compost in the applications outlined above will mitigate the effects of these devastating events and inadequate infrastructure, but we can surely prove that we can lessen their effects, and do so in an economic fashion—while adding more carbon to the soil, slowing the effects of climate change. Therefore, creating dual-purpose landscapes; those that have an environmental purpose as well as aesthetic one, is highly beneficial, as is the use of green infrastructure practices, alone and in conjunction with existing grey infrastructure.

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Turf establishment Garden bed preparation Reclamation/remediation Nursery production Roadside vegetation

Surface Applied

• Garden bed mulch • Erosion control media • Turf topdressing

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RECYCLING Program Components/Techniques “Strive for 5%”. This technique entails completing an appropriate level of soil improvement on landscaping and construction projects to both improve the establishment and survival of plants (vegetation), while also achieving the environmental benefit of changing the soil structure enough to better manage “too much” and “too little” water. So, the creation of more healthy soils will allow for reductions in irrigation water usage in landscape settings, and to some extent the reduction of other chemically based inputs (e.g., fertilizer, pesticides, and surfactants).

Research and practical experience have illustrated that creating soils containing 5% organic matter provide both the plant and water benefits described above, and compost is the most readily available and economic source of stabilized organic matter in the marketplace. Of course, these same soils resist water and wind erosion by creating large and small pore spaces, as well as enhancing soil aggregation (through microbial activity). It should be mentioned, however, that creating and maintaining 5% organic matter in soil

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is much more difficult in California, the southwest, and southeast regions of the US (where organic matter is mineralized at a greater rate).

Great examples of communities which have implemented related programs include Washington State and the City of Denver, CO, but there are many more. The Soils for Salmon program, which is law in western Washington through the state’s stormwater regulation, requires soil improvement in most new construction projects. The ordinance requires the provision of 12 inches of uncompacted soil depth in order to improve stormwater absorption and infiltration, thus reducing the movement of chemical contaminants (which are soluble and attached to sediment) from reaching surface waters. The program was implemented to try to stop the extinction of certain salmon species in the Puget Sound caused by sedimentation and contamination of the fish spawning gravels.

This same type of program could be implemented as a “green infrastructure” technique to assist communities managing excess stormwater anywhere in the US. The City of Denver created a water conserva-

tion program, which allows their residents to install irrigation systems, if they first improve their soil with a prescribed rate of compost. This program acknowledges compost’s ability to hold water and make more of it available to plants. In fact, studies show that for every 1% increase in organic matter in the soil, you increase water-holding capacity by 16,500, to 27,000 gallons of water per acre (to vary, depending on soil type; USDA NCRS 2013).

Various voluntary “green” landscaping programs (e.g., Bay-Friendly Rated Landscapes, a third-party rating system administered by the Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Gardening Coalition, Bay Area, CA) have also been created throughout the country, using compost and mulch, to reduce water usage and/or reduce surface water contamination by reducing soil erosion and stormwater runoff. The use of compost and mulch is required for public and private projects throughout Alameda County, CA, as part of a set of sustainable landscape construction practices known as the Bay-Friendly Basics, developed by StopWaste (The Alameda County Waste Management Authority).

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It should be mentioned that the agricultural usage of compost may also be encouraged in the future in order to improve the carbon content of soil (e.g., Marin Carbon Project), which provides a variety of crop production, soil conservation and climate change benefits.

Erosion and sediment control. Although still considered relatively unknown in certain regions of North America, the use of compost in erosion and sediment control has been a very successful landscaping practice for over 25 years. Compost blankets (the application of a layer of compost on hill slopes), compost berms, and compost filter socks are incredibly effective, enhance the long-term quality of the soil, and, in the case of compost blankets, have excellent stormwater reduction advantages.

These innovative techniques have been thoroughly proven through university research, and have been recommended for use by the USEPA. National specifications exist for these applications through the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. (Go to www.alexassoc.net, then “Library of Articles,” and look under “Compost Specifications” to see the full specs.)

When used as a compost blanket, compost is typically placed on up to 2:1 —and sometimes more severe—slopes at an application rate of 1–2 inches in depth. This technique is used and is highly effective in reducing and slowing the sheet flow of water. Lesser application rates are possible in areas of lower rainfall accumulation and intensity, on less severe slopes, and where vegetation is to be established.

Once applied, the woody fraction of the compost increases surface roughness and slows the flow of runoff, thereby making it less erosive, more likely to induce infiltration into the soil and reduce the transport of pollutants. In addition, the woody fraction absorbs the energy of the rainfall, preventing soil particles from dislodging (the first stage of soil erosion), while the finer fraction beneath it absorbs a substantial volume of moisture, and is optimum for plant establishment and growth.

Research completed at University of Georgia illustrated that a 2-inch application of compost onto a slope could absorb and hold 1–2 inches of rainfall.

Further, the unique properties of the product allow for extensive rooting of the grass and other vegetation, locking the blanket to the slope and protecting the

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RECYCLING soil beneath it. It should also be noted that compost blankets are effective with or without vegetation, but application rates of compost can often be reduced if it is

applied with vegetation. University research consistently illustrates that compost blankets not only constantly outperform hydroseeding and conventional erosion control

Compost Benefits • Improves soil structure and porosity—creating a better plant root environment; • Increases moisture infiltration and permeability, and reduces bulk density of heavy soils—improving water infiltration rates and reducing erosion and runoff;

• Improves the moisture holding capacity of light soils—reducing water loss and • • • • • • • • • •

nutrient leaching, and improving moisture retention; Improves the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of soils; Supplies organic matter; Aids the proliferation of soil microorganisms; Supplies beneficial microorganisms to soils and growing media; Encourages vigorous root growth; Allows plants to more effectively utilize nutrients, while reducing nutrient loss by leaching; Enables soils to retain nutrients longer; Contains humus—assisting in soil aggregation and making nutrients more available for plant uptake; Buffers soil pH; and Supplies essential plant nutrients.

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blankets (e.g., rolled fabric) in vegetation establishment, but also more effectively reduce stormwater runoff volume and peak flows, as well as total sediment and nutrient loads (Faucette et al. 2005; Faucette et al. 2007; and Faucette et al. 2009, “Largescale performance and design...”).

Research performed for Portland Metro, an environmental regulatory body based in Portland, OR, and the USDA ARS further illustrated that yard trimmings compost was capable of not only controlling erosion, but also of filtering, binding, and degrading contaminants from the stormwater passing through the layer (Faucette et al. 2013; Faucette et al. 2009, “Storm water pollutant removal performance…”).

The benefit of using a compost blanket lies in its ability to: • act as a buffer to absorb rainfall energy, • reduce wind and water erosion, • stimulate microbial activity to increase decomposition of organic materials in the soil thereby adding to the soil structure, • prevent soil compaction and crusting, thereby facilitating percolation, • slow the flow of water over the surface of the soil,

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• capture and retain moisture, reducing soil moisture loss thereby facilitating plant growth, • provide suitable microclimate for seed germination, • capture blowing snow to increase the insulating effect of winter protection, and • improve soil texture (Story et al. 1995).

Compost berms and filter socks are “3D” filters possessing huge sediment and biofiltration capabilities. Where the berms are used in sheet flow conditions, the filter socks (think pantyhose filled with coarse compost) can also be used in concentrated water flow situations. This is because filter socks can be staked into place, and the compost media is contained within a mesh netting material. Although both compost berms and filter socks are used as perimeter control devices for sediment, installed around the borders of construction sites and at the top and bottom of slopes, the filter sock technology is much more versatile (see www.filtrexx.com ). They can even be used around stormwater inlets and to build “living” walls. One of the most important research findings pertaining to compost filter berms and socks, is that they are much more effective in capturing fine particles of sediment, which are not captured as efficiently by other more conventional sediment control devices (e.g., silt fences). This is very important in that fine particles of sediment have the potential to be much more damaging to the environment, since they transport further and stay in suspension longer, and also contain a greater amount of chemical contamination (e.g., petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy metals, nutrients) than larger particles of sediment.

The use of compost in erosion and sediment control projects has expanded significantly since the adoption of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II regulation for construction activities. This regulation requires that construction sites of 1 acre or greater to have erosion and sediment control plans in effect on a daily basis using prescribed best management practices (BMPs).

LID and green infrastructure. There has been a growing interest within the US

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landscaping industry to utilize environmentally sound and sustainable landscaping practices. As mentioned earlier, there are many programs throughout the country to promote these concepts and methods, and many cities are adopting them and requiring their contractors to meet their related requirements. This movement coincides well with the “Green Building” movement, which includes elements of sustainability and “low environmental impact.” Compost-based BMPs are a natural fit for green buildings and have

been increasingly incorporated in LEEDcertified projects. From restoring habitat, decreasing stormwater, helping to decrease urban heat islands and water use, to using recycled and locally manufactured materials, compost-based products are helping design teams and developers achieve more LEED credits (Faucette 2009).

The LEED program, created and administered by the US Green Building Council, is a point accrual and rating system that promotes and certifies environmentally sustainable building projects

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to create a national standard, through third-party verification, in order to increase the value of green buildings in the marketplace (Faucette 2009).

In many federally and state funded building projects, LEED certification is required. Where LEED primarily focuses on the building envelope a conceptually similar program called the “Sustainable Sites Initiative” (SSI), developed by the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, focuses on the landscape and site management.

Compost is both a recycled product and is typically provided from local sources, both of which can be used to earn LEED and SSI credits. Further, the use of the Strive for 5% compost-based “soil manufacturing” concept or application of compost blankets for onsite stormwater management can also be used to recreate a habitat on a Green Building project, and earn LEED or SSI credits. However, within this arena, compost has also gained great popularity as the “organic” (carbon-based) component to a variety of “engineered soils” typically used in green infrastructure practices, such as bioretention, rain gardens, rooftop garden, bioswales, and green roofs. Compost is typically used at an inclusion rate of 10–30%, by volume, for its ability to; hold water, increase cation exchange, bind heavy metals, degrade petroleum hydrocarbons, and supply and feed soil microbes.

Conclusions Compost is an incredibly versatile product, which provides many benefits for plant establishment and growth, but it is also a highly effective product for use in erosion and sediment control, as well

as in stormwater management. Although compost is already a staple of the landscaping industry, its use in “land management,” and in soil and water protection can only expand if specifying entities (e.g., engineers, communities, landscape architects, public agencies), policy makers, and project managers have the foresight to utilize it and get familiar with the many understood and ancillary benefits of compost.

Of course, compost is only a tool in these land management and green infrastructure projects, and must be properly used in a systematic approach. If so, these compost-based techniques will be shown as not only highly effective, but also very economical.

As our project requirements (and perhaps the climate) change, we must adjust with them in order to provide the most effective and economical solutions to our land management projects. Compost, and compost-based techniques, can be a part of the solution.

Bibliography Faucette, B. “Using Compost BMPs for LEED Green Building Credits.” Land and Water. May/June 2009.

Faucette B, C. Jordan, M. Risse, M. Cabrera, D. Coleman, L. West.

2005. “Evaluation of Storm Water from Compost and Conventional Erosion Control Practices in Construction Activities.”

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 60:6:288–297.

Faucette, B., B. Scholl, E. Beighley, and J. Governo. 2009. “Largescale performance and design for construction activity erosion control best management practices.” Journal of Environmental Quality. 38:1248–54.

Faucette, B. F. Cardoso-Gendreau, E. Codling, A. Sadeghi, Y. Pachepsky, D. Shelton. 2009. “Storm water pollutant removal performance of compost filter socks.” Journal of Environmental Quality. 38:1233–39.

Faucette, B., F. Cardoso, W. Mulbry, P. Millner. 2013. “Performance of compost filtration practice for green infrastructure stormwater applications.” Water Environment Research. 85:9:806–814.

Faucette, L. Britt, J. Governo, C. F. Jordan, B. G. Lockaby, H. F. Carino, and R. Governo. 2007. “Erosion control and storm water quality from straw with pam, mulch, and compost blankets of varying particle sizes.” Journal of Soil and Water Conservation.

