public space recycling benchmark study
TRANSCRIPT
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Public Space Recycling Benchmark StudyCarolina Recycling Association
Cherokee, NC | March 21, 2018
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Who We Are
We inspire and educate people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment.
End Littering
Improve Recycling
Improve Recycling
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Background Need
• Growing interest on recycling in public spaces
• Comparative lack of knowledge in public domain to help planning:
• Quantity generated• Composition of waste stream• Avg. contamination /
participation rate• # of bins needed• Effective infrastructure design
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Project Objectives
• Recommendations and tools for communities to assess current performance and/or developing a public space recycling plan
• Develop baseline data on amount / type of waste materials typically generated as “guide posts”*
• ID key contributing site / use factors that influence success
*Sampling size did not allow for statistically meaningful results.
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Project Overview
• Focus: Park & Downtown settings
• Scope: • Literature review of existing studies• Field work / audits in 5 communities• Review existing audit data from 4 communities• Analyze performance in context w/ existing infrastructure• Document best practices• Produce planning toolkit
• Contracted w/ Skumatz Economic Research Associates in May 2017
• Supported by Dr Pepper Snapple Group
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Communities Sampled
Criteria for sampling balance: 1) Larger vs smaller; 2) Bottle bill or not; 3)“Green-ness” of communityCommunities Studied:
Classification Communities w/ Existing Data
Communities for Original Field Work
Large, Bottle Bill, Green Toronto, ONLarge, Bottle Bill, Not Green Salinas area, CA Large, Not-Bottle Bill, Green Washington DCLarge, Not-Bottle Bill, Not Green Phoenix, AZ Smaller, Bottle Bill, Green Sarnia, ONSmaller, Bottle Bill, Not Green Mansfield, CT / Medford, ORSmaller, Not Bottle Bill, Green Longmont, COSmaller, Not Bottle Bill, Not Green Georgetown, TX
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Diverse Programs
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Preliminary Findings
• Avg. recovery 16% of total generation• Top three recyclables by weight:
o Recyclable Paper – 13.8%o Glass – 12.3%o Plastic bottles – 8%
• Similar composition for parks & downtowno More containers in parks - 29% in downtown vs. 38% in parks
• Fewer containers in bottle bill communities:
• Glass - 22% in non-BB states, dropped to 8% in BB states
• Plastic bottles – 18% in non-BB states, dropped to 9% in BB states
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Preliminary Findings
• Contamination an issueo Ranged between 34% and 70%o Larger communities had higher contamination
(38%) vs. smaller communities (28%)
• Significant improvement if following BMP’so Paired trash & recycling bins experienced 15% less
contamination; 30% higher recyclable capture rateo Analyzing by other factors: restricted openings, color distinction
• Relationship• Communities w/ ambitious recovery goals had half the
contamination rate
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Common Contaminants
• Soiled or non-recyclable paper: 15% - 20%
• To-go food packaging: 15% - 20%1. Plastic film wrappers2. Cups3. Rigid clamshells, plates, etc.
• Food: 5% - 10%
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Signage Study
Objective: Impact of signage/messaging to influence proper recycling behavior
• Distance study• Test different sign conditions at academic buildings• To be published April 2018
Research Leads: Dr. Torsten Reimer, Associate Professor, School of Communication, Purdue Univ.
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Track, Monitor & Improve
Recycling Programs Don’t Improve By Themselves
• Start with a pilot project• Track performance
Recovery & contamination trends
• Monitor & adjust Move bins to optimize use
• Refresh bins Peeling decals, grungy bins
discourage recycling
• Document success
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Why Public Space Recycling
• Reinforces recycling – sets expectation beyond the home and helps to establish habit formation
• Improve the quality of life in a community by providing clean, litter free, visually attractive areas.
• KAB 2009 Litter research found where recycling bins were present, there was less litter.
• Demonstrates community’s commitment to recycling/reinforce other sustainability goals.
• New stream to increase recovery, achieve diversion goals
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Public Space Recycling Infrastructure Grants
Recycling Infrastructure Grants since 2007
Keep America Beautiful Partners:
$5.1 Million Investmentin recycling infrastructure
53,000Recycling bins awarded
2.7 MillionPeoplewith daily access toaway-from-home recycling
1,3555
Grants
25.5 Million lbsof Recyclables
40,000MTCO2E of GHG emissionsprevented
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Resources
Guide for Convenience StoresPartnership w/ NACSDownload: www.kab.org/resources
Public Space RecyclingVisit: www.kab.org/resources• Best practices design guide• Case studies, studies, etc.
