Post on 14-Apr-2017
transcript
Cut Trash in Half in America:Right Now!
John Campbell
Feb. 23, 2016Catawba College Center for the Environment
Do we really need to fix this?
“Cities have been burying garbage for thousands of years and it’s still the easiest and cheapest solution for trash.”
- John Tierney, New York Times, October 3, 2015
America is drowning in trash…
2015 Trash Per Person, US 857
lbs.
Calculation Based on Data from Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures 2013, US EPA, June 2015
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200
100
200
300
400
500
600
520 Billion Pounds This Year in the US
All residential and commercial municipal waste and recyclables generated (not including C&D debris), US EPA, projected
Bury Delaware a foot deep…every year
Financial Cost
$500BPer Year
Environmental Impact
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Cons
umer
Pric
e In
dex
Trash & RecyclingCosts
CPI
2.4X CPI
But Wait–A Better Idea!
Mandatory Recycling Ordinances
Larger Containers / More Frequent Collection
Curbside Organics Programs
Recycling Education
Plastic Bag Bans
Engage People!
Incentives to Conserve and Save
Water Electricity Gas
Perverse Incentives with Trash
Blank Check
The Better Way
1. Cut Fixed Fees
Solid Waste $25.00
CITY OF ANYTOWN
ANYTOWN, USAPO BOX 1234
CITY OF ANYTOWN
ANYTOWN, USAPO BOX 1234
ANYTOWN, USA
The Better Way
1. Cut Fixed Fees
Solid Waste $25.00
CITY OF ANYTOWN
ANYTOWN, USAPO BOX 1234
CITY OF ANYTOWN
ANYTOWN, USAPO BOX 1234
ANYTOWN, USA
2. Pay by the Bag
The Better Way
1. Cut Fixed Fees
Solid Waste $25.00
CITY OF ANYTOWN
ANYTOWN, USAPO BOX 1234
CITY OF ANYTOWN
ANYTOWN, USAPO BOX 1234
ANYTOWN, USA
2. Pay by the Bag 3. Incentivize What’s Right
Always Free
The Better Way
Meter the Trash
Worcester, MAPop. 182,000
22 years
55% reduction
$95 million impact
Annual Trash Tonnage
20151993
396 lbs.
Worcester, MA Dartmouth, MA
400 lbs. 411 lbs.
Malden, MA Tiverton, RI
500 lbs.
Sanford, ME
313 lbs.
Decatur, GA
480 lbs.
Waterville, ME
325 lbs.
Gloucester, MA
504 lbs.
44%
Why doesn’t everybody do it?
Change can be hard….
Image: Boston Globe, April 14, 2013
COURAGE
We need to do this for our communities…
Now
Salisbury, NC
Current Process WasteZero Trash Metering®
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
8,000
4,480
Tons of Residential MSW Disposed Annually
Less Trash
Current Process WasteZero Trash Metering®
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
1,6003,000
Tons of Residential Recycling Disposed Annually
↓ 3,520tons
More Recycling
↑ 1,400 tons
1 Based on tip fee of $34.00/ton
Preliminary Annual Tonnage Impact of Trash Metering®
Salisbury, NC Preliminary Annual Environmental Impact of Trash Metering®BTUs (Energy Used)
Annual Reduction
55,000Million Units
• Reduced costs • Reduced carbon footprint• Increased energy security
Equivalent to:
Or
CO2e (Greenhouse Gas)
Annual Reduction
6,600Metric Tons
• Reduced carbon footprint• Less pollution• Healthier environment for residents
Equivalent to:
or
Removing
1,300passenger vehicles from the road
Reducing gasoline consumption by
744,000gallons
Powering
490residential homes
Installing
6,900rooftop solar panel arrays
Source: EPA WARM Model
Salisbury, NC
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
Revenue Bag Sales1 $712,800 $2,138,400 $3,564,000 $7,128,100
Savings MSW Tip Fees $119,700 $359,000 $598,400 $1,196,800
Net Program Impact $832,500 $2,497,400 $4,162,400 $8,324,900
* Cumulative Benefits and Savings for Years 3,5, and 10 1Net of program services and supplies
Preliminary Annual Financial Impact of Trash Metering®*