62:6:404–413.

Story, B. B., J. A. McFalls, and S. H. Godfrey. “The Use of Compost and shredded Brush on Rights-of-Way for Erosion Control: Final Report.” Texas Transportation Institute. November 1995.

USDA NCRS. Soil Health Key Points. February 2013.

Acknowledgement Thanks to Dr. Britt Faucette, CPESC, LEED AP, for providing technical editing to this article. Faucette is the Director of Research and Technical Services for Filtrexx International, and a consultant to the stormwater management and organics recycling industries. He serves on the Board of Trustees for the Composting Council Research and Education Foundation, with ASTM Erosion and Sediment Control Technology Committee, and Green Roof’s for Healthy Cities Growing Media Development Committee. MSW Ron Alexander is president of R. Alexander Associates, Inc., a company specializing in product and market development for organic recycled products. He is a horticulturist and author of national landscaping and erosion control specifications for compost, and is an Industry Liaison to Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO).

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RECYCLING

Food Waste Part 1: Ben Franklin, Swill, Swampers, Hamlet, and Chewing Gum ...A Legal Smorgasbord “In general, mankind, since the improvement in cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires.”

–Ben Franklin

BY CONSTANCE HORNIG

Q

uestion: What would the sage Ben Franklin have said about EPA’s food management hierarchy?

Speculation: He would have championed these food management priorities.

“The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.” – Calvin Trillin Question: What would the humorist and writer Calvin Trillin think of EPA priorities?

Conviction: He would have deeply related to #1 Source Reduction.

Interrogatory: Lastly, what would an attorney say about food waste management?

Response: It wouldn’t be brief. It couldn’t be spicy. But it could be nutritious.

This is the first of four installments of a series of articles on food waste management. This installment chews on some legal considerations, snares, and queries. It begins with food waste program, Planning, and moves chronologically through project stages to

Products and Marketing. It doesn’t discuss every legal aspect of food waste diversion, but rather touches on topics that you may not have previously identified or considered.

The Series continues with three more installments: Part 2: The Food Management Hierarchy Part 3: Discard, Storage, and Set-Out Part 4: Collection, Transport, Processing or Transfer, Product Marketing and Sales Here’s an outline of what will be covered: I. Planning 1. Defined terms 2. Mandates and Enforcement 3. The New European Union Disposal Ban 4. Food Waste Hierarchy II. Waste Hierarchy 1. Source Reduction • Product Labeling • Regulatory Takings 2. Feeding People • Good Samaritan Law • Tax Incentives 3. Feeding Animals 4. Industrial Uses

EPA Hierarchy for Food Recovery www2.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

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Source reduction/prevention Feeding people Feeding animals Industrial uses Composting Anaerobic digestion

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If “Food Waste” definitions bog you down, flash forward to hot topics such as Container Audits, practical tips such as Put-or-Pay and Feedstock Commitments, or perhaps unfamiliar topics such as private actions for Nuisance. Throughout you will see Practice Tips/Notes.

I. Planning Defined Terms “Words. Words. Words.” –Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2 Lawyers like words—defined terms—as you have probably experienced. When discussing food waste diversion, words have different meanings.

You may remember using defined terms such as “yard waste” or “green waste” in early source separation programs; then more broadly, “organic waste” as we developed different types of composting and processing facilities, and now adding “food waste” as we move on to food waste diversion programs.

What is the trend for defining “food waste”?

Or for “food waste diversion”, or “food waste recovery”?

Here is assigned homework: compare and contrast the definitions for all food-related words used in your state, and notice how they are used in context (permitting, emissions, incentives, public programs).

• Federal law, regulation, and permits (EPA, USDA, USDHHS) • state law, regulation, and permits (solid waste management, resources, public health, agricultural codes); • local codes or ordinances, regulations and permits; and • contracts for your solid waste management services (collection, composting, recyclables processing, AD, or WTE facilities).

As you envision reading volumes of law, you are no doubt asking: Is this exercise really necessary? Yes, it is. It’s prudent. It can prevent future snafus, frustration, and expense.

• First, context matters. The general public can’t (or won’t) participate with a program that doesn’t employ user-friendly terms. A simpler definition may be appropriate for a residential source separation program, but a more detailed description necessary for a facility feedstock commitment. In non-technical contexts, beware of embedded definitions that incorporate another defined term, which then leads you on to progressively more and more words that have explicit, regulatory meaning.

• Second, enforcement of program mandates or permit conditions is difficult if terms lack clarity or precisions.

MOBILE

Below are some examples of the foodrelated words for different purposes, and consequently, different definitions. Some are user-friendly, some cumbersome, and some navigate the golden mean between deficiency and excess.

SCREENING &

The UN Food and Agricultural Department uses: • food “loss” with respect to production, post-harvest, and processing; and • food “waste” with respect to retail and consumer reduction.

D:MAX

CLASSIFICATION

The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Economic Research Service (ERS) defines “food loss” as: “ . . . the edible amount of food, postharvest, that is available for human consumption but is not consumed for any reason, including: • cooking loss and natural shrinkage (for example, moisture loss); • loss from mold, pests, or inadequate climate control; and • “food waste”: the component of food loss that occurs when an edible item goes unconsumed, as in food discarded by retailers due to color or appearance and plate waste by consumers.

Remember the Alamo, and remember your word-context: Your definitions must be manageable for mandated public programs such food waste collection. For example, in its US Food Waste Challenge to the public, the USDA defines “food waste” more succinctly: “Food waste” means reductions in edible* food mass anywhere along the food chain. * “Food waste” excludes non-edible (by humans) parts of food such as banana peels, bones, and eggshells.

In some food statistics and programs, the term is even simpler:

D:MAX is a mobile screening and classification system used to recover materials such as grit, sand, sludge and fibrous rag from waste water within a range of industries.

“food waste” means edible food that is not eaten.

This is EPA’s implicit definition for its Food Recovery Challenge. Contrast the definition in the sidebar (posted online at foresternetwork. com/msw/waste-collection-1), which includes a chain of embedded defined terms.

cdenviro.com

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RECYCLING Mandates and Enforcement Mandates We often use the word “mandatory” recycling, and “ban” rather loosely, meaning “don’t dispose of recyclables/hazardous waste/electronic waste/yard waste/food waste in landfills.” Here are some nuances: 1. Voluntary subscription: Local governments make service available to residents and businesses, which can subscribe at their option. Haulers must offer their customers this service.

2. Mandated subscription: Residents and businesses must subscribe—and pay—for recycling services. Haulers must actually roll-out containers to every customer, regardless of whether or not the customer uses the containers. The customers must pay for the service, but they do not have to use it. For example, they may have a blue recyclables cart but continue to discard most, or all, of their recyclables in the black cart. (Mandatory subscriptions cries out for financial incentives to divert, such as pay-as-you-throw.) Mandatory service funds programs.

3. Ban: No one can discard the banned recyclable/leaves/yard waste/food waste in a discard container.

Enforcement Education and outreach prepare the public for bans. Many jurisdictions do not—or are reluctant to—impose penalties for non-compliance with bans. Others do (ultimately) enforce bans several different ways, in varying combinations.

Enforcement: Why? Goals and prescripts, desired destinations and required routes.

Some states and local governments promote waste diversion goals (such as zero waste) and strive to reach them. Others adopt waste diversion laws and mandate compliance. California has both requirements and goals. Local governments must divert 50% waste from disposal or pay fines. The State and everyone in the State should aim for 75% diversion.

How to choose between precatory goals and prescriptive law? Here are three options: 1. Propose food diversion goals because enforcement would be too expensive, realistically impossible or too unpopular with the public.

2. Establish food waste disposal bans because they benefit public health and safety, and the environment. Compliance is too important to be optional. The benefits outweigh the enforcement costs.

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rigorously enforce it. The cause gains recognition, but you avoid appearing heavyhanded, authoritarian, and autocratic (Political Science 101 Note: Under the rule of law everyone is protected by the law, and also everyone is subject to it, indiscriminately.)

a generator who contests a notice or fine.

Many haulers may already have cameras that watch tipping. (Some companies have done this to avoid dropping sleeping dumpster-divers into the compressor.) Make this a contract or permit obligation.

Enforcement: Who? Where? Who will enforce law? Where does the enforcement take place?

1. Hauler Observation: You direct your waste haulers by contract or ordinance/ permit requirement to observe contents of containers when tipping them into the collection truck. They see whether food waste is mixed with garbage, or contaminating garbage is discarded with food waste.

2. Contractor Monitoring: You hire a third party to check containers at their set-out sites and trucks at the tipping site, to check for compliance.

3. Government Inspection: Your staff checks containers at their set-out sites and trucks at the tipping site, to check for compliance.

Staff may have to be deputized.

4. Complaints: Citizens can’t generally initiate enforcement actions such as those available under RCRA. But they can notify you when they observe a violation so that you can take appropriate action.

Enforcement: How? 1. Billing Surcharge: Leave one or more cart tags notifying the generator of contamination on the cart, stating that after X number of warnings, either or both (1) the container will not be collected, or (2) a fine will be added to the generator’s solid waste bill.

However, leaving a food waste can uncollected may violate state or local law that requires you to collect putrescible waste at least weekly. But then a fine may not be an effective deterrent or compliance incentive either—just a costly administrative collection headache. For example, if you bill for waste services in conjunction with a water or power utility invoice, you may be able to turn off the non-complying generator’s service or put a lien on their property. But, if you or the hauler bill the generator on a separate waste collection invoice, you both may experience significant non-payment and delinquencies.

• If your jurisdiction has exclusive service, you or your hauler can’t terminate the generator’s account. (Mounding garbage is a health-and-safety problem.)

• If you have competitive service (multiple haulers), Hauler A can terminate a delinquent account, but the generator will merely hire competing Hauler B, and the cycle begins again.

Some state laws allow the hauler to submit delinquent bills to you for inclusion on the next tax bill. When the hauler can recovery delinquencies, its costs go down, and so should rates.

(Economic note: Insolvency or Bankruptcy—if your contract hauler collects fines, penalties, or any other fees from their customers on your behalf, create a lockbox, or at least an accounting protocol, that identifies your money and keeps it separate from your hauler’s compensation until the hauler remits it to you.

You don’t want the hauler’s creditors to grab your money, especially if it is comprised of fees that fund your solid waste management programs . . . including your salary!)

Enforcement: What? What constitutes noncompliance? There is usually minimum level of mixing or contamination, such as more than 10%. Measurement is subjective.

The swamper or driver can estimate the amount of contamination as they manually empty the container into the truck, or as they watch it tip via mirrors or a camera. A facility operator can guesstimate as the truck dumps its load onto the tipping floor or pad. Some contracts, such as facility agreements with feedstock parameters, prescribe a contamination protocol to assure that local government and facility operator agree on whether or not the operator is justified in rejecting the load.

But those protocols are impractical for individual public container pickup. Furthermore, if someone other than the collector monitors or checks for compliance by peeking in the container, they can’t see what may be hidden well beneath the surface.

Ultimately, dated photographs that record location may give you the best defense against

For related articles: www.mswmanagement.com

2. Infraction or Misdemeanor: Enforce the non-compliance/violation of a food waste ban as an infraction or misdemeanor (civil fine, criminal penalty), for example under a

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municipal code. This may be an administratively lengthy procedure, and busy prosecutors may not place food diversion high on their calendars of more serious crime. (Of course, some municipal codes allow do allow for civil suits to enforce less serious violations.) P.R. Note: Whether you use the word “non-compliance” or “violation”, you set the tone for your compliance action.

3. Notices of Noncompliance: Enforce the violation by first issuing a Notice of Noncompliance, for example, under statue regulation. State regulators may take increasingly severe actions against facilities, beginning with Notices, escalating to Orders, and ending in facility closure.

