Recycling and Disposal of Recycling and Disposal of Fishing Gear and other Fishing Gear and other

Marine Debris Marine Debris

February 10, 2010Alaska Forum on the

Environment

Fran Recht, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission

With attendance thanks to Marine Conservation Alliance With attendance thanks to Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation/NOAA MD Foundation/NOAA MD

Environmental Protection Agency waste hierarchy

Most preferredMost preferred→→ Source Reduction & ReuseSource Reduction & Reuse

Recycling/CompostingRecycling/Composting

Combustion with Energy Combustion with Energy RecoveryRecovery

Landfilling and Incineration Landfilling and Incineration without Energy Recoverywithout Energy Recovery

Least preferredLeast preferred→→

Gillnet RecyclingGillnet Recycling 1990’s , 2009/101990’s , 2009/10

Alaska- Dillingham, Naknek, Alaska- Dillingham, Naknek, Cordova, Kenai, Cordova, Kenai, Petersburg Petersburg (4 WA, 1 OR)(4 WA, 1 OR) NFWF/NOAA MD programNFWF/NOAA MD programRecycling Study 2009Recycling Study 2009

Unalaska, Kodiak for Unalaska, Kodiak for MCAFMCAF

750 tons/yr ; 400 750 tons/yr ; 400 t/yrt/yr

Net and Line CompositionNet and Line Composition

• Gillnet – nylon 6Gillnet – nylon 6• Seine net- nylon 66Seine net- nylon 66• Old mid-water trawl Old mid-water trawl

nets- 100% nylon or nets- 100% nylon or nylon in the upper 2/3 nylon in the upper 2/3 part, other 1/3 part, other 1/3 polyethylene (HDPE). polyethylene (HDPE).

• Codend-polyethyleneCodend-polyethylene• Bottom trawls HDPE, Bottom trawls HDPE,

rubber, chains rubber, chains • Floats HDPE or other Floats HDPE or other

plastic, HDPE feels plastic, HDPE feels waxywaxy

• Changing composition Changing composition now now

ChallengesChallenges

• Net recycling different scenarios:– Communities where

gillnet recycling was happening and then stopped

– Communities where gillnet recycling on-going

• Kodiak, Dutch Harbor– Fishing gear recycling?

• Part of larger solid waste , landfill issue

Local problems, solutions Local problems, solutions

Investigate Investigate obstacles and obstacles and potentialspotentials

Economic and Economic and logistical logistical challenges.challenges.

Sustainable Sustainable

Use local Use local coordinators and coordinators and work in partnershipwork in partnership

Lead EntitiesLead Entities

• NGO--Copper River NGO--Copper River Watershed Project Watershed Project CordovaCordova– – 18,670 lbs18,670 lbs

• Native Village AssociationsNative Village Associations– DillinghamDillingham, , 15,00015,000– NaknekNaknek, , 16,75016,750– PetersburgPetersburg

• Fishermen’s Association- Fishermen’s Association- United Cook Inlet Drift United Cook Inlet Drift Association Association KenaiKenai

Community PartnersCommunity Partners

• FishermenFishermen• Gear dealersGear dealers• Packing housesPacking houses• Shipping companiesShipping companies• Municipalities,Solid Municipalities,Solid

Waste OperationsWaste Operations• HarborsHarbors• Sea GrantSea Grant• Community groupsCommunity groups• Interested citizensInterested citizens

Purposes of ProjectsPurposes of Projects

• Collect/recycle gillnet Collect/recycle gillnet from communitiesfrom communities

• Study feasibility of Study feasibility of recycling gear from recycling gear from communitiescommunities

• Recycling will be on-Recycling will be on-going after program going after program endsends

• NotNot derelict gear derelict gear

• NotNot gear etc. from beach gear etc. from beach clean upsclean ups

• BUT ISSUES RELEVANTBUT ISSUES RELEVANT

Derelict gear retrieval (NOAA image)

