Zero Waste in Practice Presented to the Maryland recycling network 2014 Annual Conference Charlotte Matthews Cornelius Unincorporated Mecklenburg County Mint Hill Davidson
Who are we? Mecklenburg Stats Population: 722,627 City of Charlotte, 966,160 Mecklenburg County, 1,857,624 MSA Seven Municipalities
Zero Waste(concepts) in Practice Charlotte Matthews Cornelius Unincorporated Mecklenburg County Mint Hill Davidson Charlotte recycling, yard trimmings, garbage 220,000 Single Family Homes 118,000 Multifamily 2100 Small businesses
Solid Waste at a Glance Residential Tipping Fees @$29/Ton Commercial Tipping Fees @ $50-80/Ton Construction & Demolition(C&D) @ $39/Ton Landfill Capacity 25+ Years Residential Curbside programs are voluntary and collection provided by seven municipalities C&D Diversion is voluntary Business Recycling mandatory for 16 cubic yards or more and collection provided by private sector Business Recycling is not reported to Mecklenburg County State of North Carolina counts per capita waste diversion
In 2013, Mecklenburg County residents and businesses disposed of a total of 942,569 tons of solid waste in landfills. This equates to a per capita disposal rate of 0.98 tons per person per year, and for the first time waste disposal is less than one ton per person annually. community brag book
Rate (tons/person/year) Reducing Waste to Landfills in Mecklenburg County 2.10 1.90 1.962.00 1.90 1.86 1.70 1.77 1.79 1.74 1.71 1.67 1.67 1.50 1.30 1.37 1.10 0.90 0.70 1.17 1.18 1.15167 1.12333 1.09500 1.05 1.06667 1.03833 1.010.97200 0.98 0.93400 0.89600 0.85800 0.82 Fiscal Year Per Capita Disposal Actual SWMP 2012 Goals
Diversion Goals Short Term 49% by 16/17 Long Term 58% by 21/22
Mecklenburg County Waste Composition
What Changed My Mind/Attitude?
This type of reduction does not come easily. It requires commitment, political will and PROGRESSIVE PLANNING.
Charrette or not to Charrette? Feedback received on what initiatives would be viable in the County Consensus reached on some topics Lack of consensus understood on other topics-no Zero Waste Plan for Mecklenburg Allowed for realistic goal development HDR served as facilitators
Study, Study, Studies Best Management Practices Food Waste Diversion Study C&D Study Small Business Study Meck County Waste Composition Study Residential Recycling Study
Best Practice Food Waste Residents Employee Education Recognition and Research Bluesphere Anaerobic Digester Scaling Up Charlotte EPA Grant Participation and Setout Rate Impacts Study on SWMP Recommendations
Best Management Practices by County staff Study Completed by Mecklenburg County Staff in 2011 Programs Practices Measurement Public Participation and Acceptance Where are we now and where do we need to be What drives the needle towards diversion Chicago Toronto San Francisco Portland Jacksonville OAKLAND greensboro Orange County Nashville, TN Seattle san jose Wake County Atlanta
Food Waste Study by Kessler Consultants Businesses The six largest food waste generating sectors are food manufacturers, food stores, restaurants, hotels/lodging, medical/health services and education. Businesses generate approximately 143,000 tons annually County could recover 30,000 tons/year utilizing a 60% recovery rate 36,000 tons already composted, 30,000 tons of unused capacity exist
Food Waste Study by Kessler Consultants Business and Residential Findings Existing capacity to perform pilot collection programs Not enough capacity for the County to roll-out a countywide program Residents Residents generate 39,000 to 60,000 tons annually A residential waste characterization study is need to obtain more accurate quantities The Town of Huntersville, that offers a 96-gallon roll cart for weekly collection of yard debris, is best suited to conduct a food scraps recovery pilot
Facilities-yard trimmings Mecklenburg County owns and operates permitted Large Type 1 Compost Facility Compost Central May receive 125,000 tons annually Ground material is sold as mulch, boiler fuel or composted Yard trimmings and other vegetative debris are banned from disposal in Subtitle D Landfills in the North Carolina New Facility under development, but will not accept food scraps
Facilities-Recycling Centers 465,000 Customers visiting 4 staff Recycling centers 4350 tons of comingled containers and fiber 700 tons of HHW 966 tons of Electronics 16000 tons of Tires 16000 Scrap Metal/White Goods 26000 tons of C&D
Facilitiesmaterials Recovery Facility County owned and operated by ReCommunity Single stream Processed 73,947 tons 57% fiber 43% comingled containers Largest customer City of Charlotte (approximately 45,000 tons)
Facilities-the foxhole landfill The Foxhole Landfill County-owned and operated Permitted for municipal waste Now handling C&D wastes Recycling Clean concrete Drywall Clean wood Pallets Cardboard
Private Sector Facilities
Programs - Residential Recycling
Business Recycling Source Separation Ordinance since 2001 Technical Assistance Recognition Program Markets Database Waste Trader Sustain Charlotte, Envision Charlotte, Green Works, Green Drinks, USGBC Zero Waste programs- Frito Lay, 47% Decrease in Business Waste
Organics
EVENTS AND partnerships
Construction and Demolition Provide recycling for concrete, brick, block, wood waste, drywall, cardboard, and metal. Education and outreach Developing policies to meet our 50% recycling goal for C&D waste. Nearby mixed waste processer ordered to Cease and Desist by the State of South Carolina
Mecklenburg, A Community in Transition McColl Center of the Visual Arts Aurora Robson Stay in Alive This Fish-Kamilo is a collection of materials collected from the shores of Hawaii. It is multi-lingual in that it represents the communication systems from countries throughout the world.
What s hot in Mecklenburg plastics, plastics Kurt Warnke s Sculpture of polyethylene milk jugs Three Exhibitions showing us the consequences of our relationship with discarded plastics. KEEPING WATCH, a 3-year initiative to promote environmental, awareness, education and engagement.
Reverse Baby-The toys (rigid plastics) are on the inside Sustain Me Baby University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Short term Strategies Ban items such as aluminum cans and plastic bottles from residential garbage cans Expand the Business Recycling Law to include small businesses, C&D, events Implement an Internal Recycling Policy for Mecklenburg County employees
Political Will North Carolina Statutes 1.1.2008 ABC Beverage Containers 1.1.2009 Manufactured Homes 10.1.2009 Used Oil, Yard trash, White Goods, Antifreeze, Aluminum Cans, Whole Scrap Tires, Lead Acid Batteries, Oil Filters, Rigid Plastic Containers, Wooden Pallets, Oyster Shells 1.1.2010 Electronics Ban 7.1.2011 Discarded Computer Equipment, Televisions, Florescent lights and thermostats NC House Bill 74 No More Solid Waste Plans
Patience Please new short term strategies Study the Economic Feasibility of residential bans, mandatory curbside recycling rates, PAYT Set out rates and participation rates of curbside programs Every other week to weekly residential recycling Construction and Demolition Pilots Business Education and Market Development (Jobs) Food and Yard Trimmings Diversion Pilots Participate in Extended Producer Responsibility national dialogue
If I could pull a Zero Waste rabbit out of a hat.. Increase the recovery of materials from residents and multi-family dwellings Jump start C&D recycling Invent a place for food trimmings to become something else Just ban plastic bags Learn to count Educate, Educate, Educate If not a Solid Waste Management Plan, maybe a Zero Waste Plan. Persistence and endurance
704-336-8393 Laurette Hall THANK YOU!! Laurette.Hall@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov www.wipeoutwaste.com