Increasing Philadelphias Recycling Rate: Lessons from the West Coast

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Increasing Philadelphias Recycling Rate Lessons
from the West Coast
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Recycling has become an American Institution

• Between 1970 and 2001 recycling has grown from
  several hundred to more than 9,000 municipal
  recycling programs and every state
• 139 million Americans participate in recycling
• Recycling is popular more people recycle than
  vote.

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What can Philadelphia Learn from successful
Recycling Programs?
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Among Public Officials Cost is an issue !

• Philadelphia officials have consistently cited
  costs in resisting expanding program efforts.
• Washington, D.C canceled and reinstated its
  recycling program
• Baltimore, Maryland, and Charleston, West
  Virginia, reduce recycling services

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How can you increase waste diversion, or even
justify continuation of recycling services in an
era of shrinking public resources ?
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ANSWER FOCUS ON COLLECTION EFFICIENCY

• Case Studies show 50 of cost is for collecting
  solid waste and recyclables
• Collection efficiency strategies have been
  developed in the west and southwest that have
  done more with less stabilized or reduced costs
  while increasing services

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Increasing Recycling Rates Lessons from the
West Coast

• Modernize using technology to improve collection
  efficiency and do more with less
• Success goes beyond Suburbia to large, diverse
  cities, including
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Oakland, California
• Los Angeles, California
• San Francisco, California

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Milwaukee

• Semi-Automated fleet, with municipal crew of two,
  separate trucks for recycling and trash.
• Recycling uses dual collection truck and split
  container separating paper from commingled
  containers
• Objective was to reduce worker injuries and to
  reduce costs to avoid privatization.
• Weekly collection of mixed papers, glass, metal
  and plastic containers. (no yard waste)
• Diversion rate 25

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Oakland

• Dual collection, contacted crew of one,
  semi-automated front loaders
• Early dual-collection system, objective to
  reduce workers comp claims and the costs of
  service
• Weekly collection of mixed papers, glass, metal
  and plastic containers, and yard waste
• Diversion rate 33

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Los Angeles

• Mixed fleet with fully and semi-automated trucks,
  municipal crew of one, separate trucks for trash,
  recycling, and yard waste.
• Objective to increase public participation,
  improve collection efficiencies, reduce driver
  injuries and deter scavenging
• Weekly collection of three carts from each
  resident commingled recyclables, trash and yard
  waste
• Diversion rate 42

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San Francisco

• Semi-automated, with contracted crew of one,
  separate trucks for trash, recycling, and
  compostables.
• Objective to focused on reducing street litter
  and associated costs while striving to increase
  efficiency in collection of all materials
• Weekly collection of three carts from each
  resident commingled recyclables, trash and
  compostables yard waste and food waste
• Diversion rate 42

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Philadelphias DualCollection Pilot First
Major Test of West Coast Recycling Strategies in
the Northeast

• What can we learn from the west coast experience?
• Will it work in Philadelphia?
• How will it affect recycling and waste diversion?
• What is the status of the pilot so far?
• What do I recommend?

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WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE WEST COAST EXPERIENCE?
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Success Has Been The Result Four Key Collection
Strategies

• Automating municipal trash collection
• Implementing Dual collection
• Adding more types of materials to be collected
  for recycling,
• Instituting curbside collection of yard waste

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Automating Municipal Trash Collection

• Replaces manual collection with a mechanical lift
  to empty trash to the truck
• Services a specialized, large capacity wheeled
  cart with hinged lid

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Fully Automated trash and recyclables collected
without the worker leaving the truck
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SemiAutomated worker rolls container to a lift
system that empties the trash
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Dual Collection Vehicles
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Benefits of automation and dual collection

• Reduction of labor requirements and improvements
  in worker safety
• Collection of more set-outs in less time
• Reduction in the number of vehicles needed to
  serve a given collection territory.
• Reduction in litter and unsightly set-outs
• Truly integrates trashing and recycling
  success of system is dependent on recycling

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Philadelphias Dual Collection Pilot is testing
all four Collection Strategies

• weekly collection, same day as trash using
  automation, dual collection and added materials,
  yard waste collection and separate bulk
  collection services
• involves a diverse cross section of the city,
  7,000 residents, representing 13 daily collection
  segments
• selected areas reflect mix of weekly/biweekly
  collection, high/low current recycling levels,
  high/low litter levels and obstacles
• Education and enforcement are promised to be
  extensive, and monitored by independent
  contractors

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WILL IT WORK IN PHILADELPHIA? HOW WILL IT
EFFECT RECYCLING?
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Automated Dual Collection Systems Work and
Provide Benefits IF

• Trucks, lift systems and carts are compatible
• Collection Routes, crews and carts are properly
  sized
• Trash is limited to the cart provided and
  recycling containers are provided with no limit
• Dual collection compartments match collection
  volumes and
• The collection route can accommodate the larger
  truck
• Trash and recycling are tipped within ten miles
  of each other
• The public is properly educated with effective
  enforcement

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Based on successful programs, the pilots were
properly planned

• Two types of semi automated dual collected
  trucks are being tested Side loading and rear
  loading
• Crews were trained and routes selected to
  accommodate the longer trucks
• 64 gallon carts have been provided on all but two
  routes unlimited recycling containers are
  available
• Plastic containers and corrugated containers will
  be added to mixed paper and glass and metal
  containers
• Yard waste will be collected twice a month plus
  two scheduled collection for bulk waste
• Tipping of trash/recycling in same location
• Education consists of mailings, several community
  meetings with some door-to-door and uniformed
  enforcers

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The impact on recycling and waste diversion
should be dramatic IF

• The objective of the pilot is to identify and
  correct issues as they arise
• Education is extensive and the residents are
  supportive
• Enforcement of cart limit and recycling is
  vigorous and consistent
• Collection service is consistent and reliable

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WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE PILOT SO FAR?
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The Pilot is under way in the following
Neighborhoods

• Northeast
• Bustleton (2 segments)
• Somerton
• Rhawnhurst (2 segments)

• Northwest
• West Oak Lane
• Fern Rock
• Ivy Hill
• Pelham (2 segments)
• Germantown
• West Mount Airy
• Chestnut Hill
• No trash carts provided in these segments

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What is the Status of the pilot?

• Pilots are in their second and forth months
• No formal reports or baseline info have been
  released
• Based on a visual tour over the last week, I
  offer the following observations

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Rhawnhurst, adjacent to the Roosevelt Mall
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Bustleton north of Rhawnhurst in Northeast
Philly
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A look at the pilots in Ivy Hill, West Oak Lane
show considerable recycling set-outs but theres
more work to be done.
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Bulk waste, and filled corrugated boxes were a
common occurrence
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In Pelham many have chosen to not use the roll
out containers at all and recycling set-outs are
few
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Based on the observations, I offer the following
recommendations

• 1. Secure clearance to release these reports as
  soon as possible.
• 2. Involve the RAC and the SWAC in the formal
  evaluation process.
• 3. Add Carts to the pilots in Germantown, West
  Mount Airy and Chestnut Hill, with a renewed
  promotions program.
• 4. Reconsider the scope of your promotions, and
  advertise more widely. .
• 5. If you havent already, enlist neighbor
  leaders to be your advocates, particularly in the
  troubled areas.