Michael J. Talbert Hazen and Sawyer, P.C WestChase Blvd. Raleigh, NC (919)

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1 ~ Preparation of Solid Waste Management Plans at Military Installations Michael J. Talbert Hazen and Sawyer, P.C. 411 WestChase Blvd. Raleigh, NC 2767 (919) Completion of solid waste management (SWM) plans has become both a necessity and requirement at military installations. A SWM plan should demonstrate how an installation will achieve its waste reduction goals and manage solid waste generated within its boundaries in a manner which will comply with regulations established by local, state, and federal agencies. Goals and Regulations The plan should begin with a review of applicable local, state, federal and military regulations and goals. Installation leadership should have clear objectives or goals for solid waste management before a plan is started. The following is a sample set of potential solid waste management goals: Comply with applicable regulations Meet recycling and waste reduction goals Ma in ta i n cost-eficie n t operations Often, multiple recycling and waste reduction goals may exist. For instance, the State of Texas has a 4 percent recycling and source reduction goal by January measured against a 1991 baseline. The Air Force has a 5 percent reduction goal by against a 1992 baseline. One task for leadership is the clarification or resolution of differing goals (most installations will encounter these). Existing Solid Waste Management Systems After goals have been established, planners should assess the existing solid waste management situation. To begin, describe the different systems in place to manage the various non-hazardous waste streams. These systems may include the collection and management of: residential wastes non-residential wastes construction and demolition debris landscape and yard wastes recyclable materials bulky wastes wastes requiring special handling (e.g., sandblast media, tires, foreign 22

2 garbage, fluorescent light tubes) Other solid waste management initiatives include waste prevention (source reduction) programs and education systems to enhance participation and compliance. Waste Quantification/Characterization As part of the assessment process, an effort should be made to quantify and characterize the waste stream for which the installation is responsible, The waste stream should be expressed in total tons per year and pounds per capita. To the extent that record-keeping practices allow, data should be segregated by source. For example, most installations can segregate data by collection container used. Family housing units using garbage cans are usually serviced with a rear loader type truck, while non-residential sources of waste utilize 8-cubic yard containers (front-loader truck) and roll-off containers (usually 2-4 cubic yards). Landfill weight tickets typically reflect vehicle types and offer an opportunity to segregate data. Although waste generated by installation contractors may represent a significant portion of total waste, this data is often not reported. Contracts should be modified to require installation contractors to report wastes disposed and to provide landfill receipts. This is especially im'portant for landscape, and construction and demolition contractors. This practice may also discourage illegal dumping by contractors and protect the installation from such liabilities. Waste stream and population data is recorded on a Solid Waste Annual Report (SWAR) filed each year. If accurate data has been recorded on the SWAR, then this data may be used to measure progress toward goal attainment. At this point in the planning process, we have established what the existing waste management systems are and how effective they have been in meeting goals. In other words, if a plan tells us how to get from point "AI to point "B", we have thus far established point "A". Point "B" is our goal attainment point. An installation's waste reduction goal is achieved through a combination of waste prevention (also called source reduction) and reuse practices, recycling, and diverting yard waste from disposal. No one of these strategies by itself will achieve contemporary waste reduction goals. Waste Prevention (Source Reduction) and Reuse Waste prevention means eliminating waste before it is created. Because waste prevention and reuse strategies rely primarily on behavioral modifications for effect, these programs are generally more cost effective than other options. Examples of waste prevention measures include: copying documents on two sides utilizing electronic mail instead of paper memos purchasing more durable and reliable products and equipment that can be maintained or repaired 23

3 not bagging grass clippings - allowing them to remain on the ground Reuse is the utilization of goods more than once in the same form. Examples of reuse measures include: use of coffee mugs in break rooms instead of Styrofoam cups creation of reuse centers where employees and residents can bring unused or reusable merchandise and supplies for redistribution use of cloth bags for retail shopping purposes Prevention and reuse practices can be implemented in family housing by simply establishing an education program for residents. Because the composition of nonresidential waste is highly specific to the type of activity occurring at a particular facility, building, or operation, few specific waste prevention and reuse suggestions apply to all operations. The best way to address waste prevention and reuse in the non-residential sector is to set up task groups within particular work areas. The task groups should be composed of persons who represent various buildings andlor activities at the installation. These individuals should be familiar with the activity and the types of waste generated by that activity. Recycling Recycling should be analyzed from three perspectives: materials recovery (collection), processing and marketing. These three elements are inherently linked and programs must be designed as integrated systems. Material recovery is the physical act of diverting from the waste stream materials that would otherwise be disposed of. It is a method or assortment of methods employed to collect or accrue recyclables from the generators of these materials. Processing is the action applied to recycled or other solid waste materials after collection in order to prepare them for transport to market. Processing is a critical link between the recovery of materials and the marketplace because it is the most significant quality enhancing step in the recycling process. Properly conducted, processing provides that quality materials are transported efficiently to market. Marketing is the act or process of transferring or selling a recyclable material. Materials are considered marketed (but not necessarily recycled) when ownership or title to the material changes hands. Markets determine what can be collected and how it must be processed. The marketplace will provide specifications which will include what materials will be accepted, what is considered contamination, and how the materials must be processed for acceptance. If the installation has not met its waste reduction goal, recycling should be a key focal point of the planning process. Installations may increase their recycling percentage in two ways. 24

