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How to Talk About Pay-as-You-Throw Stephen Lisauskas March 30, 2015

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Page 1: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

How to Talk About Pay-as-You-ThrowStephen Lisauskas

March 30, 2015

Page 2: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

Copyright © 2015 WasteZero2

The Challenge: Bridging Policy and Politics

Widely Accepted as aSuccessful Policy Option…

…But Still Politically Challenging to Move Through the Approval Process

There can be a disconnect between the policy and the politics of pay-as-you-throw.

The good news: This is a problem with a solution.

It’s a New Fee!

It Looks Hard!

I Don’tLike Change!

~150 Programs Across

Massachusetts

44% Average MSW Decrease

(Bag-Based Programs)

Page 3: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

Copyright © 2015 WasteZero3

The Solution: Communication & Education

Overcoming the political challenge of pay-as-you-throw requires clear, thought-out communication to residents—both on how PAYT will help them and on how it will work.

Explaining Operational

Benefits

Explaining Ease

of Use

Explaining FinancialBenefits

Explaining Environmental

Benefits

Educationand

Outreach

Explainingthe Problem

Page 4: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

Copyright © 2015 WasteZero4

Explaining the Problem

The first step in talking about pay-as-you-throw is explaining the context. People need to understand there is a problem that requires us to change the status quo.

Explaining Operational

Benefits

Explaining Ease

of Use

Explaining FinancialBenefits

Explaining Environmental

Benefits

Educationand

Outreach

Explainingthe Problem

1. The overall problem

2. How their community is involved in the problem

3. How the audience and their neighbors are involved

Page 5: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

Copyright © 2015 WasteZero5

Disposal Options Have Disappeared, For Good and Bad

302: Number of operating landfills 30 years ago in MA

16: Number in 2012

11: Number today

6: Number by 2020, per DEP predictions

Accept trash from host communities only

Possible Landfill Locations in 2020 (all require permit extensions) Bourne Carver Dartmouth Middleborough Nantucket Westminster

Landfills Operating in Massachusetts - 2014

Page 6: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

Copyright © 2015 WasteZero6

Peabody Plymouth Taunton Chicopee Weymouth Revere Methuen Barnstable Statewide PAYT -

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

Solid Waste in Comparison Communities+/- 5,000 population, 2013 data, pounds of trash per person

served

The Numbers – Solid Waste

Peabody residents pay to dispose of more solid waste than other communities

Medford excluded due to apparent data error

Page 7: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

Copyright © 2015 WasteZero7

Explaining the Problem

The first step in talking about pay-as-you-throw is explaining the context. People need to understand there is a problem that requires us to change the status quo.

Explaining Operational

Benefits

Explaining Ease

of Use

Explaining FinancialBenefits

Explaining Environmental

Benefits

Educationand

Outreach

Explainingthe Problem

2013 % Composition

Estimated Total (tons)

Beverly BOTE (lbs)

Food Waste 18.6% 878,289 4,325,244 Paper 14.6% 687,465 3,395,084 Textiles 5.2% 246,578 1,209,208 Plastic (non-film) 5.0% 236,320 1,162,700 Plastic Film 2.0% 94,455 465,080 Metal 2.4% 112,963 558,096 Glass 1.4% 68,228 325,556 Total 49.2% 2,324,298 11,440,968

Example—

40,000-resident city

Page 8: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

Copyright © 2015 WasteZero8

Explaining the Problem

The first step in talking about pay-as-you-throw is explaining the context. People need to understand there is a problem that requires us to change the status quo.

Explaining Operational

Benefits

Explaining Ease

of Use

Explaining FinancialBenefits

Explaining Environmental

Benefits

Educationand

Outreach

Explainingthe Problem

Pay Set Amount Regardless of UsePay Based on Use

ElectricityWater Gas

Garbage

Conserved Wasted

Page 9: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

Copyright © 2015 WasteZero9

Explaining Financial Benefits

Residents must also understand the financial impact—usually positive—that pay-as-you-throw will have on them.

