Organizing a Community Recycling Program

Implementing a recycling program offers several economic benefits. Recycling can create jobs and reduce solid waste collection, ... NCStateExtensionPublications PUBLICATIONS Togglenavigation  Print  Search Search LogIn RelatedPublications BrowseWaterQuality&WasteManagement OrganizingaCommunityRecyclingProgram WaterQuality&WasteManagement Introduction SkiptoIntroduction Localgovernmentsfacemanydecisionsastheydeveloprecyclingprogramsfortheircommunities.Thisfactsheetidentifieselementsthatshouldbeconsideredwhenplanning,implementing,publicizing,andevaluatingrecyclingprograms. WhyRecycle? SkiptoWhyRecycle? Implementingarecyclingprogramoffersseveraleconomicbenefits.Recyclingcancreatejobsandreducesolidwastecollection,transportation,anddisposalcosts.Itcangeneraterevenuesfromthesaleofrecyclablematerials.Recyclingalsohelpstopreserveenvironmentalquality.Itsaveslandfillspace,preservesresources,conservesenergy,reducesairpollution,andsaveswater. WhatCanBeRecycled? SkiptoWhatCanBeRecycled? Manyitemscanberecycledifmarketsareavailableforthematerials. Recyclablematerialsinclude: newsprint corrugatedcardboard officeandcomputerpaper mixedpaper magazines telephonedirectories glasscontainers aluminumcansandscrap steelcansandferrous(ironandsteel)scrap plastics yardwaste usedmotoroil foodwaste woodwaste asphalt concrete boilerash constructionanddemolitiondebris textiles largeappliances tires lead-acidbatteries copierandlaserprintertonercartridges Step1-PreliminaryPlanning SkiptoStep1-PreliminaryPlanning DesignateaRecyclingCoordinator Thefirststepindevelopingasuccessfulrecyclingprogramistoappointarecyclingcoordinatortoorchestratethevariousprogramcomponents.Afull-timecoordinatoristhemosteffective.Ifyoucannotaffordtohiresomeonefulltime,considerhiringapart-timeperson;assigningtheresponsibilitytoacurrentprogramadministratororpublicworksemployee;orrecruitingadedicatedvolunteer. SurveyPresentSolidWasteOperations Inyourcommunity,solidwastemaybecollectedbythepublicworksdepartment,asolidwastehaulercontractedbythelocalgovernment,orhaulerswhocontractwithindividualhouseholds.Regardlessofwhocollectsthewaste,youcandeterminehowmuchsolidwasteisdisposedofbycheckinglocallandfillrecords.Thenconductawastecharacterizationstudytofigureouthowmuchofthewastecouldberecycled—thatis,determinehowmuchofthewasteismadeupofthevarioustypesofrecyclablematerials.Besuretofactorinthetypesandamountsofrecyclablesalreadycollected,forexample,byScouttroops,commercialbuy-backoperations,andfundraisingdrives. LocateMarketsforMaterials Todeterminetheavailabilityofpotentialmarketsforrecyclablematerials,checktheNorthCarolinaRecyclingMarketsDirectorypublishedbytheDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality.Youcanalsodoanonlinesearchfor"recyclingmarkets,""wastepaper,""plasticscrap,"and"scrapmetal."Inaddition,youcanconsultlocalwastehaulers. SelectaCollectionMethod Decidewhichisbetterforyourcommunity:drop-offcentersoracurbsiderecyclingprogram(oracombinationofthetwo).Drop-offcentersarecommonlyusedinareaswhereindividualhouseholdcollectionisimpracticalandcostsavingsareimportant.Advantagesofdrop-offcentersaretheirlowcapitalcosts,easeincollectingmorecategoriesofmaterialsthanispracticalwithcurbsidecollection,lackofneedforstaffing,andround-the-clockaccessibility.However,drop-offcentersarelessconvenientthancurbsidepickup,andasaresultalowervolumeofmaterialsisusuallyrecovered.Also,recyclablescanbecontaminatedwithunacceptableitems;thecentersarevulnerabletotheft,vandalism,andlitter;andthegroundscanbecomeunsightlyifnotstaffed. Theconvenienceofcurbsidecollectionresultsinahigherrecoveryratethancanbeachievedwithdrop-offcenters,andcollectioncanbeconsolidatedwithsolidwastepickup.However,curbsidecollectioninvolveshigherequipmentandoperatingcosts,itislaborintensive,anditisamorecomplexprocesstomanage. Chooseacollectionmethodbaseduponfinancialcosts,availableequipment,staffresources,andhousingdensityinthecollectionarea.Examinesimilarlocalgovernmentrecyclingprogramstodetermineiftheirmethodswouldsuityourneeds. DefineEquipmentRequirements Isyourcurrentequipmentinventoryadequateorwilladditionalmachinerybeneeded?Considerretrofittingexistingvehicles,trailers,anddumpsters.Findoutwhatsimilarlocalgovernmentsareusing. ConductanEconomicAnalysis Determinethecostsofeachcollectionmethodorprogramandassesscurrentfundingavailability.Consideralternativefundingmechanismsandremembertofactorinsolidwastecostsavingsandanticipatedrevenuesfromthesaleofrecyclablematerials. ConsiderRegionalRecycling Contactlocalgovernmentrecyclingcoordinatorsandtalktoyourneighboringcommunitiesaboutestablishingaregionalrecyclingprogram. Benefitsinclude: greatermarketingleverageandhigherpricesbecauseoflargervolumes; lowerequipmentandlaborcosts; decreasedtransportationcosts;and