4 25 Recover greater quantities of the materials currently collected (i.e., increase participation), andlor add new material types to the recovery program. If additional processing capacity is not available, this must be addressed before additional material quantities are recovered. In order to add new material types, a markets assessment must take place. In particular, planners must determine whether any additional material types are marketable, where the market is located and what are the specifications for delivery. Yard Waste Management Yard wastes represent a large component of the municipal solid waste stream in most communities across the United States. In the Southeast, especially in urban and suburban areas, yard wastes may comprise 2 percent or more of the total waste stream. Exclusion of yard waste from disposal is essential tq meeting any contemporary waste reduction goal. Non-disposal options for managing yard waste include source reduction and beneficial reuse. Source reduction activities include mulch mowing, alternative plantings, and backyard composting. Mulch Mowing. "Mulch mowing" is a term which has been used by extension and other programs in reference to various on-site techniques for handling grass clippings. In such a program, the landscaper is instructed to leave the grass clippings on the lawn as opposed to raking and bagging them. Ideally, a mulch mower (or regular mower with mulching attachment) is used. When spread in thin layers over the lawn's surface, grass clippings decompose naturally, returning valuable nutrients to the soil and decreasing the need for synthetic fertilizers. Attematiie Plantings. Alternative plantings can also qualify as a source reduction activity. By planting native varieties of grass, for example, that require less frequent mowing, fertilizing and watering, lawns generate less waste and conserve water at the same time. The amount of yard waste could be further reduced by moderating the total area of lawn and increasing the area planted in low maintenance ground cover plants, which generate less waste. Backyard Composting. Backyard composting is a relatively simple and inexpensive source reduction activity in which residents of family housing can participate. In simple terms, residents layer their yard waste into a small pile or bin, then water and turn the pile periodically to promote decomposition. Backyard composting programs are becoming popular across the country, and technical assistance is commonly available through state environmental agencies and agricultural extension offices. Beneficial Reuse. Material that is generated from landscaping activities can be composted and/or mulched for subsequent beneficial reuse as an alternative to landfilling the material. The difference between compost and mulch from a processing standpoint, is that compost is a material which must undergo a series of processing steps (e.g., grinding, watering, monitoring, turning, curing) which eventually render it "decomposed" into a dark, soil-like product. Mulch, on the other hand, is a material resulting from

5 chipping or grinding alone, without undergoing the various steps required for composting. Either material is useful in horticultural applications. Production of compost, a more expensive option for an installation, is more appropriate for facilities that generate large quantities of yard waste. Construction and Demolition Debris Although typically referred to as a single waste-type, there is a wide variation in the actual composition of C&D waste, which is highly dependent on the type of construction, age of building, geographic location, etc., from which it is generated. The table below lists several waste materials that are commonly generated as a result of construction and demolition activities. Although not strictly a C&D waste, wooden pallets and other wood waste are also addressed below. Tvpe of Material Construction Demolition /Yes/No) [Y es/no) Dimensional / Engineered Lumber Y Y Drywall Y Y Concrete (with and without rebar) Y Y Asphalt Y Y Aggregates Y N Masonry (block, bricks, mortar) Y Y Insulation (fiberglass, foam, etc.) Y Y Roofing Materials Y Y Structural Metal & Fixtures N Y Appliances / Fixtures N Y Wiring, Cables, and Hardware N Y Mirror and Glass N Y Plastic and OCC Packaging Y N Metal / Plastic Strapping Y N Wooden Pallets Y N Misc Plastic & Foam Waste Y Y Misc. Metal Waste Y Y Land Clearing Debris Y N Excess Soil & Rock Y N Although certain building materials and products are suitable for reuse and/or recycling prior to, or following the demolition process, the nature of the demolition process often 26

6 27 renders it difficult to economically recover or recycle materials. Salvageable items, include doors, windows, cabinets, plumbing and electrical fixtures, insulation, moldings and trim, lumber, etc., which may be reused on the installation, or donated to local thrift shops or salvage businesses (i.e., Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army). Materials such as metal ductwork, aluminum siding, copper piping, etc. may be recovered and turned in to the DRMO for sale with other scrap metals. Advanced planning and adequate time is required for proper removal of select materials in the demolitionhenovation process. A salvage broker may be used to provide a link between generators and users of various items which may be recovered from a construction or demolition project. Other materials such as broken bricks, cinder blocks, concrete, etc., may be recycled for use as an aggregate base or fill material for concrete, asphalt, etc., if local processors are available. When properly sorted or segregated and free of contaminants (Le., lead based paint, treated lumber, metals, etc.), wood waste can be reused as lumber, shredded for use as a landscaping mulch or ground cover, or used as firewood or boiler fuel. Collection and Disposal of Solid Waste Waste reduction efforts (recycling, reuse and composting) cannot account for all of the wastes produced at an installation. Consequently, plans should include an evaluation of collection and disposal practices. Collection can be evaluated in terms of the appropriateness of container distribution, size and collection frequency. To achieve this, periodic week-long container waste audits are indicated. This data can be used to estimate total generation levels and total container capacity needs. Such audits should take place at least four times per year to account for seasonal variations in activity. The collection coptractor should not be informed of the monitoring process, as this may cause them to alter their standard operating procedure, thereby affecting the accuracy of the audit results. Although many installations allocate responsibility for disposal of wastes to the collection contractor, it is necessary to monitor disposal facility capacity for planning purposes and to be prepared for emergencies. For example, what would you do with your waste if the EPA suddenly revoked the operating license of the only landfill in your county. To this end, facilities within proximity of the installation should be surveyed. Information which should be obtained for each disposal facility includes: materials accepted, tipping fee, round-trip mileage from the installation, and. remaining disposal capacity (in years). Education for System Users Finally, a plan must outline a system to educate installation residents and workers regarding proper waste management practices. For example, program participants must know what they must recycle, where these materials are to be placed and what constitutes a contaminant (e.g., drink bottles must be drained). Participants should know who to call with problems or questions and a system should be developed to inform participants of changes.