February 18, Realities, Facts and Figures

Transcription

1 February 18, 2010 Solid Waste Management in Puerto Rico: Realities, Facts and Figures

2 Solid Waste Management in Puerto Rico: Major issues: Solid waste generation 4,000,000 tons/year of solid waste are generated Recycling rates The recycling rate in 2007 was approximately 10% Landfills Serve e as Puerto Rico s only means of disposal Economic constraints Municipalities control landfills Municipalities are not required to allocate a percentage of the tipping fee towards compliance, closure or post-closure costs

3 Landfills in Operation: 24 * * As stated in the Dynamic Itinerary (Itinerario Dinámico de Instraestructura: Documento de Política Publica Mayo 2008)

4 Landfills in Operation: 22 * * As stated in the Dynamic Itinerary (Itinerario Dinámico de Instraestructura: Documento de Política Publica Mayo 2008)

5 Landfills in Operation: 14 * * As stated in the Dynamic Itinerary (Itinerario Dinámico de Instraestructura: Documento de Política Publica Mayo 2008)

6 Landfills in Operation: 4 * * As stated in the Dynamic Itinerary (Itinerario Dinámico de Instraestructura: Documento de Política Publica Mayo 2008)

7 Compliance Issues Runoff control Inadequate or insufficient landfill gas controls and leachate collections systems in many landfills Inadequate or insufficient groundwater and air monitoring systems in many landfills Landfill mining on active cells Active cells are not properly covered daily Inadequate slope gradient

8 Compliance Issues Proper collection systems for leachate and runoff are not installed

9 Compliance Issues R l bl t i l Recyclable materials are landfilled

10 Compliance Issues Solid waste is not properly compacted on a daily basis.

11 Situation Landfills are Puerto Rico s only means of disposal Action Reduce and reuse waste generated and diversify disposal means through Waste-to-Energy Tipping fees are artificially low Reducing waste generation and increasing landfill tipping fees are necessary to ensure that our waste disposal capacity is used at a more sustainable rate Lack of funding streams for infrastructure improvements, closure and post-closure costs Regulate tipping fees so that a percentage must be allocated towards closure and post-closure costs Low recycling rates Promote recycling through education and identification of secondary markets

12 Puerto Rico: Laws and Public Policy Limits landfill expansions to those strategically necessary to comply with the solid waste management plan

13 Puerto Rico: Laws and Public Policy Prohibits new landfills Geographic limitations: -North: Karstic zone -Center: C t Mountainous topography

14 Population Density: US Densely populated areas have diverse means of disposal Source: USEPA Region 2: 2007 Waste-to-Energy Conference, Puerto Rico, March 14, 2007 Earth Engineering Center Survey of 2004 data (BioCycle, April 2006)

15 Population Density: PR Source: USEPA Region 2: 2007 Waste-to-Energy Conference, Puerto Rico, March 14, 2007 Earth Engineering Center, Columbia University

16 Waste-to-Energy: Advantages for Puerto Rico Diversify means of disposal while reducing waste generated Opportunity to increase recycling rates Opportunity to make environmental compliance a reality Plants emissions can be better controlled Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and avoid soil and groundwater contamination Included in EPA approved Dynamic Itinerary as part of the integrated solid waste management plan

17 Solid Waste Management Authority Initiatives Scrap Tires: - Act part in revising bylaws for ADS pursuant to ACT 41 of Asphalt rubber: first green road was paved in November.

18 Solid Waste Management Authority Initiatives Promote waste reduction through education - Consortium with the Department of Education: work plan complete pending discussion with DE - Consortium with Hogar Crea : provide incentives for recollection of recyclable materials Develop a coherent management plan that will ensure an integrated Solid Waste Flow and enables new project developments including Waste to Energy Growing businesses around recycling

19 Closing Arguments Puerto Rico's situation regarding waste management is critical Puerto Rico must implement short and long term plans to manage this crisis Mass education programs are a key component but a tangible shift in recycling rate will take time Few options are economically viable Immediate results are needed Waste-to-Energy plants are an intrinsic part of the solution to Puerto Rico's solid waste management problem

20 Source reduction, recycling, and waste-to-energy are complementary parts of an integrated waste management system. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region Waste-to-Energy Conference

21 Toa Baja

22 Toa Baja

23 Vega Baja

24 Vega Baja

25 Florida

26 Florida

27 Illegal Dumpsite

28 Illegal Dumpsite