Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
Using Solid Waste Using Solid Waste Contracts as a Tool to Contracts as a Tool to
Increase Recycling Increase Recycling and Reduce Wasteand Reduce Waste
Julia Wolfe, MassDEPJulia Wolfe, MassDEPCommercial Waste Reduction CoordinatorCommercial Waste Reduction Coordinator
NEWMOA Conference, Sept 2005
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
Solid Waste ContractsSolid Waste Contracts Contracts – primary vehicle for solid waste service:
– two-thirds or more of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream is managed through contracts.
Most contract managers don’t understand waste issues. Solid waste is usually not a large part of the budget. Solid waste costs rising and recovered materials markets
are strong. Facility managers not taking advantage of cost cutting
opportunities.
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
Use Your Solid Waste Contract as a Tool Use Your Solid Waste Contract as a Tool for Waste Reduction and Recyclingfor Waste Reduction and Recycling
Solid Waste Contracts 101.How to get the most out of your SW contract. Examples of specific tools to assist you.
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
If your not recycling, you may be throwing
money away.
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
Recycling Recycling is not freeis not free – but it is – but it is often less expensive than disposaloften less expensive than disposal
“Tipping” fees for trash: $70-$120/ton
“Tipping” fees for recycling: revenue generated - $60/ton
Term to Remember: Avoided Disposal Cost
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
Solid Waste Contracts 101Solid Waste Contracts 101
What’s in your solid waste contract? What are you paying for?What are you really generating?How can you adjust services to meet your
needs? Should I re-bid?
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
What’s in your contract?What’s in your contract?– Contract length – Materials collected (trash and recyclables)– Charges – Volume of waste/recycling containers– Collection frequency
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
What are the Charges?What are the Charges?Unbundle charges – they should be transparent!
Trash Costs•Trash container rental
•Collection/hauling fee
•Disposal facility charges (tipping charges)
Recycling Costs•What materials are included? •What are the specific charges
• recycling container rental/service• transportation/hauling fee• processing fee
•Are you paid for any collected materials?
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
What are you paying for…What are you paying for… Read your statements and keep track of your charges – in a spreadsheet
if possible: – Is your service provider giving you a monthly statement that includes all charges? – Determine what you are actually paying for. – Does this match your contract? – Track your service and costs:
WasteWise Update "Measuring Waste Reduction" http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/reduce/wstewise/pubs/wwupda3.pdf
Harvard University tracking spreadsheet at www.recyclemaniacs.org/tools-measurement.htm.
GOAL: calculate the cost per ton of disposal/recycling of each material
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
What are you paying for…What are you paying for…
Monitor your current operations for a period of time: – How many times/week are containers picked up? – Are containers full when picked up?– Is recycling being picked up? If not, why?
GOAL: determine if receiving the service you are paying for.
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
Identify Your NeedsIdentify Your NeedsKnowing the volume or weight of waste
generated is the key to obtaining competitive bids: – Are there materials you are recycling that you
could recycle more of? – Are there new materials that you would like to
recycle?
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
What you are generating…What you are generating… Conduct a waste audit/assessment to find
out what’s really in your wastestream: – Waste Audit Forms:
Earth911 Business Waste Audit Form: www.earth911.org/library/brrc/pdf/WasteAssForm.pdf
EPA’s Business Guide to Reducing Solid Waste: www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/pubs/red2.pdf
GOAL: to baseline your current trash and recycling levels.
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
Adjust services or re-bid to Adjust services or re-bid to meet your needs.meet your needs.
Talk to others to find out what they are paying for trash and recycling.
Adjust existing service levels – Pick Up Savings:Adjusting Hauling Services
While Reducing Waste: www.p2pays.org/ref/03/02098.pdf
Re-bid if necessary.
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
Adjust servicesAdjust services
Discuss needs with existing service provider:– Make sure trash contract does not have minimum
volume requirements. – Find a recycler: check www.cleanup.org for business
recycling company locator. Structure pricing differently:
– If using bins/dumpsters/toters, consider a cost per pickup rather than a cost per ton. Sometimes hard to get tonnage amounts on trucks that pick up at other facilities.
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
Adjust servicesAdjust services
Reduce trash container size. – Could fewer/smaller disposal
containers be used?– Would using pressure gauge on
your trash compactors help you determine capacity?
Reduce frequency of trash pick-up.– If recycling, reducing amount of
material going into trash. – Is an on-call service sufficient?
Containers typically used:
• Cubic yard bins/ dumpsters (typical sizes: 1, 2, 3, 6, 20, 30 & 40 cubic yard)• Small and large wheeled containers with lids • 30-40 cubic yard compactor boxes
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
Re-BidRe-Bid Consider bidding trash and recycling separately. Consider having primary bid to recycler who
subcontracts trash. Let potential contractors review your operations
before bidding. Send RFP to at least 3 service providers. Consider a Resource Management Contract – see
Lemeul Shattuck Hospital Case Study.
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
Resource Management Resource Management ContractingContracting
“THERE ARE NO WASTE STREAMS, ONLY WASTED RESOURCES”
— Raj Mishra, General Motors Corporation, 1999
Resource management (RM) compensates waste contractors based on performance in achieving waste reduction goals rather than the volume of waste disposed.
Incentives for innovative approaches that to cost-effective resource efficiency through prevention, recycling, and recovery.
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
RM In Action at Lemuel RM In Action at Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Shattuck Hospital
Replaced 35 yd. compactor with 40 yd. compactor. Service level reduced: 3x - 2x/wk. $400/month savings.
Eliminated 40 yd. dumpster for bulk debris. Savings from dumpster rental (approximately $100/month), hauling and disposal costs. Temporary dumpster rented if needed.
New recycling: cardboard, organics, scrap metal, pallets and electronics
Reduced administrative overhead – one contract as opposed to many.
Excellent relationship between contractor and hospital.
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
RM In Action at Lemuel RM In Action at Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Shattuck Hospital
In FY’04 Shattuck saved $11,000 and diverted 44 tons of material to recycling.
Excellent relationship between contractor and hospital.
RM provider will be compensated about $10,000.
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
ConclusionConclusion
Transparent chargesRequest monthly statements Adjust existing contract with proper
collection managementProvide incentives to reduce waste
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
Additional ResourcesAdditional Resources
MA DEP’s Website www.mass.gov/dep/recycle MA DEP’s Resource Management Website:
http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/files/rm/rmcontr.htm Join the MA WasteWise Program
www.epa.gov/wastewise Earth 911 or Cleanup.org www.cleanup.org
There are lots of resources at your fingertips!
Julia Wolfe, MassDEP
Julia WolfeCommercial Waste Reduction Coordinator
MassDEP617-292-5987
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