Cut Trash in Half in America:Right Now!

John Campbell

Feb. 23, 2016Catawba College Center for the Environment

Do we really need to fix this?

“Cities have been burying garbage for thousands of years and it’s still the easiest and cheapest solution for trash.”

- John Tierney, New York Times, October 3, 2015

America is drowning in trash…

2015 Trash Per Person, US 857

lbs.

Calculation Based on Data from Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures 2013, US EPA, June 2015

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

100

200

300

400

500

600

520 Billion Pounds This Year in the US

All residential and commercial municipal waste and recyclables generated (not including C&D debris), US EPA, projected

Bury Delaware a foot deep…every year

Financial Cost

$500BPer Year

Environmental Impact

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Cons

umer

Pric

e In

dex

Trash & RecyclingCosts

CPI

2.4X CPI

But Wait–A Better Idea!

Mandatory Recycling Ordinances

Larger Containers / More Frequent Collection

Curbside Organics Programs

Recycling Education

Plastic Bag Bans

Engage People!

Incentives to Conserve and Save

Water Electricity Gas

Perverse Incentives with Trash

Blank Check

The Better Way

1. Cut Fixed Fees

Solid Waste $25.00

CITY OF ANYTOWN

ANYTOWN, USAPO BOX 1234

CITY OF ANYTOWN

ANYTOWN, USAPO BOX 1234

ANYTOWN, USA

The Better Way

1. Cut Fixed Fees

Solid Waste $25.00

CITY OF ANYTOWN

ANYTOWN, USAPO BOX 1234

CITY OF ANYTOWN

ANYTOWN, USAPO BOX 1234

ANYTOWN, USA

2. Pay by the Bag

The Better Way

1. Cut Fixed Fees

Solid Waste $25.00

CITY OF ANYTOWN

ANYTOWN, USAPO BOX 1234

CITY OF ANYTOWN

ANYTOWN, USAPO BOX 1234

ANYTOWN, USA

2. Pay by the Bag 3. Incentivize What’s Right

Always Free

The Better Way

Meter the Trash

Worcester, MAPop. 182,000

22 years

55% reduction

$95 million impact

Annual Trash Tonnage

20151993

396 lbs.

Worcester, MA Dartmouth, MA

400 lbs. 411 lbs.

Malden, MA Tiverton, RI

500 lbs.

Sanford, ME

313 lbs.

Decatur, GA

480 lbs.

Waterville, ME

325 lbs.

Gloucester, MA

504 lbs.

44%

Why doesn’t everybody do it?

Change can be hard….

Image: Boston Globe, April 14, 2013

COURAGE

We need to do this for our communities…

Now

Salisbury, NC

Current Process WasteZero Trash Metering®

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

8,000

4,480

Tons of Residential MSW Disposed Annually

Less Trash

Current Process WasteZero Trash Metering®

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

1,6003,000

Tons of Residential Recycling Disposed Annually

↓ 3,520tons

More Recycling

↑ 1,400 tons

1 Based on tip fee of $34.00/ton

Preliminary Annual Tonnage Impact of Trash Metering®

Salisbury, NC Preliminary Annual Environmental Impact of Trash Metering®BTUs (Energy Used)

Annual Reduction

55,000Million Units

• Reduced costs • Reduced carbon footprint• Increased energy security

Equivalent to:

Or

CO2e (Greenhouse Gas)

Annual Reduction

6,600Metric Tons

• Reduced carbon footprint• Less pollution• Healthier environment for residents

Equivalent to:

or

Removing

1,300passenger vehicles from the road

Reducing gasoline consumption by

744,000gallons

Powering

490residential homes

Installing

6,900rooftop solar panel arrays

Source: EPA WARM Model

Salisbury, NC

1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years

Revenue Bag Sales1 $712,800 $2,138,400 $3,564,000 $7,128,100

Savings MSW Tip Fees $119,700 $359,000 $598,400 $1,196,800

Net Program Impact $832,500 $2,497,400 $4,162,400 $8,324,900

* Cumulative Benefits and Savings for Years 3,5, and 10 1Net of program services and supplies

Preliminary Annual Financial Impact of Trash Metering®*