4. Counseling: Refer non-complying generators to governmental agencies or departments for compliance assistance.

Enforcement Post Script. Third-party contamination is another kind of non-compliance.

A passing pedestrian tosses litter or garbage bags into a food waste cart or an adjacent business’ dumpster. Add provisions to your municipal code banning everyone—not

only generators—from mixing garbage with source-segregated food waste. (Some codes may already cover this indirectly if they prohibit tampering with anyone else’s container without permission.)

their food waste for collection, treat it onsite, or self-haul it to an authorized facility.

The EU has correspondingly amended (2015) its Waste Management (Food Waste) Regulations of 2009.

The New European Union Disposal Ban

Stay Tuned

Just this year, the European Union (EU) has adopted a “Household Food Waste and Biowaste” policy (2015) that bans discarding food waste in residual waste or changing the waste in any way, such as shredding. It is phasing it in until July 2016.

Residents can choose from several options to divert food waste from disposal: 1. Source separation and placement for collection, 2. Home compost, and 3. Self-haul to authorized treatment facilities (in the EU, often anaerobic digestors).

Residential waste collectors must provide collection service for source separated food waste. When residents have source separated collection, they cannot discard food waste in the residual garbage container.

Non-Residential businesses and institutions must similarly either source separate

Next issue’s installment on food waste management will educate you about public education in the context of the food management hierarchy, including: • source reduction: buying wisely and donating; • feeding people, and the protection of the Good Samaritan Law; • feeding animals: market considerations/ regulatory constraints; and • industrial uses.

“Legal disclaimer: This article is intended to alert the reader to issues that may arise with respect to food waste diversion programs. It is not legal advice. Discuss any questions or issues you may have with your counsel.” MSW Constance Hornig is an attorney who represents municipal governments in MSW contract procurement, drafting, and negotiating.

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PROCESSING

MRF: Safety and Efficiency Changes in the wastestream are necessitating new ways of designing—or redesigning— material recovery facilities (MRF) to maximize efficiency and safety in a footprint that accommodates both goals. BY CAROL BRZOZOWSKI

T

BHS

he Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) points out on its website that while recycling is good for the environment, it can be dangerous for workers. Certain materials in the wastestream directly pose hazards to workers. Additional hazards include vehicle traffic, moving machine parts, unexpected machine startup, lifting injuries, slips, trips, and falls.

There have been six baler-related deaths or injuries at a recycling or waste management facilities nationwide since 2000, according to OSHA. In the latest, a worker at a Winter Garden, FL, recycling operation was killed while trying to clear a jam in a massive cardboard compactor and bundling machine.

The Changing Wastestream Complicates the Situation “An increase in small cardboard is noticeable as consumers are increasingly ordering online and have goods shipped to their house,” says Rutger Zweers, Stadler USA sales director, who adds that material composition strongly changes per location, city or state.

“Newspaper is dropping fast due to online news sources; this is the biggest driving factor for planning future systems,” explains Brian Schellati, director of business development for VAN DYK Recycling Solutions. “We see a slight increase happening with office-type paper as more home offices become established, but this is very gradual.”

Schellati also notes a “definite increase” in cardboard due to more online shopping, “but at a much slower rate than the decline of newsprint.”

Other materials are fairly consistent but can fluctuate depending on the economy.

More containers appear in the wastestream as a result of increased consumption in a better economy, he adds.

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“Single-serve plastic bottles, larger packaging for bulk purchasing, e-waste, plastic film/bags, and rigid plastic film—the latter two in particular—are becoming hot-button issues as states have been banning plastic bags and companies are running to find ways to recycle both the plastic bags and rigid plastic film,” says Michael Drolet, solutions sales manager for Steinert US. Seasonal changes also impact the wastestream, he points out. “After Christmas, there are cardboard boxes and wrapping paper to sort. The designed systems should be able to absorb surges of seasonal material in order to stay flexible. Cities have been changing their collection programs to make it easier for residents to recycle. By going to a single-stream program, all items are mixed in the same recycling bin for separation. The system should be designed to accommodate not only different materials, but different levels of residue, too.”

Matthew Everhart, sales manager for Vecoplan’s waste division, says that the

advent of lighter packaging and bulkier container goods such and the near “disappearance” of thick wall plastics and newspaper from the wastestream has been the most significant change affecting the layout of single-stream MRFs. “Traditionally, there were cardboard screens at the front of the system and then behind that was the paper streams,” he adds.

“With the change in the paper because of not having news, that’s made a difference in how the material flows through them.”

Another influence in MRF design is “the increasing popularity of mixed waste,” continues Everhart. “The way that you screen and process mixed waste, versus the way you do single stream, is dramatically different.

The volumes are significantly higher, and the amount of contaminated material that has to be moved is significantly higher.”

Don Suderman, product manager for Bunting Magnetics, notes that the composition of material received at municipal waste recycling facilities changes as packaging

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PROCESSING technology evolves and as citizens demand that more of their waste be recycled. “Recycling facilities today are faced with an ever more complex input mix, as consumer product brand managers use new materials in their packages, and as engineers produce new devices.”

The growth of online sales, from businesses such as Amazon, means that municipal waste facilities have more corrugated material to recycle, Suderman points out. “Because corrugated and cardboard are easily reused, significant demand exists for clear recycled material. Passing bales of corrugated through a tunnel-style metal detector ensures a quality recycled product is shipped from the recycling plant.”

Ferrous metals are being replaced with nonferrous material, including sturdy new plastics and composites, as well as nonferrous metals such as stainless steel and aluminum, Suderman says. “Nonrecyclable plastic materials, with differences indiscernible to the ordinary citizen, are replacing recyclable paper. These changes mean that equipment once capable of detecting and removing ferrous metals may no longer do the job. These developments call for ever more sophisticated metal detection and magnetic devices to maintain product purity and maximize recycling output salability.”

Mix changes also may mean than facility equipment is insufficiently protected, says Suderman. “Conventional wisdom calls for removing metal from the stream, for example, to improve product purity while the most important reason may be to reduce the chance of damage to equipment caused by foreign material that should have been detected and removed earlier in the process,” he adds.

Roy Miller, vice president of engineering for Bulk Handling Systems (BHS) notes that the single-stream market has become “relatively mature” with the difference being declining fiber content and a high interest in organics processing. “Even in areas where there is not a competing single stream program, we see modest amounts of conventional recyclable products,” he says. “They are largely the same products you find in a single-stream system.”

Also, there is a noticeable increase in the amount of personal hygiene products in the wastestream, Miller says, adding that BHS is designing its systems to handle the residue of such wastestreams.

Mark McDonald, president of Catawba Baler & Equipment (CB&E), contends that it’s not the changing materials per se that is a driving factor in MRF design, “but the evolving recycling market that is driving the need for MRFs to expand their services and adapt to customer needs.

Today’s operations typically take in a varied recycling material stream—newspapers, cardboard, plastics, aluminum, steel, food, and beverage cans—rather than a single material, he adds. “Companies need to anticipate growth in the amount of recycle material they receive, and we recommend looking into two-ram baler models to meet the flexibility required by today’s market conditions.”

Chris Ramsdell, product manager for Eriez Magnetics, concurs with others that the industry trend is toward dirty MRFs. “All materials being discarded in one container together makes it more challenging on system designers to reliably and efficiently separate materials,” he says. “Even after several rounds of screening, magnetic separation and optical sorting, human pickers are still required to deal with the materials that are misplaced.”

Doug Sites, products manager for the McLanahan Corporation, notes that “the reality is if a MRF has a single-stream system, they’re still going to see all sorts of contamination in there other than single stream. “It’s always been an issue. The question that comes into play is how do you regulate that? You can’t because the consumer is going to put whatever they want into that bin.”

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His company takes that into account when designing MRF systems. “We plan on MRFs getting that type of contamination, so the forethought there is that we’re going to try to put equipment in place that will handle that type of material.”

Cambridge Companies takes a detailed approach to designing MRFs for efficiency and safety. An important part of any recycling center design is a thorough analysis of the incoming material stream, notes Jeff Eriks, chief business development officer.

“The composition of the material, its condition, the amount of non-recoverable material, and the time when that material arrives all play a role in the equipment selection and design,” he says, adding that state waste bans also can have an impact.

Jeff Eriks contends that while a wastestream analysis can be time consuming and costly, it is essential to designing the proper system.

“If you aren’t 100% sure of your current wastestream, than your system design can be inefficient and costly to modify. Be prepared for the waste composition to change because it will.”

Wastestreams must be continually monitored as they are always changing due to changes in municipality polices, legislation and consumption, he points out. “It’s important that you keep a watchful eye on your wastestream year after year to ensure that your equipment is set up properly,” he explains, adding that a system should be designed to be able to be modified or expanded, based on the estimated growth and changes in the wastestream.

“The glass clean up system is one factor that drives the design of the facility because it is a messy component that also uses up a fair amount of space,” says Jeff Eriks.

“Get the glass out early,” instructs Ray Eriks, vice president of construction services.

He says size and quantity of the in-feeds and the number of balers the system needs are other driving factors. “These two items both are highly important in planning and sizing your facility and equipment to ensure you have enough space to accommodate the proper access around them for feeding, maintenance, and bale removal.”

The number of commodities a MRF is attempting to sort within its system also is a significant factor in determining the overall footprint of the equipment, says Ray Eriks. “The more you are trying to get out of your material, the larger the system will be. It creates the need for more sorting platforms, conveyors, optical sorters, screens, and storage areas prior to being released to the baler.”

A needs analysis is the first step in selecting equipment and a vendor, points out Jeff Eriks. “This would determine system performance metrics based on current and projected needs,” he adds.

Cambridge Companies is typically involved in the RFP process with MRF operations to provide feedback on equipment layouts and how they affect the building layout and cost of construction. “These are important factors involved in the overall project,” he states.

Cambridge Companies reviews the RFP responses and assists with the analysis, providing feedback as to which system may best suit the operation’s current and future needs based on the maintenance of the system; flexibility of the system; efficiency of design, power, and structural requirements; building layout; and other factors. The company uses equipment from BHS, Machinex, and the CP Group and generally accommodates the preferences of the end users.

Evan Williams, design project manager for Cambridge Companies, says in order to have the proper footprint, a MRF operation should always, if possible, design the building around the equipment needs with expansion planned into it. “It is much more difficult to develop an efficient equipment design if there is an existing building

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PROCESSING that the equipment has to fit within. Many existing buildings have low ceiling heights of 25 feet or less, many interior columns, slabs too thin to utilize, not enough power, and many other issues.”

Designing a new building to fit the equipment typically saves money on the equipment purchase because a MRF can use fewer conveyors and have a more efficient layout. “The building size and proportions should be based around the footprint and needs of the equipment,” acknowledges Williams. “Unnecessarily compacting the equipment can lead to extra conveyor belts and less-than-ideal placement of equipment that diminishes system efficiency and increases cost. By building around the most efficient equipment layout, system performance is preserved.”

Allow the equipment designer plenty of height and sufficient room, he says.

Williams adds that an operation should ensure there is ample space around the entire equipment footprint to access it for maintenance purposes. “Place overhead doors, system access points, maintenance areas, personnel circulation, and bale storage areas relative to the equipment layout.”

Design the structure with growth in mind and provide for expandable bale storage and tipping areas, he recommends.

“Where practical, allow for additional process area expansion as well. Set the building on the site to allow for these expansions.”

Williams says a MRF operation needs to properly analyze residual materials and determine the quantity of residual expected at the end of the system. “Once you identify your quantity, you need to determine the best way of dealing with this outgoing material, whether by open-top trailer, rolloffs, or by compactors. This choice will play a role in making sure your building is properly sized and laid out as well.”

For efficiency, a building should be designed with sufficient areas and space to easily access and maintain the equipment.

Also, it should be designed for ease of access to maintain motor, lubrication points, and belts, stresses Ray Eriks.

Williams points out that a MRF operation should ensure equipment is optimized.

