BEST PRACTICES IN PUBLIC SPACE RECYCLING. Michael Alexander, President

Transcription

1 BEST PRACTICES IN PUBLIC SPACE RECYCLING Michael Alexander, President

2 Results of the First-of-its-Kind national survey of best management practices in public space recycling conducted by: &

3 Please identify the setting where you have installed public space recycling containers Setting of Public Space Containers Over 100 participants primarily from county and municipal government

4 Can you estimate your number of daily visitors? Under % % No: 52% Yes: 48% % % % % More Than %

5 Do you have a recycling container beside every waste container? No: 67% Yes: 33%

6 85.4% What materials do you collect in the recycling stations/containers? 43.8% 38.5% 8.3% Cans/Bottles Paper Single Stream/Mixed Recyclables Organic/Food Scraps/Compost

7 How have you communicated to the public what is recyclable in your facility? 94.7% Signage/messaging on the bins 62.8% Community outreach Examples of Community Outreach: newspaper, social media, PSA event volunteers at site letters to the vendors event program and website fair program and advertising press release in local papers workshops and website information county website Brochures in each office social media website & newsletters radio public announcement

8 Who services the containers? Examples of other : Work study and staff members Volunteers (30% of the responses) Students Faculty, staff, student volunteers Volunteer "GreenTeam" Inmate labor Boy Scouts, volunteers Event organizers Environmental Assistant Other 44% Service Providers 16% Municipal Employees 43%

9 How often are the containers serviced? 26.3% 18.8% 20.0% 11.3% 13.8% 6.3% 3.8% Multiple times per day Once per day Every other day Twice a week Once a week Biweekly Only when full Frequency of Service

10 Do you have any figures on the man-hours and costs to service the containers? No: 87% Yes: 13% Examples of detailed responses: 1 30 min/week per bin = 2,888 hours per year. 100 bags per $38.16 X 8 cases = $ X 3 changes per week. Fuel for vehicles to $0.57 pm/1 truck avg 60 miles per trip=28,080 miles/year RT. Total Estimate $64, bins are emptied every Monday, taking the service worker approximately 45 minutes a week. Yield is an average of 40 pounds a week in recycling. Volunteer labor: 42 hours of changing the bags and 24 hours of set up and tear down of containers. Estimated 4 hours per week. Total cost for that time would be approximately $67 per week. At music festivals: 5 15 staff members monitoring bins and keeping the grounds clean from 9am to 2am.

11 What Challenges have you experienced in placing and servicing recycling bins? Examples of detailed responses: The students are always amazed by the trash still placed in the recycle containers If they are not fixed in place, they get moved. Public education is the biggest challenge. We definitely need more bins. One per trash container would be ideal. The sorting needed to maintain excellent relationships with the compost and recycling facilities who are accepting the materials. Vermin, mostly raccoons, as well as theft of recyclables Full beverage bottles, messy Vandalism, principally in proximity of the skate board park People move bins around, fire codes, visibility, poor locations Getting staff to accept composting

12 Have you measured how much material is collected? College Stadium/Event Venue Downtown Area Parks Office Building 140 lbs/month aluminum cans and plastic bottles cubic meters cardboard/week 0.6 cubic meters newspaper and office paper/week Recycling: 30 lbs Organics: 125 lbs Trash: 900 lbs In a one-day festival 400lbs per month 1/4 of a ton annually Approximately 1000 lbs per week No: 50.6% Yes: 49.4% Mixed Paper: 364,570lbs Aluminum Cans: 10,204lbs Mixed Plastics: 28,760lbs Glass Bottles: 500lbs 230 pounds has been collected since September Average about 40 pounds a week out of all 5 bins 17 cubic yards collected per year. Average of 1000 pounds collected per year pounds of aluminum cans in About 1,800 lbs of materials per week are recycled. Over 4 days with 6,000 people in attendance, 1,949.9 pounds were recycled. 3,088.1 pounds were composted, and pounds were landfilled. Approx. 24 pounds per month taking in account seasonal activity. In the past 4 years we have collected 28 tons. Total days of collecting in 4 years equals 16 days of festival. Bottles and cans: approximately 28 lbs/month Paper: approximately 60 lbs/month

13 Have you measured the amount of contamination? No: 88.2% Yes: 11.8% Examples of detailed responses: All streams are contaminated unless you have a person stationed at the station Contamination has been minimal, the items could be counted on one hand! Only based on contamination charges from the waste hauler We audit our loads of recyclables four times per year. Visual inspection shows very limited contamination approx 2% We have averaged a contamination rate of 10%. In a spot check waste audit in 2012 approx. 40% contamination of recycling with non recyclables our single stream collection process has an average of 1-5% contamination garbage (non-recyclable material) Cans and bottles has very little (less than 1%) contamination - mostly coffee cups and napkins.