Explaining Operational

Benefits

Explaining Ease

of Use

Explaining FinancialBenefits

Explaining Environmental

Benefits

Educationand

Outreach

Explainingthe Problem

Before PAYT With PAYT0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Baseline Trash Cost

Baseline Trash Cost

Spending on Bags

Disposal Sav-ings

Hous

ehol

d Sp

endi

ngon

Gar

bage

When an existing fee is being reduced,

to be replaced by spending on bags…

… Show that household costscan stay stable

1

Page 10: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

Copyright © 2015 WasteZero10

Explaining Financial Benefits

Residents must also understand the financial impact—usually positive—that pay-as-you-throw will have on them.

Explaining Operational

Benefits

Explaining Ease

of Use

Explaining FinancialBenefits

Explaining Environmental

Benefits

Educationand

Outreach

Explainingthe Problem

Before PAYT With PAYT0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Baseline Trash Cost

Baseline Trash Cost

Disposal Sav-ings

Spending on Bags

Hous

ehol

d Sp

endi

ngon

Gar

bage

… Show concretely what the new

household costswill be used to fund

Example: Curbside Recycling

2 When PAYT is being used fund other

municipal goals…

Page 11: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

Copyright © 2015 WasteZero11

Explaining Financial Benefits

Residents must also understand the financial impact—usually positive—that pay-as-you-throw will have on them.

Explaining Operational

Benefits

Explaining Ease

of Use

Explaining FinancialBenefits

Explaining Environmental

Benefits

Educationand

Outreach

Explainingthe Problem

1. Increase Taxesto Generate Revenue

2. Use PAYTto Generate Revenue

$0.00

$0.25

$0.50

$0.75

$1.00

ContributionFrom Resi-

dents ContributionFrom Resi-

dents

Disposal Sav-ings

OR… Show that PAYT is a more efficient way

to meet budget goals because of

decreased disposal spending

3 When PAYT is being used in place of a

tax increase…

Page 12: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

Copyright © 2015 WasteZero12

Explaining Operational Benefits

Pay-as-you-throw brings significant, but often uncommunicated, operational benefits to the communities that implement it.

Explaining Operational

Benefits

Explaining Ease

of Use

Explaining FinancialBenefits

Explaining Environmental

Benefits

Educationand

Outreach

Explainingthe Problem

Having less garbage to collect means

quicker—and sometimes fewer—

routes…

…Enabling public works staff to perform other

municipal services

Bulky Item Pickup

Yard Waste Collection Road Repairs

Page 13: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

Copyright © 2015 WasteZero13

Explaining Environmental Benefits

Residents who are interested in sustainability may be motivated by pay-as-you-throw’s positive impact on their community’s environmental footprint.

Explaining Operational

Benefits

Explaining Ease

of Use

Explaining FinancialBenefits

Explaining Environmental

Benefits

Educationand

Outreach

Explainingthe Problem

Annual Carbon Emissions Savings—Like Taking Away…

5,000 Passenger Vehicles

2,859,000 Gallons of Gasoline

Annual Energy Savings—Like Capturing the Energy From…

21,000 Rooftop

Solar Arrays

1,500Single-Family

Houses

Example—

90,000-resident city

Page 14: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

Copyright © 2015 WasteZero14

Explaining Ease of Use

Pay-as-you-throw is easy to take part in, usually no change in household operations is required. This is another point that is often lost. Big results require big changes, right?

Explaining Operational

Benefits

Explaining Ease

of Use

Explaining FinancialBenefits

Explaining Environmental

Benefits

Educationand

Outreach

Explainingthe Problem

Purchase Trash Bags at Store

Dispose of Trash Bagsin the Same Manner as Before PAYT

Curb Transfer Station

Cart

Average:1.2 large bagsper household

per week

1 2

Page 15: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

Copyright © 2015 WasteZero15

Education and Outreach

A comprehensive resident education campaign incorporating information about the benefits of PAYT and answering any operational questions is also key.

Explaining Operational

Benefits

Explaining Ease

of Use

Explaining FinancialBenefits

Explaining Environmental

Benefits

Educationand

Outreach

Explainingthe Problem

Page 16: Waste zero massrecycle presentation

Copyright © 2015 WasteZero16

Timing

Pre-Implementation Support Ongoing Support

CommunityOutreach Meetings

Program Design and

MessageDevelopment

Resident Education Materials

Resident-Facing Web Site

Part of how to talk about pay-as-you-throw is also when and where to talk aboutpay-as-you-throw. This is true both before and after implementation.

When municipal leaders are armed with messages that resonate with residents, they can make policy ideas into political reality.