“Eliminate unnecessary conveyor belts and locate the equipment components to allow the system to be as streamlined as possible.”

And, Williams notes that a design should provide for ample LED and daylighting.

“It is difficult to change light bulbs, so go for extended life lighting,” adds Ray Eriks.

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Higher light levels improve pre-sort and QC work, as well as raise morale, and also allow the facility to operate at peak efficiency, says Williams.

Other provisions in the design include sufficient height to allow the equipment to be oriented in the most efficient manner, which is especially critical for screen lines, says Williams. Convenience outlets on the equipment platforms and under the platforms aid in maintenance activities. Lighting should be provided in the conveyor pits as well as under the equipment for maintenance.

The tipping building should be designed with durable concrete floor surfaces, he continues. “The longer lifespan will minimize downtime needed for floor replacement.”

Williams says loading dock interlocks should be provided to allow trucks to back in and activate levelers accurately. Grade separated equipment should be provided access to the sort platforms. A raised direct link to the platforms from the employee areas minimizes time lost on the process area floor.

The MRF design should provide clear span structures where practical to minimize column interference and improve future flexibility, he explains. Facilities should be designed for efficient load-out of nonrecoverable materials. “This will typically be dual compactors or loading the material into a trailer for transfer to a landfill. Refer to the material composition study to determine which approach would be best for the facility based on the costs of material transport and the volume of that material.”

The control room should be placed centrally within the equipment layout within a glass room so that the employee has visibility to all areas of the equipment, says Williams. “This control room should be on the platform level with easy access to all areas directly from the control room.”

He states that employee break areas and facilities should be a short walk from the sorting platforms so as to minimize their time traveling to and from these areas. Cooling mechanisms in hot climates, and warming mechanisms in cool climates for sorting employees should be provided so they can perform well, he adds.

Drainage should be provided around the container baler to capture liquids released during baling, says Ray Eriks.

For safety considerations, MRFs should provide a grade-separated connection for the employees to the raised sort platforms to minimize the possibility of accidents, says Williams. “Provide for high light-

ing levels using LED high bay fixtures and ample translucent wall panels or skylights.

High lighting levels improve safety through improved visibility.”

The site should be designed with ondirection traffic that minimizes or eliminates crossing traffic and the building with sufficient protection of structural elements from wheel loaders, he continues. “Communicate at the scale house which tipping door the route trucks should unload at. This minimizes confusion on the tipping apron and makes the unloading process more efficient.”

MRFs should provide for eyewash and first aid on the equipment platforms, Williams points out. “When there is an accident, time is important. Locating these items nearest the employees shortens the time from accident to care.”

Loading dock interlocks should be provided to ensure the trucks can’t pull away from the docks with the levelers down and possibly a forklift inside, says Williams. “Keep employee and visitor car traffic completely separate from the truck traffic. Where practical, provide complete different access roads.

“Keep employees out from under equipment to eliminate risks of material falling on them. Have a proper lock-out, tag-out procedure for all equipment so that when employees are maintaining equipment, they can’t get injured.”

Williams recommends e-stops spread throughout the equipment by all employees so that if they see something unsafe, they can stop the equipment. “Provide bale stacking areas with a wall or other device to stack against and limit the height to company safety policy.”

He says all visitors should be kept away from the process, tipping, and bale storage floors to keep them out of the way of the equipment. “Make sure your company has proper personal protective equipment requirements for all employees and guests.”

Richard Harris, director of sales for Sierra International Machinery’s recycling and solid waste division, acknowledges that flexibility is the key in designing today’s MRFs to meet current and future needs. “There’s dozens of different types of material coming at you,” he points out. “Some of it will be non-ferrous.

Then there’s the fiber grades and plastic grades—what I see developing is a lot of the material that has been a waste product is going to be a fuel product. We see this in Europe where they’re taking a lot of the mixed paper and plastic that is just trash today and using the same system they have. But they can bale that, and there are markets emerging to use

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that for refuse-derived fuel.”

Safety is paramount in MRF designs, Harris says. “Ours is a very dangerous industry.

There are a lot of injuries and deaths.”

To drive home the point of safety, he says, “When we talk to MRF operators, we ask them which one of their employees do they want to call the family and tell them they’re not coming home.”

To that end, Sierra International offers floor operators a safety belt system that integrates a transponder. Should something happen that causes the operator to fall onto the belt, when that person goes off of the belt at a certain point, the transponder sends a signal to a receiver, shutting the operation down and sounding an alarm.

Sierra International Machinery also offers a safety key system to augment lock-out, tag-out procedures that doesn’t allow a unit to operate unless all of the keys that are taken out to do maintenance are back in the box.

The safety keys are placed at panels that provide access to equipment for maintenance cleaning. A good design will provide needed efficiencies, Harris explains.

“The conveyors, screens, balers, and sorters all have to be sized properly to communicate back and forth with each other,” he says.

“You can have a very efficient system, but if you don’t train the people on how to feed it, load it, clean it, and care for it, you won’t have an efficient system very long. You’ve got to be training and re-training your people on how to be efficient, and how to be safe.”

BHS has a team of sales managers that work together with design engineers to design a system based on building specifications, material composition, and current and future business goals. “In many cases, our latest technology allows operators to process various material streams,” says Jim Webb, engineering manager. “As material compositions and market conditions fluctuate, we design with flexibility in mind.

“Volumes and throughput requirements are ever increasing, and customers are wanting to get more out of their systems,” he adds.

“We’ve graduated from where the industry focused mostly on single-stream material and we’re moving towards mixed material streams—systems that can process residential and commercial single stream, as well as multifamily, and one-bin materials as well.

Communities are looking to maximize diversion and are able to do so by maximizing participation—some of our systems process a community’s entire wastestream, which provides operators access to more commodities, [ www.mswmanagement.com ] MSW MANAGEMENT

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as well as organic material such as food waste.”

To provide a MRF with the most efficient system possible means matching BHS equipment capabilities with the material composition in such a way that encompasses operational considerations, tons per hour coming into the plant, and the end markets for the materials, Webb says.

Safety is a critical factor in system design, Webb points out. “We make sure we’re providing equipment that meets or exceeds the requirements for the operator. BHS is actively engaged in the American National Standards Institute [ANSI] and sits on its Z245 committee. We work diligently to stay on top of both ANSI and OSHA safety standards and requirements.

Clear communications are essential to MRF safety.

“BHS takes a great deal of care and concern in all safety-related matters, including fall protection, machine guarding, mechanical safeguards, ergonomics, be collected, baled, and sold,” says Webb.

“Generous walkways and stairway access, and egress are inherent to egress and access to equipment, among other factors,” he continues. our design,” he continues. “A continuous handrail provides continuity, Regarding fall protection, screen angles and discharge points inside safety, and security. In most instances, wrap-around platforms can be of screens require extra safety precautions, Webb notes. “BHS provides provided for accessing both sides of equipment for safety while maintie-off points both inside and outside of separation screens,” he adds. taining and servicing equipment.”

“As far as access into screens is concerned, we also take measures to The majority of systems, which BHS is designing, are new. Many protect employees’ safety when they are entering and exiting by having operations are requesting systems that help reduce manual labor in a tieoff point not only inside, but outside of equipment.” the facilities, notes Miller. “We are taking a much more mechanized BHS’ access doors meet ANSI size requirements. The company approach to waste reduction, controlling the size of the waste, breaking provides a platform that lowers in maintenance mode to give crews a the waste down by additional size metrics, and applying technologies flat, sturdy base for maintenance operations. BHS has safety cages on to the various sizes to take advantage of those technologies.” all of its ladders above 12 feet, which Webb points out significantly Reduction of the energy consumption by MRF systems is another exceeds OSHA requirements. The company also provides self-closing focus for BHS. “We’re always aware of the amount of energy the facilities safety gates on all ladders so when a worker reaches the top of a ladrequire and we’re looking for opportunities to reduce the energy footder to exit onto a platform, the gate automatically closes, providing print,” says Miller. “We think we’re making some good progress in that additional safety and security. direction and still providing the customer with a very robust system.”

With respect to machine guarding, all exposed rotating shafts That has meant focusing on the performance of the motor base, and shaft ends are guarded where they are accessible to workers, says its power requirements, and class of application.

Webb. “We provide skirt walls and guards to protect workers around BHS has found a way to reduce the total installed load “and still all nip points such as a conveyor belt going around a head or a tail have a very robust system,” contends Miller. “Secondarily, you manage pulley or at a return idler. These safety precautions protect personnel the startup sequences so you don’t have significant peak demands and from coming into contact with moving parts.” then where applicable, you look at power factor modification.”

BHS also provides safety interlocks on all access doors to machine When it comes to MSW system engineering, there are two key entry points; if a door is open during operation, it immediately shuts components: a front-end system for separating the valued materials, down the equipment. “We also provide local disconnects—a method for our customers to safely lock out and tag out their equipment prior and a back-end process for waste-to-energy conversion. “CP Group provides front-end MSW solutions,” states Terry Schneider, president to entering for any routine maintenance,” adds Webb. and CEO of CP Group. “Our systems recover recyclable commodities In designing for ergonomics, BHS sort conveyors have a rounded edge, so a worker can lean against a smooth surface. Webb says “There while generating feedstock for back-end waste-to-energy processes.”

Waste-to-energy processes such as anaerobic digestion, refuseare no sharp edges for the workers to lean against. Additionally, our derived fuel, and synthetic gas require feedstocks made of specific sort conveyors are slightly raised on the edges to provide an ergomaterial such as organics or high-energy plastics. nomic method for the sorter to swipe material from the belt into the Ease of equipment maintenance is key to a successful MRF operachute. This not only improves sorting efficiencies, but also signifition. Speedy maintenance means less downtime. “CP Group’s equipcantly increases the sorter’s comfort level.” ment and systems are designed for quick access and simple mainteDrop chutes are designed wide and deep so the material can easily nance,” says Schneider. “For example, our CPScreen and NEWScreen slide down the chute to the area below, whether it’s a conveyor or separators contain a fold-down service platform to access the rotors. bunker, he adds.

The result is more uptime for system operators.”

BHS also provides film pickup hoods to remove plastic bags from MRF operations often require a system inside a previously existing the material stream. “There’s a negative pressure in the hood that structure, he says, adding that CP Group works with them to ensure removes the film, taking it through ducting into an area where it can 38 MSW MANAGEMENT

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every system fits well inside the structures that house them. “The size of the system is correlated with the type of material being sorted. A building’s height plays a role in determining the size of a system’s footprint. Other aspects of the building are also taken into consideration, such as whether it’s free spanning or has columns.”

All of CP Group’s systems achieve, and often exceed, OSHA and other domestic and international safety standards. “We emphasize that safety always comes first, and we live by that,” continues Schneider. “Our disc drives have brake motors with locking hand release levers, as well as lanyard anchorage connectors that wrap around I-beams during maintenance. On a system-wide level, we implement a trapped key system to ensure safe access to potentially live equipment. We also offer safety fences for our systems.”

Safety is paramount when looking at any piece of equipment for an MRF, especially with baling equipment, CB&E’s McDonald declares.

“We highly recommend operations consider purchasing two-ram balers with automatic jam-clearing technology such as our Free Jam system that automatically clears a jam in minutes without the need for a worker to climb into the charge chamber to manually dig it out.

This is one of the most dangerous jobs in the recycling business and companies should look for ways to reduce and eliminate this need.”

In assessing a MRF’s needs and production goals, CB&E conducts a thorough site evaluation to assess what space is available, what material they are processing, what equipment is already present, and the rated capacity of all equipment, “so we can make recommendations on improving efficiency, optimizing productivity and maximizing profit potential,” says McDonald of a site-specific design. “It’s critical that an operation look at the entire system as a whole—not just the individual pieces of equipment—so that productivity is comparable throughout the system to eliminate productivity robbing bottlenecks.”

