Sort it Out! MRF Residue/Contamination Issues & Solutions a perspective from a hauler and processor Tim Dewey-Mattia Napa Recycling

Napa Recycling – Who are we? The hauler and the processor Exclusive hauler for City of Napa and southern unincorporated Napa County City owned facility – NRWS operates 30,000 households & 1,400 commercial customers 66% diversion rate in City of Napa, 80% diversion rate in County service area

Napa Recycling & Composting Facility

The issue - residual tonnage doubled at our Napa MRF,  300+ tons/month of potentially “recyclable” material headed to the landfill Why? Processing more tons than ever (25k in 2005, 36k in 2010, 42k in 2015) The “evolving ton”– more plastics, less newspaper, more cardboard Customer confusion, more commercial material sort line now 11+ years old, older technology, aging equipment “MRF overs” off the end of the sort line – no market w/ declining materials markets

Other examples in the press recently – including San Jose’s 40% “contamination” rate

dirty food takeout boxes Some examples: tissues dirty food takeout boxes aluminum pans with leftover food cans half-full with beans or tuna Bagged material (CWS installing bag shredders) From Mercury News article: San Jose: Recycling rule-breakers may be fined for banned items in curbside bins, 9/21/15

21-27% “contamination rate” Sonoma County – 21-27% “contamination rate” materials that are no longer accepted in recycling include: pizza boxes consolidated plastic bags shredded paper The Press Democrat; Recycler fined for garbage-filled Santa Rosa centers, 9/15/15

“Contamination” isn’t one thing, and recycling collection service providers, MRF operators, municipalities and finished scrap product consumers view “contamination” differently. Here is [Peter Slote’s] quick matrix: 1. Contamination at the curb (complex relationship to 2 & 3 below) 2. MRF residue – consists of both non-program items (i.e. Styrofoam) and lots of program material (i.e. small glass & paper relegated to residue) 3. Contamination of finished scrap products - non-spec material [both program and non-program] that finds its way into marketed material

Who’s contamination is it? Let’s play Name That Pile!

Recycling is Confusing from RecycleCoach.com

Process Material screened, ground and placed in windrows 15 day process, temps between 131-160 F Turned every few days, watered when needed Screened to 3/8 inch for curing and sale PET foam – a tale of recycling markets, foam packaging, MRF processing, producer responsibility & truth-in-labeling

Q: I am eternally confused about the various bottle caps and container lids, both metal and plastic, that come with so many of our purchases. What can go in the recycling bin, and what can’t? Other topics from The Compost Corner – coffee pods, corks, balloons, compost or recycle paper, that kinda rigid plastic that my Trader Joe’s ravioli come in…

So Let’s Sort it Out! from OaklandRecycles.com new MRF technologies, and funding for MRF upgrades secondary MRFs - need to make it worth sorting again market assistance - product stewardship, takeback programs, CRV, material bans of problem materials, etc. Effective education and outreach different levels – simple basic info, with more detailed info available other ideas – compost paper under 2” from OaklandRecycles.com Haulers, processers, local and state government, manufacturers…we all need to engage in this process

Curbside compost service helps complete the picture We get less soiled paper in the recycling now that we have a full food composting program Recent residential waste audit showed only 2% of landfill tons readily recyclable in program

Plastic Bag Ban – immediate 50% decline in plastic bags The solution In addition, recent maintenance on the conveyors has decreased residue by about 100 tons/month

Questions? Tim Dewey-Mattia Recycling & Public Education Manager Napa Recycling & Waste Services tim@naparecycling.com 707.255.5200 x1204 www.naparecycling.com Facebook & Twitter @NapaRecycling