8. WASTE STREAM DIVERSION
A measure of the amount of waste material being diverted for beneficial use, recycling, reuse, or energy recovery compared with the total amount that was previously thrown away.
8.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter of the Douglas County Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan (DCCSWMP) defines the terms used to describe waste stream diversion within the Regional Planning Area (RPA). Also, this chapter discusses how materials are designated for diversion and what specific waste diversion goals have been established for the RPA.
8.2 DEFINITIONS
8.2.1 Beneficial Use
A method in which a waste is used as an ingredient in a manufacturing process, or as an effective substitute for natural or commercial products. An example of this is the collection and processing of yard debris into compost.
8.2.2 Recycling
A method in which waste is changed from something that is of no or relatively small value and is reused as a new product. An example of this is the aluminum can, which is collected than reprocessed into new aluminum products.
8.2.3 Reuse
A method in which a waste is used as a product more than once in its same form for the same purpose. An example of this is a soft-drink bottle that is collected and returned to the bottling company for refilling.
8.2.4 Energy Recovery
A method in which waste is converted into useable energy. An example of this is on-specification waste oil, which is collected and then used as a fuel source to provide heat.
8.3 DESIGNATED RECYCLABLES
8.3.1 Designation of Recyclable Materials
To more clearly focus regional recycling efforts, the Department of Ecology (DOE) requires all planning jurisdictions to designate a list of materials to be targeted for recovery through recycling and/or other diversion programs. The list is not designed to require every recyclable collection program in the RPA to collect every "designated recyclable." Instead, through a combination of programs offered throughout the RPA, residents should be provided an opportunity to recycle all of the designated materials through at least one program. In other words, if anti-freeze is on the designated materials list, at least one program in the RPA should collect anti-freeze.
The following five distinct categories were used as evaluation criteria for designating a materials potential for recycling and/or diversion:
Pollution Prevention
Definition:
Any practice that eliminates or reduces the amount of pollutants, contaminants, or hazardous substances, including fugitive emissions, from entering the waste stream or being released into the environment
Rating:
Poses a potential threat to public health, safety and the environment if released into the environment.
Diversion Potential
Definition:
The main factor considered for evaluating a material's potential for waste stream diversion is the percent (by weight and volume) of the material in the RPA's total waste stream
Rating:
Constitutes a high volume of the waste stream and has a relatively high diversion potential.
Collection Efficiency
Definition:
The primary considerations used to evaluate the collection efficiency of a designated material is how easily the material can be collected, handled (both in preparation and loading) and accessibility to recycling and/or diversion opportunities
Rating:
Relatively easy to collect, transport and handle, with a volume that makes collection cost effective and practical.
Processing Requirements
Definition:
The processing requirements necessary for preparing the material to meet market specifications, including the cost and reliability of the technology used to process the material
Rating:
Relatively inexpensive to process and has few processing requirements needed to recycle and/or divert from the waste stream.
Market Conditions
Definition:
Marketing factors used to evaluate the marketability of a designated material include volumes generated, local market price, stability of market price, and distance to markets relative to the point of collection
Rating:
Relatively low market prices, poor supply/demand relationship, and has proven to have an unstable local end use.