Safety and efficiency go hand-in-hand to lead to higher productivity, notes McDonald. “Nothing can bring an operation to a grinding halt or affect worker morale and productivity like a workplace accident or death. Preventing accidents is critical to ensuring that productivity goals are matched. This is one reason why the entire system must work efficiently together.”

The rated capacities of the conveyor system must match the productivity of the baler, says McDonald. “Supporting equipment can keep pace with the processing efficiency of the baler. A smoothrunning system can help to lower the risk of accidents.”

The Free Jam option on the Gold Rush Two-Ram Baler Series addresses the material jams that can occur frequently in balers, causing a worker to stop production, lock-out/tag-out the equipment, climb into the baler’s charge chamber and dig out the jam—a process that can take hours or days, explains McDonald.

“It’s one of the most dangerous practices in the recycling business, and accidents and deaths have occurred while clearing charge chamber jams due to many reasons, including not following proper clearing safety practices,” he adds.

CB&E’s Free Jam technology is designed to clear a jam inside the charge chamber in a matter of minutes without the need for the operator to climb into the charge chamber, says McDonald. “With push-button operation, the Free Jam door, which also serves as the gather wall, hydraulically raises and the hydraulic cylinder ram pushes the jammed material out the side of the baler,” he adds. “Within about five minutes, the baler is back in action.”

“Eliminating the time required to manually dig out a jam in the charge chamber increases the amount of time the baler is operating, making the entire operation more efficient and productive,” continues

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PROCESSING McDonald. “Even medium operations baling 2,500 tons of material per month, and experiencing 10 jams per month can lose more than $300,000 annually in labor and production revenue.”

In designing a system for operations, Steinert gets “as clear as possible an understanding on the feedstock itself,” says Drolet. “The feedstock composition affects how the system is designed. Clean versus dirty recyclables will be processed differently. We also take a look at a customer’s market to make sure they have the right equipment for the future. This includes expansion or the changing material composition in the industry.”

To ensure the proper footprint, the key is to build a cost-effective system with a capacity buffer for growth, Drolet points out. To that end, a MRF operations’ business and strategic plans come into play.

“Better to plan now than have to fix later,” says Drolet. For example, one operation had a municipal contract for a certain amount of recyclables, but the amount of material exceeded the original numbers.

“A smaller machine would have worked, but would have required running equipment 24/7,” adds Drolet. “A larger piece of equip-

ment could run on one or two shifts, saving operational costs. This justified upsizing the machine. But we recommend doing this with critical machines first, not every piece of equipment.”

The key to maintaining efficiency is maintaining the equipment itself, he says. “The setup and equipment should be designed to allow easy access and easy visual inspection —these lead to easy maintenance and running at peak performance. Make maintenance difficult, and it just won’t happen.”

Most contemporary machines are designed for safety, but a safe design depends on how the machine is integrated into the line, says Drolet. “Many times it is what is around the machine is what makes a situation safe or unsafe,” he says, adding that operator training is just as important.

To meet an operations’ needs, VAN DYK Recycling Solutions builds customized recycling systems starting with a site visit to assess business, goals, issues, and opportunities. “Then we invite them to tour facilities that we have developed for customers with needs similar to theirs,” notes Schellati.

“There they will get a firsthand look at how the systems perform and are welcome to talk

to the owners/operators about their experiences with VAN DYK.” After that, the company works as a team to develop a solution utilizing the technology of Bollegraaf Recycling Solutions and TITECH, along with top specialized recycling equipment manufacturers. “We consider all of their critical factors, such as capital costs, manpower needs, commitments to mills that buy their end products, rolling stock needs, maintenance costs, electricity costs, and future growth,” says Schellati.

The goal is a turnkey solution that is flexible, reliable, and delivers the lowest operating cost per ton, he adds.

MRFs can be designed to fit into fairly tight existing buildings or can be laid out “in the most efficient possible way,” says Schellati, adding the operation managers can use a three-dimensional layout to determine the new building shell.

In designing for efficiency, “it’s all about utilizing automation wherever it makes sense and minimizing manual sorting to the point that it makes economic sense,” he explains.

“In most cases, separation equipment is more reliable and efficient than manual sorting.

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oversized materials or for final product quality control is typically required in any MRF.” As for safety, all of VAN DYK’s equipment meets the strictest European ATEX standards, Canadian CSA standards, and US OSHA standards, says Schellati. The facility owner handles general building safety requirements such as fire suppression/detection systems and dust control systems.

Worker protection is a prime factor when designing MRFs, says Sites. “You’re always going to have workers up there, on that picking line, and how do you make sure those guys are protected? We may propose putting equipment in place that helps meter that material onto that picking line. That can help with somebody being able to spot something and remove it before it actually gets up to the pickers.”

The company’s latest disc screen design uses cog drives. “In the cog systems with carbon fiber belts, if something gets stuck in there, it will snap the belt internally, which is all protected, so it’s a huge safety factor,” notes Sites, adding the belt would not fly outside of the system to potentially injure an employee.

The company also works to size motors with the gearbox to ensure efficiency, he adds.

The trommel design has been revamped to drive power directly to the drum so there is no loss in power and of efficiency. The trommel is enclosed in side plates to protect the employees “from sticking their hands in the places they shouldn’t,” he says.

How Vecoplan works with operations to ensure they have the right equipment for the task depends on if it’s an existing facility or a greenfield, according to Everhart.

Existing facilities focus on areas of concern, material streams, and reject bales, he says. For new operations, significant time is invested in doing detailed waste characterizations of the material, he adds.

“Knowing what is in the waste is crucial to know how to get what you want out of the waste,” explains Everhart. “A lot of people skip this step because it’s really laborious and cumbersome, but it’s the most important investment that you’ll ever make in system design is really knowing what you’re going to be feeding it.”

In creating an efficient footprint, the advantage of an existing system is that it offers a clear picture of the wastestream, he notes. “Being able to watch a facility run and see where they are having problems is a huge advantage that you’ll never have when you’re only getting characterizations of raw material.”

Everhart believes that systems now have to get bigger because efficiencies must be greater.

“Five years ago, when we could ship off and export a lot of stuff at a much less audited state, you could really overrun systems when you had gluts of material,” he says, before adding that this is no longer the case.

Operations that bought a system designed to do 15 tons an hour were running at 20 tons an hour, having to run it again at 15 tons an hour, but had 20-tons-an-hour waste and are having to add equipment, Everhart says.

“Rather than simply having to replace equipment and making things larger because the rest of the system can’t handle this volume, people are adding other lines or reclamation lines at the back end of existing systems to clean up the material in the instance when they do have overrides,” he adds. “Both of these involve higher footprint.”

All manufacturers make good equipment, Everhart says. “Helping operations understand how to keep their systems running optimally is the most important thing you can do.

When a machine is fresh and shiny, it runs wonderful. As it starts to wear down with disks starting to fail, shafts going out, or bearings are worn—if those items aren’t properly kept up, the efficiency drops dramatically.”

It is critical that MRF operators have a realistic understanding of the equipment’s projected lifespan and the preventative maintenance needed to get it to that point, Everhart says. “It’s the manufacturer’s job to make sure the system is laid out in such a way where there is a good flow not only of material, but also a good flow of traffic, so people are able to get from point A to point B, and execute the various job descriptions in their positions so they can do what they’re supposed to do without getting hurt or run over,” he continues.

He points out that the human element is just as important to the equipment element in a MRF. A trained labor force is as critical as good equipment, says Everhart, adding that operations need to focus on doing a “good job of hiring, training and creating a workplace environment for people so they keep them.

“A big cost of staffing is the training, and it’s very easy in these places that have a low-income ceiling for their workers to have a revolving door,” says Everhart. “They’re paying low, but spending a lot of money that’s wasted training people over and over again.”

MRF equipment manufacturers strictly adhere to standards, be they OSHA for classification, American Society of Mechanical Engineers for mechanical or load designs, or the National Fire Protection Association for controlling dust particulate or other [ www.mswmanagement.com ] MSW MANAGEMENT

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PROCESSING environmental concerns, says Everhart.

“Something all manufacturers struggle with is that customers have a fixed budget, and in their mind, they want the MRF to be safe, but when the rubber meets the road and they’re choosing between having a 2.2- or 2.5-meter screen, or having a certain type of grading versus panel flooring knowing that one is safer and one is not in terms of load they have, they’ll tend to look at the safety elements as a luxury as opposed to efficiency,” he explains.

There is value in safety, he contends. “You want your employees to have a good environment so they can be safe, and even from a purely financial side, one incident can cost you more than you would have ever saved by not adding those elements.”

The conventional ways of sorting waste in the US are depending on a larger number of manual sorters, says Gerben Nijland, sales director. “In a Stadler MRF, however, a smaller number of manual sorters is necessary.”

Stadler’s ballistic separator is designed to be “highly effective and efficient,” he declares.

The ballistic separator is the most important part of the Stadler MRF, adds Nijland, and the streams coming from Stadler’s ballistic separators are “much better sorted than the streams coming from conventional disc or star screens.”

Case in point: the two-dimensional flat material gets further sorted with optical sorting equipment. “After this step, only a manual quality control needs to be provided,” says Nijland. “Hence, this process leads to much better material purity without all the manual sorting labor that has been necessary before.”

The sorting of three-dimensional rolling material also can be done more efficiently, he believes. “The design of a three-dimensional sorting line depends on the customer requirements—depending on the material flow and composition, the designs of the lines vary,” says Nijland. “Better design equals more efficiency.”

Roland Zimmer, CEO, Stadler America, points out that Stadler uses its own developed sorting screen, the Ballistic Separator, for paper (2D), containers (3D) and fines separation. It is used in Europe and introduced to the US in 2013.

The Ballistic Separators come in many versions, designed for each application to be used as a single screen or multi-stack double decker, or specifically for paper and cardboard separation. “The main advantages are very low-maintenance cost, combined with high sorting efficiency and very flexible use for every kind of separation task,” says Zimmer.

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multiple pieces of equipment, and how they operate together in the plant. “Stadler developed the Ballistic Separator for separating 2D from 3D with an additional fines recovery,” he states. “Proper separation of 2D/3D ensures back end sorting positions of equipment, such as NIR optical sorting, to be more effective, ultimately resulting in higher and cleaner diversion of materials.”

Ultimately, “it is all about how materials are presented to the final sorting stage in a plant,” says Zweers. “Proper separation by size and shape is key. Both our Trommel Screens and Ballistic Separators provide low operating power, low maintenance with its steel parts, and increased operational hours, with no wrapping of material around shafts.”

Eriez Magnetics works with companies such as Bulk Handling Systems, CP Manufacturing, and Machinex to help specify the proper magnetic separators within their systems. “We look at expected capacities, material compositions, material size and other variables when recommending equipment,” says Ramsdell.

The goal for Eriez equipment in MRFs is to maximize ferrous recovery with magnetic separators and non-ferrous recovery with eddy current separators. “Recent eddy current testing at a MRF in Florida showed Eriez eddy current recovery rates in excess of 99% for UBCs (beverage cans),” notes Ramsdell.

The company’s focus is to maximize recovery in as small a footprint as possible, offering efficiency and safety benefits as well.

The low-profile Eddy Current Separators—20 inches high—allows systems providers to “shoehorn” the equipment into areas with limited vertical space, says Ramsdell.

Equipment size and magnetic strength is based on the throughputs.

The equipment features emergency pull cords to stop the conveyor and rotor in case of injury. Additionally, “Eriez is able to provide special side guides on our low-profile eddy current separators to prevent the possibility of someone falling onto the conveyor,” states Ramsdell, adding that systems providers will often provide caging or other protective barriers around self-cleaning suspended magnets and drum magnets.

Bunting Magnetics recommends facilities conduct an audit. “Virtually every existing

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municipal waste recycling facility is different, and most have seen equipment added or changed since the original installation,” he explains. “Even in a well-run facility, it is useful occasionally to take a fresh, holistic look at process and workflow just to examine what equipment is in place and establish why it was installed. Then, an objective assessment and recommendations can be made.”

