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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 08141990 - 1.7 (2) `4 O, • Contra TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS / FROM: Plastics Recycling Task ForceCounty ., J. �rrA'Eu+• DATE: August 9, 1990 SUBJECT: Preliminary Data on Plastics Wastestream ., SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S) &BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION " Accept the report. of the Plastics. Recycling Task Force on preliminary data on plastics in the wastestream. FISCAL IMPACT None. BACKGROUND This item has been placed on the agenda by the Co-Chair of. the Plastics Recycling Task Force, Supervisor Sunne McPeak. Based on national data, waste plastic represents approximately 144 million pounds of Contra Costa County's wastestream. Additional data is found in the attached report. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: _YES SIGNATURE: Harvey E. Brag on Di-rector of Comrm m•ty Development _RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR _RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE AMOVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON AUG 14 1990 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ► AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: - NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ATTESTED AUG 14 1990 CC: via Community- Development PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR 1 �vn j155:p1a.brd' BY DEPUTY. d 0127 A OOSIA 03utm 'PY DEVEIC04ERr DE:PAIZDMERP TO: Board of Supervisors DATA: August 7, 1990 FEKK: Sheila Cogan Staff, Plastics Recycling Task Force Sa33=: Preliminary Data on Plastics Wastestream This report was developed at the request of the Contra Costa County Plastics Recycling Task Force in order to provide data on the amount of materials available for recycling in the County. National Statistics Studies of the plastics wastestream, compiled nationally, indicate the amounts of various resins available in the wastestream by weight and by volume. The United States Environmental Protection Agency in its June 1990 report, "Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in the United States: 1990 Update, Executive Summary", shows that on the national level, paper and paperboard products are the largest component of municipal solid waste (MSW) by weight (40% of generation) and yard waste is the second lamest component (roughly 18% of generation) . Four of the remaining materials in MSW - glass, metals, plastics and food waste - range between 7% to 9% each by weight of total MSW generated. The data does indicate that plastics by weight represent 8.0% or 14.4 million tons of material generated in MSW on the national level. Measurements by volume of discards in the MSW show plastics represent 19.9% or 79.7 million cubic yards,. exceeded only by paper products representing 34.1% or 136.2 cubic yards by volume. This is followed by other materials - metals, yard waste and food waste. Another recent national study, conducted by Franklin Associates for the Council on Solid Waste solutions, determined that 61% of plastic waste ends up in municipal solid waste landfills, while the remainder is accounted for in import-export of plastic, waste incineration and recycling. (For Contra Costa County, this percentage would be higher as the County does not incinerate garbage.) According to the Franklin study, the most common resins that end up in sanitary landfills are: IDPE - 27% HDPE - 21% PP - 16% PS - 16% PVC - 7% Other- 13% Franklin Associates' data also addresses the question of how much landfill volume is taken up by various MSW components. Estimates of the volume of MSW and selected components in trash cans and landfills shows that plastics, while 7% of landfilled MSW by weight, are approximately 18% of landfilled MSW by volume. This data differs from the previously named EPA study. Iocal Data Data is currently being collected from a pilot mixed waste plastics curbside collection program recently concluded in a 2,000 home area in the City of Walnut Creek. In this pilot project an estimated 60-70% of the residents participated in the program. Preliminary data estimates mixed plastic waste picked up as part of the collection service was ccnposed of the following resins by weight: (Data includes both rigid and non-rigid plastics.) IDPE - 33% HDPE - 34% PS - 8% PP,PVC- 3% (estimate) Other non plastic - 10% (estimate) The pounds per household of plastics generated and collected have not yet been calculated. By comparison, the national studies indicate that HDPE, for example, represents 21% of plastics in MSW by weight, but that the same material collected at the curb in the Walnut Creek pilot area was 34% by weight. Therefore, at the present time, it would be difficult to use the national data derived. from landfill studies as the basis to determine the amount of material recoverable for recycling in Contra Costa County. Preliminary Walnut Creek data indicates that there still remains a large quantity of plastic materials not put out for collection in the pilot area, and that the total quantity available in the wastestream is not being recovered. The study carried out by Resource Management Associates is presently determining the exact recovery rates. This information is essential for estimating how much plastic might be available and recoverable for processing and therefore how lanae a processing facility would be required. It will also help to determine optimum site location, appropriate processing technology and plastics collection and processing economics in siting a waste plastic processing facility. More research is critical. Initial data coming from the study indicates, for example, that there is a higher percentage of disposable diapers in the pilot area program than the national average. Data analysis will be concluded in about a month. At that time, it may be possible to develop a more concrete assessment of the total plastics wast:estream available to potential processing plant investors. The attached chart was prepared by staff of the Task Force's Negotiating CD=ttee and appears in a Board Order dated August 14, 1990. Additional Data Additional information about how plastics are collected; types of intermediate processing, if necessary; site location(s) and economics of collection, hauling and processing need to be determined in order to make the best decision for the County. csc2/ptf.mem CURBSIDE GCQZ.F)wPICN OF RIGID PIASnC CUMOaURS PCJITN= CCIXBMCU VC U4ES — Household Pounds Pounds Pounds Pounds Participation All Plastic HDPE (All) HDPE (Clear) PET 50% (152,312) 31259,477 11842,975 11507,888 654,942 60% (182,775) 31911,385 20211,577 1,809,473 785,932 70% (213,237) 41563,272 2,5801168 21111,046 916,919 80% (243,700) 5,215,180 2,948,770 2,4121630 1,047,910 90% (274,162) 5,867,067 3,317,360 21714,204 11178,897 100%(304,625) 61518,975 31685,962 31015,780 11309,887 46.3% 20.1% Assumptions: Assumes 304,625 occupied dwelling units in Contra Costa County and 21.4 lbs/HH/year consumer, nontoxic, plastic containers; 9.9 lbs/HH/year HDPE (clear containers) ; 12.1 lbs/HH/year HDPE (all containers) ; 4.3 lbs/HH/year PEP containers. Data Sources: Extrapolation of Walnut Creek pilot program data (6 month pilot of 2000 HH's, 70% participation rate collecting 3,000 lbs PET and 8500 lbs HDPE, all) . Adjustment based on national data from "Characterization of Plastic Production in the Municipal Solid Waste", Council for Solid Waste Solutions, February 1990. Caution: Volumes should be regarded as very "soft" data due to uncertainties over the applicability of national data to Contra Costa County arra the preliminary nature of the Walnut Creek data. Verified data will be available for plastics with the completion of waste characterization studies. Note: At mi.nln=, a plastics recycling plant would need a cni.tment of 5 million pounds of plastics per year. With over 70% participation rates, it appears that Contra Costa would meet this volume criteria. hl2/plastic.tbl