14 Have you received any feedback from the public on the recycling containers? No: 43.4% Yes: 56.6%

15 Examples of feedback: Positive feedback has been received although everyone would prefer more volunteers for servicing. Want us to do a better job with nicer containers and more of them! The containers are easy to clean and durable and they look nice. Park users appreciate the availability and opportunities to recycle while at the park. Yes, they are not aesthetically pleasing enough. They need to be more a part of the decor. People call in to request recycling in other parks, or ask if we can expand it to City streets. People who frequent community events, like our weekly summer farmers market, appreciate the opportunity to recycle while they attend. Ecstatic to see the bins in our community. Great signage. Well placed. Bring us more!!!!! I have received comments that they notice when attending an event that does not have accessible recycling containers. Some people complain that my recycling bins are ugly. We also receive feedback that we have a highly visible program with readily available receptacles.

16 Do you have plans to expand the program? [CATEGO RY NAME], [PERCENT AGE] No: 22.6% [CATEGO RY NAME], [PERCENT AGE]

17 What are two resources that would be helpful to you in increasing use of your public space recycling containers? Community Support Manpower 4% 5% More Bins Bin Type 11% 12% Funding/Grants Signage 18% 19% Pr/Education 31%

18 Have you made significant changes to the bins, messaging/signage, or other aspects of the program to address contamination or other usage issues? No: 69% Yes: 31%

19 Examples of changes: Added QR code decals to the bins Asked the hospital to relay the message through their newsletters. Including student designs in bin signage Partnered with a company that compacts clean cardboard and cans and bottles in the park during the Festival. People watch as a dumpster full of clean cardboard becomes 2 pallets of crushed cardboard. Painted wild colors, distinguishing them from garbage containers More prominent use of color coding Created large signage that is mounted on posts above the bins to attract attention to them in large spaces. Changed the color of outdoor bins to make them more distinct from trash bins. Provided a number for community members to call if they have questions or comments about the bins. Signage has been simplified (more images, less words, color coded to match bins, etc.)

20 PLANNING FOR SUCCESS Ten Tips For Designing Public Space Recycling Programs Courtesy of 20

21 1. Make it Simple & Convenient Main objective of bin users: dispose of waste in the easiest socially acceptable way Willing to recycle if clear opportunity Attention focused elsewhere Courtesy of

22 2. Know Your Waste Stream What is in the Trash? Waste Audits Anticipate likely contaminants Follow the waste upstream Understand where trash is coming from Anticipate where and how it moves Where are Recyclables going? What is the end market? Courtesy of

23 3. Place Recycling Next To Trash Pair bins together in all locations Place directly next to trash Good Courtesy of OK Bad

24 4. Use Restrictive Lids Openings just large enough for common materials Large holes invite trash Courtesy of Good Bad

25 5. Use Clear, Simple Labels & Signage Use a few key words Use Clear language Pictures are good Skip the don ts * Good Good Bad Courtesy of

26 6. Choose The Right Bin Collection efficiency Use colors to distinguish Special lids & signage Clear sides to see contents Courtesy of 26

27 7. Be Consistent Standardized: bins, colors, message across facility or location Coordinate w/ residential system & other jurisdictions Courtesy of 27

28 8. Keep Bins Clean & Well Maintained Grimy Bins Overflowing = discourages participation Peeling decals Courtesy of 28

29 9. Educational Outreach Three types of education messaging: 1. Direct what & how on the bins 2. Indirect program awareness 3. Environmental literacy the why Education in public settings is challenging, Look for creative opportunities Courtesy of 29

30 10. Adapt & Improve Every location is unique Start with a pilot Evaluate & modify program Track performance Quantity Recycling & contamination rate Program costs & savings Have realistic expectations Courtesy of 30

31 Michael Alexander, President RECYCLE AWAY Brattleboro, VT c)