Occasionally, it’s concluded that two or more detection or separation devices can be replaced by just one, thus simplifying maintenance and increasing reliability. “Perhaps more important, technology evolves,” acknowledges Suderman. “Equipment, which was state of the art when installed, may have been superseded by more efficient, or more capable, devices.”

Footprint is often a function of the space available, particularly if the recycling facility went into an existing building, he says. “Laying out a facility properly demands comprehensive knowledge of the types of equipment available, particularly when it comes to conveyors and similar devices for moving material from one level or operation to another.”

An equipment audit performed by a Bunting engineer often produces suggestions for reducing facility footprint or making equipment more accessible and operator-friendly, Sudermam says.

Designing for efficiency occurs primarily when a facility is first engineered, but changes through time can reduce efficiency and restrict throughput, continues Suderman, adding that an assessment produces suggestions for improving efficiency.

As for safety, two factors predominate: facility employee safety and the safety beyond the facility that results from purity of output, he says. “Both should be addressed by using the latest detection and separation technology available.”

Components such as the Keith Walking Floor system are used in MRF operations to help ensure efficiencies and safety. The Keith Walking Floor system is a horizontal “moving floor” conveyor that is made of a series of floor slats powered by a hydraulic drive. As the floor cycles through its phases, material is conveyed or unloaded.

There are two areas in a MRF environment where Keith Walking Floor conveyors are typically found. “[Keith] Walking Floor systems are installed in receiving bins that store sorted recyclables,” says Mike Robinson, sales director. “When needed, the system conveys the material to a takeaway conveyor, which feeds it to a baler. The other location is at the tipping floor, where material is fed into

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the MRF for sorting and processing.

“Bins with Keith Walking Floor conveyors located below the sorting lines automate the unloading process,” he continues, “resulting in a more efficient and safer method than using a loader to feed the takeaway conveyor. Using a front end loader to push recyclables through can increase the risk of equipment and pedestrian accidents, and can cause exhaust issues for employees on the pick lines.”

Systems are engineered to nearly any size requirements. They also can store and convey a variety of recyclables, including paper, cardboard, and plastic, says Robinson. “They are also able to move more abrasive materials such as green waste and construction debris.”

Paul van der Werf, president of 2cg, is an environmental consultant working with Modulo Beton, which provides precast concrete modular recycling depot systems for materials that are not collected in curbside programs.

The roof is used as an unloading platform and the building envelope is used for whatever function is desired by the waste operation.

The depots are designed by first undertaking a needs assessment, van der Werf says.

Such systems are widely used in Canada and Europe where there are a lot of extended

YARD AND FOOD WASTE

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producer responsibility-type programs for waste materials such as electronics, tires, household hazardous wastes, and C&D, notes van der Werf.

The recycling depots, though stationary, can be picked up and moved to another location due to their modularity. Their modularity also allows for onsite expansion and can be constructed in phases, he adds.

Efficiencies are derived from the ability to use the building envelope for other purposes as it is the roof deck—to which inbound and outbound ramps are connected—that serves as the primary drop-off point for the waste material, van der Werf says.

The facilities are aimed for residential dropoff programs, although it’s conceivable that commercial renovators and remodelers also could drop off C&D materials, he adds.

In current applications, the usable space in the building under the roof is being used for waste exchange programs and cart and blue box storage, says van der Werf.

Safety is designed into the system by keeping the residential and commercial traffic separate (commercial trucks would be on the site to remove the bins) and establishing a traffic pattern with a “logical flow” that diverts the

LOW-MAINTENANCE OPERATION

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two separate traffic streams from each other, he says. Railings are used around drop-off areas to keep people from falling into bins.

The Modulo Beton system originated in France and is used in Europe where space is constrained and at a premium, van der Werf notes. “The system seems to work fairly well there because you’ve got this ability to use a relatively small footprint for a number of things,” he says. “It’s a relatively compact and uses its space pretty well by providing the opportunity for dual use: residential drop off and any function desired in the building envelope beneath.”

In the Netherlands, the recycling depots are required to have the ability to enable residents to sort up to 19 different materials, notes van der Werf. “It’s setting up a one-stop shop for all of this stuff that’s typically not collected curbside but makes up a reasonably significant amount of the wastestream whose default in many cases in North America is going to landfill,” he says. “This presents an option where these wastes can be managed in an efficient fashion.” MSW Carol Brzozowski specializes in topics related to waste management and technology.

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ADMINISTRATION

The Future of Recycling in the US—Can It Pay for Itself?

In recent months, there has been media attention directed on the “ills” of recycling in the US in both the solid waste industry press, as well as national reports published in mainstream publications such as Fortune, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post.

BY MARC. J. ROGOFF

I

Markets Are Squeezed —Recycling Crisis The recycling commodity market has seen ebbs and flows over the past 35 years. The notion that it is the end of the world for recycling suggests that the current market situation fits the Yogi Berra quote, “It is Déjà vu all over again.”

Price volatility in recycling markets is almost a universal truth across the globe.

Being able to manage the ever-fluctuating changes in market prices (Figure 1) can either produce success or break the community recycling program. Most recycling industry observers have agreed that prices for most, if not all, recycled materials tend to follow expansions and contractions in

the overall world or national economy such as major economic recessions and market crashes (Great Recession, Iraq war, Y2K fears, and oftentimes irrational market forces. There are, however, specific trends in particular industries that move prices for different recycled materials in entirely opposite directions. One can argue that the long-term, 30-year average of curbside recyclables market has moved up substantially from the average levels during the 1991–1993 Recession to the next economic downturn in the 2001–2003, and the next downturn in the Great Recession in 2009.

Experience over the past three decades has shown that communities that collect many different materials may experience Sound Resource Management Group, Inc.

n short, the common theme of these articles is that recycling in the United States has stalled, and the situation is dire. How dire is it?

Industry executives have argued forcefully that prices for recycling commodities have largely fallen to the point over the past several years that it is not economical for them to process recyclables and market them to largely Asian markets, which have increased their contaminant standards (a.k.a., the “Green Fence”). For those of us in the solid waste industry recommending programs to increase recycling as a means of promoting sustainability, the question now becomes: can recycling pay for itself in 2016?

Figure 1. Long-term trend for curbside recycled markets—Pacific Northwest, 1985–2014

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less revenue volatility over the course of an economic cycle. Nevertheless, curbside recycling programs that collect a wide variety of materials, such as residential mixed paper, newspapers, cardboard, glass, metals, and plastic bottles, may experience significant and pronounced revenue swings.

What Has Changed?

Is Single Stream the Culprit?

This past year I attended Waste Expo, WASTECON, and the Waste 360 Recycling Summit, listening to all of the presentations by national leaders in our industry. A common theme by most, if not all, the presenters is that the introduction and expansion of single-stream collection and processing of recyclables have greatly increased the total volume of recyclables; however, contamination rates have increased along with processing costs. There are some who argue that the move to single-stream collection from the “blue bin, dual-stream model,” where the customer sorts the materials at the curb, results in more contamination and a reduced value of the recyclables recovered.

However, a review of data from both single- and dual-stream recycling programs suggests otherwise. I would argue that increased variety of container and packaging plastic over the past few decades is perhaps more responsible for the issue of contamination. There are literally thousands of different plastics now in the wastestream, making it almost impossible for the consumer to know what is recyclable. Is the bag in the cereal box recyclable? Is the cap of a pop bottle recyclable or only the bottle?

What about the soiled liner in the microwavable product? What about the aseptic juice carton? Clearly, the extra sorting effort at an MRF facility reduces profitability.

invested capital. However, the fact remains that while recycling markets are tight, there are smaller, regional or local recycling companies such as Eureka Recycling in the Twin Cities area and the employee-owned Recology in the San Francisco Bay area that have reportedly been able to be profitable under these market conditions and lower their customer rates.

In September 2015, the City of Dallas awarded a 15-year contract with, Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas, S.A. dba FCC, S.A., a large Spanish corporation, and

one of the largest European MRF operators, to construct and operate 120,000 tons per year, single-stream MRF at the City’s landfill. The City had received seven proposals from major national and regional solid waste firms. Based on the City’s evaluation criteria, FCC’s proposal was the only one deemed to guarantee positive financial value to the City ($22.8 million over the initial 15-year contract term). For example, FCC was the only company to agree that the City would not pay to process recyclables, even in a low commodity market.

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One can argue that statement if you ascribe to the statements from some companies and editorialists. For the most part, these organizations need to achieve sufficient returns on their capital investments to satisfy the performance objectives of their major stockholders. Business needs to generate a profit, and if the revenue a recycling facility receives is solely based on the commodity value of the recovered recyclables, then significant financial problems can result when commodity prices fall below the target levels needed to provide the desired cash flow, profit, and resulting rate of return on

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ADMINISTRATION Changing Times Necessitates Changing Solutions Ban Materials One way to improve the quality of the recyclables being marketed is to eliminate materials that are difficult to recycle. There are increasingly a number of cities which have banned plastic bags and polystyrene making the incoming recyclable wastestream easier and cheaper to process. These materials are oftentimes responsible for MRF downtime because the bags jam the wheels that are part of the conveyor systems.

Glass is another challenge. Glass has been a commodity that has been included in all recycling programs since the advent of most private and public collection programs. Glass is heavy and contributes significantly on a weight basis to community diversion goals.

However, more than a third of the glass oftentimes breaks during collection, jams up conveyors and melts at material recovery facilities (MRF) facilities, and, as a result, contaminates baled material. Lastly, glass is made from a common and cheap material—sand. So the price for recovered glass is usually marginal. Some in our industry have argued for restricting or eliminating glass for these reasons alone.

This is not to say that glass recycling cannot be successful, particularly when local markets are available. For example, Deffenbaugh, which operates in the Midwest, has a successful glass recycling program mostly because they have a fiberglass manufacturing plant nearby that can use the material; therefore, they have a strong market, with low transportation costs.

problem, customers sometimes toss things like garden hoses, clothes hangers, shopping bags, Christmas lights, and used clothing into the recycling carts, which increases the complexity of the processing required and increases recycling costs.

The problem is the lack of public education efforts that go hand-in-hand with the implementation of single-stream recycling programs. While some minimal education outreach is provided at the beginning of these programs, I have seen that the education program often stops months into the initiation of these new programs.

use a variety of new and existing technologies to sort recyclables from a stream of mixed trash, many times with materials from single- or dual-stream programs.

The questions remain: Can these facilities produce a high-quality, marketable product, and can they provide a reasonable return on investment to their investors? Considering the recent closure of the Montgomery, AL, Infinitus Renewable Energy Park (IREP) facility, I would fathom a guess that the jury is still out on whether such facilities can be successful.

The technology seems to work, but questions remain on financial performance.

I would argue that increased variety of container and packaging plastic over the past few decades is perhaps more responsible for the issue of contamination.

Is Recycling in Crisis?

Public Education Public education is critical to a successful recycling program. Recycling starts with what customers believe can be placed in their recycling bins or carts. If they do not know what can and cannot be recycled, confusion results, which either reduces participation or increases the volumes of unacceptable materials that have to be processed and ultimately disposed of.

With larger 64- and 96-gallon rolling carts, customers can fill the carts with more recyclable materials. However, more unacceptable materials such as household garbage can also be included, further exasperating contamination problems. For example, with the larger carts, customers are less likely to break down cardboard boxes, oftentimes with foam and plastic wrap materials inside, which are not recyclable. Compounding this

Are Mixed-Waste MRFs the Panacea?

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Recycling Rate Stabilization Funds This past spring, Casella Waste Systems, a Vermont-based regional hauler, started adding a “sustainability/recycling adjustment fee (SRA)” onto the bills for its residential, commercial, and municipal customers. The intent of the SRA is to balance out the volatility of the recycling markets and the ability of Casella to price and sell recyclables given the cost of maintaining an extensive and sophisticated recycling infrastructure. The SRA is designed to float so that customers receive a credit when the average commodity prices reach a high and pay more when the prices drop. Thus far, Casella reports that it hasn’t received many customer complaints on its new pricing model. Is this an anomaly or something to be considered by other haulers or processors?