Common GoalsCommon Goals

• Collect lots of stuff (debris or gear) to minimize environmental, social costs

• Ship and dispose/recycle stuff with minimum cost

• Be as environmentally good as possible. Re-use, recycle, make useful products, at least, dispose of safely

Common ChallengesCommon Challenges

• Efficiency—Efficiency— handling, handling,

transportationtransportation

• Minimize costsMinimize costs(maximize revenue (maximize revenue potential)potential)

• Assure sustainable Assure sustainable fundingfunding

• Dealing with changesDealing with changes——global oil prices, global oil prices, financial, political financial, political prioritiespriorities

Costs Disposal and RecyclingCosts Disposal and Recycling

• Alaska disposal cost at landfills Alaska disposal cost at landfills $70/ton, $0.035/lb$70/ton, $0.035/lb

• AK Landfills closing= 83 AK Landfills closing= 83 between ’89-06 alonebetween ’89-06 alone

• All wastes baled and shipped All wastes baled and shipped out of Petersburg, Sitka, out of Petersburg, Sitka, Haines landfills. $250/ton , Haines landfills. $250/ton , $0.125/lb disposal$0.125/lb disposal

• Future may involve shipping to Future may involve shipping to WA Rabanco landfill. WA Rabanco landfill.

• Shipping and disposal costs Shipping and disposal costs alone for beach clean-up alone for beach clean-up debris (2005) $0.64/lb.debris (2005) $0.64/lb.

• Dutch Harbor costs to handle Dutch Harbor costs to handle and ship clean nets: $0.14/lb and ship clean nets: $0.14/lb (assuming some revenue from (assuming some revenue from nets)nets)

Costs Disposal and RecyclingCosts Disposal and Recycling

• Cordova received Cordova received donated shipping worth donated shipping worth $ 9369 for 18,670 lbs $ 9369 for 18,670 lbs net. net.

• RReceivedeceived $0.08/lb $0.08/lbIf paid full shipping-cost If paid full shipping-cost .50- .08=.42/lb.50- .08=.42/lb

• Dillingham paid Dillingham paid discounted rate of 1173 discounted rate of 1173 to ship 8000 lbs. to ship 8000 lbs. $0.15/lb, will receive $0.15/lb, will receive $0.08/lb$0.08/lb

• Cost would be $0.27/lb Cost would be $0.27/lb (if paid full price -.08= (if paid full price -.08= $0.19/lb)$0.19/lb)

note: $300 per container is another cost that note: $300 per container is another cost that must be subtracted out (for getting must be subtracted out (for getting container from Seattle dock to recycler)container from Seattle dock to recycler)

Differences?Community Efforts Have Advantages

• Can use existing equipment

• Can work with existing programs

• Community support

• Can take advantage of containers going back “empty”

But also disadvantagesBut also disadvantages

• Cooperation of Cooperation of many needed.many needed.

• Tendency is too Tendency is too many collection many collection sites, handling, sites, handling, volunteer effort, no volunteer effort, no institutionalization.institutionalization.

In contrast:In contrast:• Beach Beach

clean-ups/derelict clean-ups/derelict gear removal– a set gear removal– a set group of folks “in group of folks “in charge” of handing. charge” of handing.

Can set up a Can set up a “system” & run “system” & run with it.with it.

ProcessProcess– Research Phase– Research Phase

• Gear preparation, handling Gear preparation, handling requirements of recycler*requirements of recycler*

• Role of municipality, harbor, Role of municipality, harbor, fleetfleet

— —barriers, opportunitiesbarriers, opportunities

• Collection, Storage Options *Collection, Storage Options *

• Collection locations, Collection locations, supervision issues *supervision issues *

• Shipping Options Shipping Options

Start with the Endpoint, work Start with the Endpoint, work “backwards”“backwards”

• Need to know ultimate Need to know ultimate disposal disposal location first, then location first, then work backwardswork backwards

• Gear preparation, handling requirements of recycler

• Lack of understanding jeopardizes future acceptance, reduces potential revenue offsets