reducedadministrativecosts. Step2-DesigningYourProgram SkiptoStep2-DesigningYourProgram IdentifyMarkets Thebuyersofyourcommunity'srecyclableitemsdeterminehowthematerialsshouldbecollectedandprocessed.Findouthowthebuyerswantmaterialsprepared,forexample: baledorloose crushed,densified,granulated,orwhole mixedorseparated Keepinmindthattherearemoremarketingoptionswithhigherqualitymaterials.Arrangeforshippingthematerialstomarketwithyourlocalgovernment,arecyclingcollectionserviceorprocessor,orthebuyers,someofwhomwillpickupthematerials. DesigntheDrop-OffCenter Drop-offcentersshouldbelocatedinareasconvenienttoprogramparticipants.Locatethemonaccessible,secure,andvisiblesites.Factorstoconsiderinclude: protectingthematerialsfromweather; providingadequatestoragespace; providingaccessforcollectionvehicles; ensuringorganizedtrafficflow;and keepingthesiteattractiveandclean. DesigntheCurbsideCollectionProgram Decidehowresidentsshouldpreparethematerials,forexample,whethertheyshouldbeseparatedbytypeandhowtheyshouldbepackaged.Selectthecollectionmethodanddeterminetheequipmenttobeused.Decidehowtoaddresstheaccessibilityneedsofelderlyindividualsorpeoplewithdisabilities. DeterminetheCollectionScheduleandRoutes Collectingrecyclablesonthesamedayasothersolidwastemakesiteasierforparticipantstoremembertheschedule,butmoreequipmentandpersonnelmaybeneeded. Ifcollectionisonadifferentdaythanthatofsolidwastecollection,thesamecrewmaybeusedonoffdays,butitisharderforresidentstoremembertheschedule.Lowerrecyclingratesmayresult. Oncethepreviousdecisionshavebeenmade,youcanestablishthesizeanddutiesofthecollectioncrew. ChooseBetweenPrivateandPublicCollection Manylocalgovernmentsarechoosingtocontractforsolidwastemanagementservices.Tohelpyoudecidewhethertochoosethisoption,discusstheadvantagesanddisadvantagesofpublicversusprivatecollectionwithofficialsfromotherlocalgovernmentswhohaveexperiencewiththisissue. Step3-OperatingYourProgram SkiptoStep3-OperatingYourProgram Whenimplementingyourrecyclingsystem,anticipateproblemsandplanwaystoresolvethem.Designthesystemtobeflexibleenoughtoadapttounforeseencircumstances. ConductPublicEducationandPublicity Begincommunicatingwithandinvolvingthepublicearlyintheprocessofplanningtherecyclingprogram.Planandimplementaprogramkick-offtogenerateinterestinandenthusiasmfortheprogram.Informthepublicofprogramrequirementsandsolicittheirsupport.Addressthewhy,what,how,where,andwhenoftheprogram.Provideeasy-to-understandinstructionsonhowtoparticipate,andkeepcommunicationspositive.Tailortheprogramtoaddressspecificpopulations,suchasthosewhodonotspeakEnglish,andaddressresidents'concerns.Borrowideasforsuccessfulpubliceducationactivitiesthatothercommunitieshaveused.Providefeedbackonprogramaccomplishmentsandmakepublicityanongoingeffort.Developaprogramtoeducaterecyclingprogrampersonnel,includingcollectioncrews. Youcanemployavarietyofpublicitytools: lettersfromthemayororcountycommissionerstoresidentsandbusinesses specialeventssuchasgamesandcontests printedmaterials massmediaannouncements personaloutreachatpublicevents blockleaders directcommunicationwithindividualresidents presentationsordisplaysatschools,fairs,andcommunityevents messagesmailedwithutilitybills MonitorandEvaluateYourProgram Keepaccurateandcompleterecordsofallactivities,includingamountsofmaterialsrecovered;revenuesandcosts;problemswithcollection,processing,ormarkets;andcomplaintsbythepublicandstaffmembers.Analyzeprogramrecordstoascertainif: thecollectionmethodisreliable; moreeducationandpublicityareneeded; recoveryratesareconsistent;and thequalityofrecyclablesisconsistentlyhigh. Setupasystemforreceivingsuggestionsandcomplaintsandhowtorespondtothem.Ifyourprogramusesaprivatecontractor,makesurethecontractorcomplieswithworkspecifications. LookForward Asyourefineyourrecyclingprogram,buildontheenthusiasmyouhavegeneratedforrecyclinganddirectittowardotherwastemanagementmeasuressuchasreductionofwasteatitssource,reuseofwastematerials,composting,andprocurementofrecycledproducts.Acreative,integratedapproachtosolidwastemanagementwillenableyourcommunitytoreachitssolidwastereductiongoals. Author RhondaSherman ExtensionSolidWasteSpecialist HorticulturalScience Keywords: WasteManagement Recycling WasteReduction Community FindmoreinformationatthefollowingNCStateExtensionwebsites: CommunityDevelopment CommunityGardens Composting HealthyHomes Publicationdate:Aug.19,2019 AG-473-11 RelatedPublications BrowseWaterQuality&WasteManagement N.C.CooperativeExtensionprohibitsdiscriminationandharassmentregardlessofage,color,disability,familyandmaritalstatus,genderidentity,nationalorigin,politicalbeliefs,race,religion,sex(includingpregnancy),sexualorientationandveteranstatus. 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