Mixed-waste MRFs are the most hotly debated topic in our industry. Those with long memories remember the “Dirty MRFs” in the ’70s and ’80s, which allowed customers to throw recyclables with their normal trash to be removed at the MRF facility.

Most often than not, the product recovered had poor marketability. Today, the new, modern marvels called mixed-waste MRFs

Lighter packaging, dwindling demand for newsprint, and lower commodity prices have allowed some to argue that it is no longer profitable for industry to continue to provide recycling services without local governments picking up their losses. So, should we sound the death knell for recycling in the United States? I would argue that this is not necessarily the case, and there is a way to cobble together a solution by confronting some of the myths being painted on the state of recycling. Here are my top 10 “Letterman” facts about recycling: 1. Recycling is not going away. It is now mainstream in most metropolitan areas of the country that are in close proximity to existing recycling markets. It considered by many to be an essential public service like police, fire, and street lighting, and cannot be turned off and on with the cycles and swings of the recycling market.

2. Recycling often is usually not profitable in many years due to the swings of the market. In my opinion, financial systems need to be developed to handle these economic realities through establishing “Rainy Day Funds” or Rate Stabilization Funds to continue to fund community programs when recycling markets are down.

3. Recycling should not be considered a free service. It takes money to send out the recycling truck. Perhaps more of the costs of recycling should be shifted to extended producer responsibility where some of the costs of recycling are included in the initial prices of the products themselves.

4. Change the “when in doubt, recycle it” philosophy. Consider bans of materials from recycling programs such as glass, plastic bags, and polystyrene. These contribute to contamination problems, poorer commodity prices, and disproportionately increase the average cost of recycling.

[ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 ]

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References Davis, Aaron. “Recycling Is Stalling, and the Big Blue Bin is One Reason Why.�

Washington Post. June 21, 2015.

Groden, Claire. “The American Recycling Business is a Mess—Can Big Waste Fix It?�

Fortune. September 3, 2015.

Rogoff, Marc J. Solid Waste Recycling and

Processing—Planning of Solid Waste Recycling Facilities and Programs. William Andrews/Elsevier: Waltham, MA. 2014.

SWANA and NWRA. “Joint Advisory on Designing Contracts for Processing of Manual Recyclables.� www.tinyurl.com/SWANA-NWRA. Tierney, John. “The Reign of Recycling.�

New York Times. October 3, 2015.

Whelan, Luke. “4 Big Recycling Myths Tossed Out.� Mother Jones. July 13, 2015.

Yard, Kevin and Marc Rogoff. “Compatibility of Recycling Goals and the Continued

Development and Operation of Integrated Waste Management Facilities.�

SCS Engineers Blog. MSW Marc J. Rogoff, Ph.D., is a project director at SCS Engineers in the Florida regional office.

He serves on SWANA’s Executive Committee.

For related articles: www.mswmanagement.com

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5. Though there are national trends, each metropolitan market has its own unique market conditions. As such, the economics of each market should be evaluated to develop an approach that optimizes the solid waste management system for that community.

6. Recycling continues to be a challenge no different than when the first drop-off facility and the curbside program was developed. The Chinese “Green Fence� and lower commodity purchase prices, light weighting, and contamination are putting stresses on the success of current programs. But, managing a successful recycling program has never been easy.

7. Recycling starts in the bin or cart. Communities need to invest continuously in recycling education. Public education is not a one-time thing. We all need to do a better job in educating what materials can be recycled, and what materials should be deposited in the garbage cart or disposed of by special waste collection. Recycling education needs to be a continuous investment.

8. Recycling markets need to be developed right here in the US. We have become so dependent on markets in Asia. America needs to develop recycling markets rather than ship these materials thousands of miles only to come back as packaging for LED flat screens bought in our big box stores.

9. Make processing contracts equitable for all parties. Follow the guidance released by the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) and the National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA) to develop mutually beneficial relationships that are cost-effective and produce high-quality service.

10. And, there is safety. Worker safety is often overlooked as our communities aspire to high and high recycling goals. Solid waste collection and processing remain the 5th most dangerous professional in the US, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

We need to find better ways to reduce accidents on the road and on processing lines.

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LANDFILL

Using Horizontal Extraction Wells to Contain Leachate Plumes Near Landfills It is relatively common for older, unlined landfills to have a bad effect on adjacent groundwater quality, even if they have been capped. BY WILLIAM G. SOUKUP AND WILLIAM J. LEE

T

one set of flow controls is required. wells to confirm that complete capture is hese landfills often produce a For example, a horizontal well was used achieved between the wells. Since periodic shallow groundwater plume to contain a groundwater plume near a water level and water-quality testing is characterized by typical leachatelandfill at a Superfund site in southern New required in each well, the O&M cost of such related constituents such as Jersey’s Coastal Plain Province. The site a system soon becomes overwhelming. elevated chlorides and total dissolved solids consists of an 80-acre municipal solid waste An alternative approach to multiple and low pH. If the landfill has been capped landfill that was operated for approximately vertical wells is to install a single, horiand offsite groundwater concentrations 20 years, closing in 1980. The landfill zontally drilled extraction well along the are relatively low, a passive remedy such was operated without a bottom liner and downgradient boundary of the landfill. as Monitored Natural Attenuation may be reportedly took in liquid chemical waste at Horizontal wells can be installed up to 1,200 appropriate. However, if concentrations are some point in its history. Although the top feet long. They can be easily routed around well above standards and the plume has the of the landfill was graded and capped in the or beneath perimeter roads and berms, utilipotential to affect downgradient receptors, early 1990s, groundwater quality downties, wetlands, etc., thus reducing the access an active remedy such as hydraulic congradient of the landfill has been impacted requirements of vertical well installations. A tainment (pump and treat) will likely be by various Volatile Organic Compounds horizontal well can be installed to a specific required. Although expensive to install and (VOCs) and inorganics. The primary VOCs depth to target the most elevated contamioperate, hydraulic containment may be the are benzene, chlorobenzene, and 1,4-dioxnant concentrations within the plume. This only viable option in situations requiring a ane. A residential development is located increases its hydraulic effectiveness, esperelatively rapid reversal of groundwater flow. directly downgradient of the site, however cially in formations with significant vertical Typically, pump and treat systems consist the homes are serviced by a public water stratification. Once installed, a horizontal of a number of vertical extraction wells that supply system. well has the advantage of pumping from a pump groundwater to an onsite pretreatIn 2005, an initial groundwater remedy long, continuous screened zone that maximent plant through pressurized force mains. mizes aquifer yield and develops a “trough of was implemented, consisting of a downEach vertical well must contain a submersdepression” (rather than the “cone of depres- gradient hydraulic containment system of ible pump, power supply, and various wired eight vertical extraction wells and collecsion” developed around a vertical well), probes to monitor the pumping level in tion of shallow groundwater from a French which ensures continuous groundwater capthe well. These data are transmitted to and drain. However, due to the fine-grained ture along its length. Finally, the approach compiled by special software to provide the nature of the soils and the relatively thin simplifies operation and maintenance of a operator with information to adjust and balsaturated zone, maintenance of the extracance each well’s pumping rate. This approach horizontal well because only one pump and works best where the plume is narrow and can be captured by one or two pumping wells.

Unfortunately, this is seldom the case at landfills. The footprint of typical municipal landfills often exceeds 50–100 acres, and thus the downgradient plume can be hundreds—if not thousands—of feet wide.

This scenario requires a large number of closely spaced extraction wells and an equally large number of observation Figure 2. Drawdown contours around horizontal well after 25 hours of pumping (ft.)

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Figure 1. Horizontal Well Profile

tion wells proved time-consuming and costly. The vertical wells required individual submersible pumps, water level controls, flow meters, and force mains, each of which suffered from mineral deposits, incrustation and, sediment buildup over the years. At the same time, the regulatory agencies determined that the offsite extent of the plume needed to be more accurately defined. A multi-phase, offsite groundwater quality investigation was therefore conducted using multi-depth in-situ groundwater samplers.

The results indicated that, although the VOC plume extended horizontally beneath a small portion of the subdivision, it was primarily found at depth, with a clean water lens above it, and thus did not pose a vapor intrusion risk to the homes.

To remedy the failing vertical wells and at the same time shift the capture zone closer to the plume, an 800-foot-long horizontal extraction well was designed and installed downgradient of the site. The well was installed to a depth of 38 feet to match the depth of the plume. To reach this depth, a “setback” distance of 150 feet was required on each end of the well. Thus, the drilling rig was set up 150 feet from the beginning point of the well screen, as shown on Figure 2. Solid steel casing is used in this portion of the well because it is

For related articles: www.mswmanagement.com

mostly above the water table. On the “exit” end of the well, another 150 feet of solid casing is used to bring the well back to the surface, creating access to both ends of the well. The well screen lies between the two solid casings and is 500 feet long.

Horizontal wells have one significant disadvantage, which is that it is not feasible to install a filter pack around the well screen during the drilling process. Filter packs are typically used in vertical wells to create a permeable zone around the screen that keeps out fine sediment and maximizes flow.

Thus, at this site, the design challenge was to select a well screen capable of retaining the very fine and highly uniform sand of the Cohansey Formation without compromising its yield. The size of the screen openings was critical, so quality control of the well screen manufacturing process was a key selection factor. In the end, a mesh-type well screen was selected for use since it can be made to closer tolerances than the typical wire-wrap screens used in vertical wells.

The horizontal well was installed at the site in October 2014. It took approximately two weeks to drill and set the well, and another week for cleaning and development. Pumping began in early 2015 at the design rate of 30 gallons per minute (gpm).

Drawdown around the horizontal well was determined from 26 piezometers installed along five transects, as shown on Figure 1. After only 25 hours of pumping at 30 gpm, the zone of influence at 38 feet below grade (the depth of the plume) extended over 100 feet away. Groundwater elevations

calculated from these data illustrate that the capture zone far exceeded the targeted contaminant plume boundary.

As of this writing, the horizontal well has been successfully operating at the design rate for more than six months. However, due to the fine mesh screen, periodic backwashing of the well is required as part of the O&M plan. The backwashing is accomplished by injecting municipal water from a nearby hydrant at 75–100 gpm for approximately 20 minutes every 3–4 weeks.

In summary, horizontal extraction wells are generally well suited to hydraulically contain groundwater plumes downgradient of landfills. This is especially the case if the plume is wide and the aquifer is shallow, a scenario that would otherwise require multiple vertical wells. They are also excellent as injection wells for delivering chemical amendments for remedies such as in-situ chemical oxidation or reduction. Careful attention needs to be given to the design of the well screen since installation of a filter pack is not feasible. In fine, uniform sand formations, a mesh-type screen may be required to meet the close tolerances required of the chosen slot size openings.

Mesh-type well screens will likely require a greater well development effort than the more typical wire-wrap screens due to their multi-layer design. MSW William G. Soukup, P.G., is a senior hydrogeologist at Cornerstone Environmental Group LLC, and William J. Lee is a seasoned environmental professional working at de maximis Inc.

[ www.mswmanagement.com ] MSW MANAGEMENT

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PROJECT PROFILE I BY NOELLE OMER

Hauling Independence How a family-run hauler navigates island life

I

n an industry dominated by large corporations, finding longtime independent collectors can be rare. In what many consider to be paradise—the Florida Keys, specifically Marathon—a third-generation family-owned waste collection company run by a father and son Ron and Greg Konrath is doing its part to keep paradise pristine.

Ron Konrath, now 76 and vice president of Marathon Garbage Service, was just eight years old when his family moved from Chicago to Key West in the 1940s. His father and uncle set their sights on opening a restaurant, and during construction they found they had no place to dispose of their construction waste.