|
Recyclable Material |
Pollution |
Diversion |
Collection |
Processing |
Market |
|
|
Prevention |
Potential |
Efficiency |
Requirements |
Conditions |
|
Paper |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Newspaper |
Low |
High |
High |
Moderate |
Moderate |
|
Magazines/Catalogs |
Low |
Moderate |
High |
Moderate |
Low |
|
Phonebooks |
Low |
Moderate |
High |
Moderate |
Moderate |
|
Corrugated Cardboard |
Low |
High |
Moderate |
Moderate |
High |
|
High Grade Paper |
Low |
Moderate |
High |
Moderate |
High |
|
Mixed-Waste Paper |
Low |
High |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Low |
|
Glass |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Clear Glass |
Low |
Moderate |
High |
Moderate |
Moderate |
|
Brown Glass |
Low |
Moderate |
High |
Moderate |
Low |
|
Green Glass |
Low |
Moderate |
High |
Moderate |
Low |
|
Metal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aluminum Cans |
Low |
High |
High |
High |
High |
|
Tin Cans |
Low |
Low |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Low |
|
Ferrous Metals |
Low |
High |
Low |
Moderate |
Moderate |
|
Non-Ferrous Metals |
Low |
High |
Low |
Moderate |
High |
|
Whitegoods |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Low |
|
Abandoned Junk Vehicles |
Moderate |
Low |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Low |
|
Plastic |
|
|
|
|
|
|
HDPE Containers |
Low |
Low |
Low |
Moderate |
Low |
|
PET Containers |
Low |
Low |
Low |
Moderate |
Low |
|
Plastic Pesticide Containers |
Low |
Low |
Low |
Moderate |
Low |
|
Styrofoam Peanuts |
Low |
Low |
Low |
Moderate |
Low |
|
Organic |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yard Debris |
Low |
High |
High |
High |
Moderate |
|
Food Waste |
Low |
Moderate |
Low |
High |
Low |
|
Wood Waste |
Low |
Moderate |
Low |
Moderate |
Low |
|
Demolition and Construction |
Low |
High |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Low |
|
Biosolids |
Moderate |
High |
Moderate |
Moderate |
High |
|
Septage |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Low |
|
Automotive |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Waste Tires |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate |
High |
Low |
|
Anti-Freeze |
High |
Moderate |
Moderate |
High |
Low |
|
Vehicle Batteries |
High |
Moderate |
Moderate |
High |
Low |
|
Used Oil |
High |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate |
|
Hazardous Waste |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Household Hazardous Waste |
High |
Moderate |
Low |
High |
Low |
|
Small Quantity Generator Waste |
High |
Moderate |
Low |
High |
Low |
|
Waste Pesticides |
High |
Moderate |
Low |
High |
Low |
|
Special Waste |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Biomedical Waste |
High |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
|
Asbestos Containing Waste |
High |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
|
Contaminated Soils |
Moderate |
Low |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Low |
|
Street Wastes |
Moderate |
Low |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Low |
|
Inert Wastes |
Low |
High |
Moderate |
Low |
Moderate |
Universal Waste |
|
|
|
|
|
Mercury Switches |
High |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
Batteries |
Moderate |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
Fluorescent Tubes |
High |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
Source: Bill Tinney II
8.3.2 Modification to Designated Materials List
The list of designated materials looks to future recycling and/or diversion practices in the RPA and is based on existing programs and sustainability of those programs. Future environmental concerns, proven technologies and market conditions may make some materials more or less desirable from a recycling and/or diversion standpoint. The designated materials list is reviewed annually by the Douglas County Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC). SWAC annually assesses the designated materials list by using the following specific circumstances that may prompt consideration of a material being added or deleted from the list.
Circumstances that could cause a material being added to the list would be:
- material that poses a threat to the public health, safety and environment
- material whose diversion would improve the local quality of life and the environment
- local markets have expanded their list of accepted items based on new uses for the material or new technologies have increased demand
- local market price for the material has increased or been stable for the past year or is projected to be stable for the next year at a level more than at the cost of transporting it to market
- regional processing capacity for the material has been expanded or newly developed
- new market demand for a given material has occurred
Circumstances that could cause a material being deleted from the list would be:
- material no longer poses a threat to the public health, safety and environment
- once collected, no local market can be found for the material causing it to be stockpiled for longer than one year
- the market value of the material has dropped to less than the cost of transporting it to market for a period of one year
- the market value of the material has averaged over the past three years to be less than the cost of disposal in an approved and permitted landfill
Adding a new material to the designated materials list should be preceded by an evaluation of the variables that may influence the success of the recycling and/or diversion program, the conditions that prompted consideration of an additional item (i.e., pollution prevention, local market expansion, increased demand etc.), and the cost of including the new material in the program. Removal of a material from the designated materials list should be preceded by an evaluation of the impacts upon the environment and public health, recycling and diversion programs, and reasons affecting its collection and/or diversion (i.e., declining market, cost of collection, processing and transportation, etc.). In addition, the contributing factors of a depressed market should be assessed so that actions to revive economic conditions may occur.
Any revision to the designated materials list will not require an amendment to the adopted DCCSWMP.
8.3.3 List of Designated Recyclables
The SWAC shall prepare, maintain and update the designated materials list annually. Once designated, these materials should be targeted and promoted for recycling and/or diversion. All designated materials will be placed into the following four categories:
- materials that should be recycled
- materials that should be diverted
- materials that should be utilized in a energy recovery application
- materials that should be landfilled
Table 8-2 List of Designated Materials
|
|
|
Materials that should beÉ |
|
|
|
Designated Recyclables |
Recycled |
Diverted |
Energy Recovery |
Landfilled |
|
Paper |
Yes |
|
|
|