city of houston wood waste diversion program

SWMD - Wood Waste Briefing 1

City of Houston Wood Waste Diversion Program


Wood Waste Diversion Overview Landfill Airspace

Preservation Recycling Case Greenhouse Gas and Air

Quality Financial Impact of Program

Disposal Cost Reduction Fuel Savings Personnel Savings

Pilot Area Review Next Steps Questions


Landfill Airspace Preservation

Available airspace cited by Solid Waste Task Force as major business concern to the City’s Solid Waste Management Program.

The City doesn’t own a landfill and must negotiate pricing for precious airspace commodity.

Area growth and development consuming nearby land which will also drive future disposal costs.


Houston Area Landfills

Direct Hauls / Lower Costs Allied McCarty (NE) Allied Whispering

Pines (NE) Allied Blue Ridge

(SW) WM Atascocita* (NE)


Current Landfill Effective LifeDirect Haul

14

6.2

19

0

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12

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Blue Ridge WP/McCarty Atascosita

Site

Yea

rs


Wood Waste Recycling – Fiscal Issues

COH must be a good steward of public resources (tax dollars). Wood waste material is easily recyclable. Sufficient local markets for material. Disposal Costs increase on average of approx.

$900K per year.

Proper Environmental Stewardship as a “Green City”. Carbon Credits to be gained. Potential Revenue for the sale of Carbon

Credits.

Greater Houston Area Density Projected to significantly increase in near future. Houston, Sugarland, Baytown population

expected to grow from 4.7M in year 2000 to between 8.4M – 11.1M by year 2040.*

Harris County Population expected to grow from 3.4M in year 2000 to between 5.8M – 6.6M by year 2040.*

* Texas State Data Center 2006 population projections.


Air Quality

Houston air quality is monitored very intensely by governmental units and private industry.

At least 141 air pollution monitors screening for up to 138 chemical compounds.

Several initiatives in process to improve Houston air quality.

Wood Waste Diversion contributes to improved air quality with landfill GHG reduction.

“Houston Smog”


Top 20 U.S. Counties in GHG Emissions

1. Harris, Texas (Houston) — 18.625 million tons of carbon per year

2. Los Angeles, Calif. (Los Angeles) — 18.595 3. Cook, Ill. (Chicago) — 13.209 4. Cuyahoga, Ohio (Cleveland) — 11.144 5. Wayne, Mich. (Detroit) — 8.270 6. San Juan, N.M. (Farmington) — 8.245 7. Santa Clara, Calif. (San Jose) — 7.995* 8. Jefferson, Ala. (Birmingham) — 7.951 9. Wilcox, Ala. (Camden) — 7.615 10. East Baton Rouge, La. (Baton Rouge) —

7.322 11. Titus, Texas (Mt. Pleasant) — 7.244 12. Carbon, Pa. (Jim Thorpe) — 6.534 13. Porter, Ind. (Valparaiso) — 6.331 14. Jefferson, Ohio (Steubenville) — 6.278 15. Indiana, Pa. (Indiana) — 6.224 16. Middlesex, Mass. (Boston metro area) —

6.198 17. Bexar, Texas (San Antonio) — 6.141 18. Hillsborough, Fla. (Tampa) — 6.037 19. Suffolk, N.Y. (New York metro area) — 6.030 20. Clark, Nev. (Las Vegas) — 5.955


Greenhouse Gas Reductions

Reduce GHG Emissions by 14,980 MTCE

Equivalent to taking 10,785 passenger cars off the road for one year

*EPA Waste Reduction Model (WARM)


Wood Waste Diversion Low Hanging Financial Fruit

Average Annual Heavy Trash Collected by SWMD approx. 300,000 tons. 30% - 40% Green Waste Average Tipping Fee of

$32.00 per ton. 30% reduction equals

90,000 tons Direct disposal savings of

$2.9 Million. Net after grinding savings of

$1.71 Million.


SWMD Projected Disposal Costs Thru FY40Growth Rate of 4% Per Year

24.9330.5

38.86

47.56

58.19

71.21

87.14

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100

FY09 FY14 FY20 FY25 FY30 FY35 FY40

Fiscal Year

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llar

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Regional Population and Disposal Growth

Population & Garbage Volume Growth

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9.0

2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 2028 2032 2036 2040

Year

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s P

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Population

Tons Generated

50% Divert


Wood Waste Recycling Diversion The amount of material to be diverted,

approximately 90,000 Tons; or close to 660,000 cubic yards

If stacked on the playing field of Reliant Stadium, (54,000 sq. feet) would reach nearly 1000 feet high, the height of Chase Tower


Wood Waste Pilot Program

Approximately 47,000 homes in pilot area.

Estimated tons not landfilled 30% - 40% of normal service.

Estimated Cost Savings of $260,000 for pilot area.

Grinding Savings of $10 - $15 per ton donated by LETCO (pilot area only).

Council Districts Currently Affected: A, B, C, D, F, G, H


Pilot Area Review

70% Reduction in landfilled material. $225,000 in disposal

savings. $97,000 contributed by

LETCO for grinding pilot period.

0

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12000

2006 2007

2006

2007


Next Steps

Approve wood waste grinding contract. Posted on council agenda

within two weeks. Implement Wood Waste

Program Citywide Immediately begin

education process. Community Meetings. Direct Mail / Door to door. Radio / TV / Phone Bank

Start Date of 1 October 2008.


Other Steps for Reduction - 1

Gain further waste reduction with yard waste diversion strategies – biodegradable bags.


Other Steps for Reduction - 2 Review/Expansion of Curbside

Recycling Program Drop low performing

neighborhoods. Add new “productive”

neighborhoods. Encourage and assist major

business centers with recycling efforts. Downtown Texas Medical Center Galleria Area Energy Corridor

Bring a single stream processing facility to Houston Market Area.


Other Steps for Reduction - 3

Enhanced Community Education Promote Backyard

composting. Partnerships

Keep Houston Beautiful School Districts Business Management

Districts Private Sector


Questions

city of houston wood waste diversion program

Documents

wood waste material

solid waste task force

pay of total waste is300

improved air quality

greater houston area

area growth

landfill ghg reduction

precious airspace commodity