berkeley municipal solid waste facility tours 4/9/17 ... · in 2016, 888 tons were salvaged from...
TRANSCRIPT
BerkeleyMunicipalSolidWasteFacilityTours4/9/17ExecutiveSummary:Thereare4majorcomponentstothemunicipalsolidwastesystemforBerkeley:
• TransferStation–OperatedbytheCityofBerkeley.Theirtruckscollecttrash,compost,andC&D(construction&demolitionmaterials)fromresidentialandcommercialoperations.AndcollectcommercialrecyclingtodropoffatCCC.Thecitytrucks(along400-500residents/dayself-hauling)dropoffthesematerialsatthetransferstation,whereUrbanOrehasachancetoscavengeformaterial,beforebeingtransferredto18-wheelersandsenttothelandfill,compostcenter,orC&Dfacility.
• EcologyCenter–Homeofthefirstcurbsiderecyclecollectioninthenation.Theyown11truckstopickupresidentialrecyclinginBerkeley.Initially,recyclingwasa7binsystem,nowtheyoperatewithadual-streamsystemwithasplitrecyclingbin.Theyalsohostavarietyofprogramssuchas:thefarmer’smarket,storeforsustainablelivingandrecyclingoutreach.
• CommunityConservationCenters(CCC)–doesthemanualsortingoftherecyclablematerialscollectedbytheEcologycenter(residential)andtheCityofBerkeley(commercial).Alsorunsthebuybackprogramforrecyclables.Everyyeartheypayoutabout$1millionforbuybacks.
• UrbanOre–afor-profitcompanywhichre-sellsandrecyclesmaterialsthataredonated,salvagedfromthetransferstation,orarepicked-upfromoutsidelocations.
Eachoftheseprograms/companiesislookingtowardscapitalimprovementstohelpexpandandmovetowardsthegoalofzerowaste.Forexample,thebuildingsattheCCCaretheoriginalbuildingsfromthe1980sandsincethenthetotalamountofrecyclableshasincreaseddramaticallywithoutsignificantcapitalimprovements.
OverviewofBerkeleyMunicipalSolidWaste:
UrbanOreStats:
• Approximately2-3tons/dayarecollectedfromtheBerkeleytransferstation.In2016,888tonsweresalvagedfromthetransferstationthereforedivertingitfromthelandfill.Andapproximately,10-20%collectedfromthetransferstationissalvagemetalsandsoldasscrap.
• MostofUrbanOre’sdiversioncomesfromdropoffsandabout50%ofthetonnageisfromtheiroutsidetrader.ItisestimatedUrbanOredivertscloseto7,000tonsannually.Thediversionnumberincludesnotonlyreusedgoodssalesbutalsorecycleditems(e.g.,scrapmetals,ceramics,glass,textiles,electronics,plastics,paperandcardboard.)
• In2016,UrbanOrehasgrossedcloseto$2.6million.Laborcostsarehigh.Profitsaremarginalatbest.Costsarerising.
• Thebestsellersaredoorsandwindows–thebreadandbutterofthecompany.Future:
• OwnersDanKnappandMaryLouVanDeventerwouldliketoretiresoonandareconsideringanemployee-ownedmodelmovingforward.Theywanttoconservethelocaleconomyandlocalcommunityratherthansellouttoanoutsideinterest.
• Thereareanumberofideasforthecurrentlyun-utilized,17,000square-footmezzanine.Ideasinclude:leasingoutthespacetosynergisticenterprisessuchasabicyclerepairshop,ausedrecordshop,vintageclothing,antiquedealers,ageneralfixitperson,acobbler,greeneventspace,etc.But,todevelopthemezzanine,UrbanOrewillneedcapitalinvestmenttofinancegettingthestairsuptocodeandinstallinganelevator.
ReceivingArea:
WindowsSection:
LumberSection:
EcologyCenter/CCCHistory:
• 1stinnationcurbsidecollectionprogram• Collectsfromsinglefamilyand9orlessmulti-familyhomes• 1973–Createdclosedlooponrecycledpaper.Pulpedpaper->EggCartons->Recycled• 1982–Burnmunicipalsolidwastepropositionwasdefeated• 1986–BottleBillintroducedwhichdismantledreuseofglassandacceptingofglassat
grocerystoresinfavorofplasticsingleusebottles.Originallyhada7cartsystemforrecycling.Residentswoulddothesortingandthentheywouldcollectall7bins.Verycleanmaterialbutnoteasyforresidents.Now,theyhavedual-streamrecycling.Meaningthereare2sidesontherecyclebin.Onesideforpaperandcardboard.Theothersidefor“containers,”(e.g.,bottlesandcansandplasticclamshelltakeoutcontainers)
Whentherecyclebinistipped,thetruckhasadividertoosothedifferentmaterialsstayseparated:
Containersaretippedinthebunkerandarerelativelycleanduetodual-streamcollection:
Containersaresortedontheindoorsortinglinemanuallybyabout8people:
Thebuildingistheoriginalbuildingfrom1980s!Glassissortedinto3colors+mixed/broken:
Paper/CardboardistippedinsideanotherbuildingtobesortedintomixedpaperandOCC(oldcorrugatedcardboard):
Cardboardismanuallypulledonthepapersortinglineandtossedintobunkersbelow.
Remainingmixedpaperfallsoftheendoftheline:
Allmaterialsarebaledinthebaler:
Future:EcologyCenterandCCCneedmajorcapitalinvestmenttotheiroriginalequipmentandbuildingstohandlemorewasteandreducetothegoalofZeroWaste.
TransferStation:TheCityofBerkeleycollectstrash,compostandConstruction&Demolitionmaterials(C&D).TrashandcompostaretippedunderalargeroofandC&Disputoutsidethebuilding.
UrbanOrescavengesthetrashcollection.Eachoftheseitemsaresentouton18-wheelertruckstothelandfill,compostfacility,orC&Dsortingcenter.
Thetransferstationisalsoopenforthepublictodropofftheirownmaterials.Therateshaven’tbeenupdatedinaboutadecadeandarewelloverdueforanadjustment.
E-waste,Mattresses,andusedmotoroilarealsocollectedonthesite.Future:AlsoneedssomeattentionandcapitalinvestmentifwantingtoreachZeroWastegoal.