Acceptable/Not Acceptable for Acceptable/Not Acceptable for RecyclingRecycling

• Check with recycler first:Check with recycler first:• Fishing gear– no organic materialFishing gear– no organic material• Put in tarp, tied upPut in tarp, tied up• Buoys, bottles, hard plastic fish boxes OKBuoys, bottles, hard plastic fish boxes OK• Group like with likeGroup like with like• NO STYROFOAMNO STYROFOAM• NO POLYPROPYLENE LINESNO POLYPROPYLENE LINES• Think of handling on other side…. Think of handling on other side….

Cooperative effortCooperative effort

Fish net recyclingFish net recycling

• If interested in revenue potential to If interested in revenue potential to offset shipping costs:offset shipping costs:– Nets are clean (sand, grass, gravel etc.)Nets are clean (sand, grass, gravel etc.)– Free from lines and buoys other gearFree from lines and buoys other gear– Tightly folded, twisted and tied with Tightly folded, twisted and tied with

hanging twine or baggedhanging twine or bagged– Gill, seine, trawl netting acceptedGill, seine, trawl netting accepted– Lead line, corks, buoys accepted, but Lead line, corks, buoys accepted, but

kept separate from netskept separate from nets– No crab line, No weed lineNo crab line, No weed line

• Just get rid of?Just get rid of?Trawl net- fishermen returning to Trawl net- fishermen returning to

Seattle Seattle – Net with gear accepted at Port of Seattle Net with gear accepted at Port of Seattle

2-3 cents/lb Arranged with recycler. Will 2-3 cents/lb Arranged with recycler. Will pick up pick up

– No gear– disposal freeNo gear– disposal freeGillnetGillnet: net without gear accepted Seattle, : net without gear accepted Seattle,

Bellingham, Anacortes, AstoriaBellingham, Anacortes, Astoria

Collection, Storage, SupervisionCollection, Storage, SupervisionCommunity ProgramsCommunity Programs

Ideally:• Goal is to minimize

handling–collection container is transport container.

• Gear only placed in container if properly prepared and bundled

• Requires supervision and cooperation, incentives

Shipping and disposal costs, Shipping and disposal costs, logisticslogistics

• Getting materials Getting materials out of out of communities, off communities, off beaches to final beaches to final location(s) location(s)

Collection, Storage, SupervisionCollection, Storage, SupervisionBeach Clean-upsBeach Clean-ups

• Ideally handle only once. Ideally handle only once. Practically not so easy, but …Practically not so easy, but …

• Know upfront what items to be:Know upfront what items to be:– collected for recycling– landfilled If in doubt, throw it out

• Establish separate piles/tasksEstablish separate piles/tasks

• Communicate clearly with crews Communicate clearly with crews before collection begins-make before collection begins-make part of orientationpart of orientation

• Supervise Supervise

• Have tarps, ropes for bundling Have tarps, ropes for bundling fishing net, ease lifting at dockfishing net, ease lifting at dock

photos courtesy of NOAA

WasteWaste to Energyto Energy

Honolulu waste to energy – H Power (Covanta), Schnitzer

Steel, NOAA, Hawaii Longline Association, + 8 other partners

Fishing for Energy– Newport, OR 45 tons– Garibaldi, OR 12 tons– 9 MA, 2 NY, 2 RI, 1 NJ, 1 ME – VA soon to start– Ntl Fish & Wildlife Found/NOAA

MD

Waste to Energy in Dutch Harbor? $25 million…Most waste to energy, waste to gas, waste to fuel facilities require grinding nets into small

pieces

Fran RechtFran Recht

Pacific States Marine Pacific States Marine Fisheries CommissionFisheries Commission

Habitat ProgramHabitat Program

P.O. Box 221P.O. Box 221

Depoe Bay, OR 97341Depoe Bay, OR 97341

541-765-2229541-765-2229franrecht@centurytel.net