“My dad and uncle would pick up and dispose of garbage,” says Ron. “My uncle gave my dad a truck, and he started picking up a few stops. He had no contracts. People would just call, and before we knew it, he had 400 customers—almost the whole island.”

Ron joined his father when he was 10 or 11, working after school and on weekends. As soon as he graduated from high school, he became a full-time employee, working whatever job was needed to help the family’s burgeoning business remain successful.

A New Business Was Born The Konraths incorporated Marathon Garbage Service in 1952, running it out of the restaurant. Eventually, they built a separate building and purchased their first real garbage truck in 1955.

“Before that, we had one stake truck,” says Ron. “But it wouldn’t dump, so we had to shovel it out. Our second truck would dump.

The next would pack and hold two times more. Each truck after kept advancing.”

“The more residents and businesses that came in, the more our business would grow with that growth,” adds Greg Konrath, president of Marathon Garbage Service. “I remember when we got up to six trucks and thought we’d never need more than those. Today we have 17 trucks, 13 of which are Heil, and about 40 employees.”

Following in his father’s footsteps, Greg began his career with his father during the 1970s, and he stayed in shape for high school football season by working on the back of trucks throughout the summers. “I got my teammates to work with me, too. Dad would complain come fall that I took all his employees with me back to school. Working the family business was just what you did here. I saw people going into their families’ fishing and boating businesses; this is what mine did.”

The Challenges of Island Life Greg may not ride on the back of his company’s trucks these days, but the nearly-10-mile island’s narrow roads mean that the company still collects refuse using rear loaders, not too far of a cry from the way his grandfather did in the early days. Many of the city’s streets are just wide enough for two cars to pass, and most of the streets end at a dead end. While automated trucks work in cities with larger streets, according to Greg, they just don’t fit the needs of the city.

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“I pick up residential and commercial on route,” he says. “We pull up on US 1 [the main artery through the Keys] and back down streets. This way we don’t end up back tracking or getting stuck at the end of a narrow road. We have to start early to miss all the work and school traffic because there’s no room for us to pass a school bus on some of these streets. Automated trucks, while time saving in other cities, would cause our routes to take longer, plus we have a big risk of branches damaging the trucks. Others have tried to use them in the Keys, but it just doesn’t seem to pay.”

While the company runs nine or 10 trucks daily, their fleet is comprised of 17 vehicles. The island is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, so the Marathon Garbage Service staff is focused on cleanliness of the trucks to preserve their years in service and avoid the corrosive nature of the salt air. And because the island is small and in a tropical climate, the Konraths feel it’s essential to run a clean operation to prevent the island from smelling like yesterday’s trash. In fact, the business’ grounds are so clean that many passersby don’t realize it sits just off US 1 on the way to Key West.

Salt air and waste quickly take a toll on metal, so the staff takes special care of each truck. A normal workday ends with cleaning up. From shoveling out the hopper daily at the transfer station 18 miles away to washing down each truck once back at headquarters, every step is taken to preserve the steel and keep each truck rolling.

Additionally, Marathon Garbage Service ensures a routine maintenance schedule is followed on the mechanical side with the help of their longtime Heil dealer Sunbelt Waste Equipment. The routine seems to be paying off for the company, too; their trucks have a long lifespan and live on once sold on the used market.

“Our containers and trucks take a beating,” says Greg. “That’s one of the reasons we’re so loyal to Heil products. They just work, and they last.

“We’re fairly isolated here. My 40 guys need equipment that will let them reliably do their jobs, and we need to get parts from the mainland quickly. I know I can depend on Sunbelt Waste Equipment to stock the Heil parts I need and get them to me so I can keep

Times Are Changing Father and son owners of Marathon Garbage Service in Marathon, FL, have been in the refuse collection industry for decades. In that time, they’ve seen their share of changes —changes for the better, according to them.

Ron Konrath (father) says that everything has improved. It’s so much more modernized now, from recycling units, to the safety features.

Greg Konrath (son) says that everyone wants to go green, so recycling is huge now, whereas it wasn’t even a discussion topic a couple decades ago. There are a lot more safety functions in place, too, such as OSHA regulations, backup buzzers, and rear cameras with audio. It’s a safer work environment now, accidents are reduced, and carts and tippers make it better for crews.

[ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 ]

12/2/15 10:21 AM

Marathon Garbage Service

Donna hit, the area was devastated. We had going, and they respond to calls. It just six inches of water in the restaurant; I had makes business sense to stay with what Greg, who was six months old, on the table.

I know works. Others in the industry I taped up the exhausts on the trucks, and around here have constantly switched we helped with clean up where we could brands, and it’s because they can’t find since the bridges were washed out.” the quality they need in those brands.”

“We also helped with Hurricane Andrew Ron says, “Heil has always just made cleanup,” adds Greg. “We help the Sheriff ’s our jobs easier with the equipment department with beach and wooded area they manufacture. It’s easier to use. I’ve cleanup. It’s why we’ve been around so seen all the other products at shows, long—we believe in the community, and we but our first Heil truck in 1974 was far take pride in our business because it’s our superior, and they still are.” name behind it. If someone has a problem It’s that dependability, service Greg Konrath represents the third generation of the with their service, I’m personally going to response, and accessibility to help that family-owned business. hear about it. People have my cell phone led Greg to purchase his newest Heil number; they don’t get some switchboard in vehicle—a PT 1000 from Sunbelt that Dade or Broward County. It’s my family name behind the business, so will be used on route for the city’s new recycling program. Greg has I do everything to uphold what this business is to the community.” worked with the city to help educate the litany of weekly renters Years of community involvement recently earned Marathon visiting about the importance of recycling.

Garbage Service a Most Community-Minded Business award from the city.

Going the Marathon Distance According to Greg, “It really meant a lot. We like to view ourselves It takes more than hard work and business acumen to run a successful at the forefront of community involvement. We’re part of this combusiness for 60+ years. In a small community such as Marathon munity. We know our neighbors, and we’re looking forward to many —with a population close to 10,000, plus a constant influx of tourmore years of serving our city.” MSW ists—the Konraths have found that it’s imperative to be a champion of the community and give back. “It’s something my dad always did,” says Ron. “He’d give donations and clean up for churches. We just car- Noelle Omer is former automotive journalist who currently works as a social ried it on. We just did it because we’ve always done it. After Hurricane media and PR executive.

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Advertiser’s Index COMPANY ................................. URL ..............................PAGE

COMPANY ................................. URL ..............................PAGE

Airspace Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.tarpsandcovers.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Buffalo Turbine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.buffaloturbine.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Bulk Handling Systems LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.bulkhandlingsystems.com . . . . . . . . 3 Cambridge Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cambridgecoinc.com. . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Catawba Baler & Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cbebaler.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Caterpillar/Waste & Landfill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cat.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 CDEnviro Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cdenviro.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 ClearSpan Fabric Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.clearspan.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 CP Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cpmfg.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 East Manufacturing Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.eastmfg.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Eisenmann Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.eisenmann.us.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Freightliner/Daimler Trucks North America LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.freightliner.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Hallco Industries Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.hallcoindustries.com. . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Hoffmann Inc. Airoflex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.hoffmaninc.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Keith Mfg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.keithwalkingfloor.com. . . . . . . . . . . 21 Mack Trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.macktrucks.com. . . . . . . . . . . Cover 4

Metso Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.metso.com/recycling. . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Morbark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.morbark.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Neptune Automated Wheel Wash Systems . . .www.innovativeequipment.org. . . . . . . . 22 New Way Trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.newwaytrucks.com . . . . . . . . Cover 3 Onspot Automatic Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.onspot.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Orbis Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.orbiscorporation.com . . . . . . . . . . .40 Qv21 Technologies Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.qv21.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Rice Lake Weighing Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ricelake.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 2 Roto-Mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.rotomix.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 RotoChopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.rotochopper.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.swana.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 T.M. Fitzgerald & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.tmfitzgerald.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Tetra Tech Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.tetratech.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 VAN DYK Recycling Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.vdrs.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Zeeco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.zeeco.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

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Turn Waste Into Wealth Over Your Entire Landfill Lifecycle Zeeco offers technologies proven to reduce emissions and generate valuable energy from low methane gas.

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Reader Profile BRIAN VAN STRATEN BY CAROL BRZOZOWSKI

F

or a mentor in landfill management excellence, look no further than Brian Van Straten. He’s the director of Outagamie County, Wisconsin’s Recycling and Solid Waste Department, which won the 2015 SWANA Bronze Award for Landfill Management Excellence and had also been recognized by SWANA in 2010. The county of Santa Cruz, CA’s Buena Vista Landfill operation won SWANA’s Silver Excellence Award for Landfill Management in 1996, eight years into the 25 years Van Straten had managed it. Outagamie County is currently the host regional landfill and tri-county single-stream recycling facility for three northeast Wisconsin counties: Brown, Outagamie, and Winnebago, commonly referred to as BOW. BOW was formed in 2001 as part of an intergovernmental solid waste agreement providing recycling and solid wastes services to more than 500,000 northeastern Wisconsin residents. The partnership expanded in 2008 to consolidate recycling services and in 2009 began operation of the largest publicly owned and operated single-stream recycling facility in the US. Outagamie County operates the regional Northeast Landfill and regional MRF at its integrated 450-acre site. Synergies from sharing equipment and personnel yield increased efficiency and reliability, SWANA points out.

career, Van Straten served in the United States Air Force Active and Reserves in the dual careers of finance and civil engineering.

“Serving the greater good of the municipalities for which an organization delivers services” has always been a driving force throughout his career, Van Straten says. He cites value-added customer service throughout an organization by building strong teams, mentoring, and leadership at all levels as foundational to an organization’s ability to thrive.

What He Likes Best About His Work Van Straten says he enjoys seeing staff members develop and grow and seeks essential growth opportunities for them. “Creating a climate of respect and trust in the workplace pays huge dividends and allows for improvement ideas to be generated by staff members performing the dayto-day operations work,” he says.

Van Straten also enjoys the opportunities presented within the tri-county intergovernmental partnership as well as the challenges the partnership brings. “That oftentimes offers opportunities for additional resource-sharing of staff that provides a strong sounding board for forward thinking of how the partnership can be enhanced in future years.”

His Biggest Challenge What He Does Day to Day

One of Van Straten’s cornerstone trademarks in landfill operations Van Straten spends his days workthroughout his career has always been ing with staff on maintenance and Brian Van Straten (right) with SWANA CEO David Biderman (left) to engage staff to continually find ways production programs in the MRF and to extend landfill life. He cites building in the value of air space into with daily regional landfill operations. As the responsible unit of every facet of the operation as being a critical factor. That entails government providing recycling collection services and educational not only developing high in-place waste densities through enhanced outreach to all of Outagamie County’s 32 municipalities, Van flat cell compaction methods Van Straten developed in 1988, but Straten stays informed of outreach efforts. He works with Outagaan ongoing focus in providing a strong motivational framework in mie County’s recycling coordinator to ensure the highest level of explaining to staff, public officials, and partners how valuable that service for single-stream collection. air space is for the broader municipal base being served.

Van Straten says he enjoys the flexibility of his daily duties “Understanding the basic principles of how important air space as director. “It may shift from an internal to external view at any is and maximizing it through the use of spray-on cover systems point in working with the BOW tri-county directors who are and high in-place waste densities backed with additional landfill always looking for ways to provide for opportunities to enhance diversion and resource recovery efforts round out this approach,” the overall delivery of services the partnership offers,” he says. he says. “Although challenging at times, when tackled through a team-based approach, it has always provided the highest level of What Led Him to This Line of Work organizational satisfaction.” MSW Van Straten’s 30-year career started in Outagamie County’s Department of Public Works, where he worked in road grade construction and landfill operations before moving to his post Carol Brzozowski specializes in topics related to waste management in Santa Cruz County. Paralleling his recycling and solid waste and technology.

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