Implementing and optimising separate collection: operational and economic issues Enzo Favoino Scuola Agraria del Parco di Monza

The regulatory context: drivers from EU env policy Revised WFD  waste hierarchy + recycling targets + prevention programmes Packaging Directive  recycling targets Landfill Directive  diversion targets for biodeg waste + obligation for pretreatment EU Climate Change Programme EU Soil Strategy

What does it take to get there ? 20 % 40 % 50 % 70 % > 80 % intensive kerbside incl. food waste + PAYT intensive kerbside, incl. food waste separation Road containers + kerbside (doorstep) for a few dry recyclables (paper) “additional” systems, organics included trhough containers on the road “additional” systems, containers on the road for dry recyclables

Development of source separation of biowaste in the EU Obligations for biowaste management NL: compulsory schemes for separate collection AUT: obligation upon households to either take part in separate collection or to compost in the backyard GER: KrW-AbfG  separate collection widely diffused Catalunya (Spain): ley 6/95  compulsory for all Municipalities with a pop. > 5000 (recently extended to cover all Municipalities) SK (Act 24/04): Garden Waste to be separately colelcted by 2006; biowaste by 2010 Targets SWE: 35% composting target ITA, UK: recycling targets acting as drivers

9 Best Recycling Municipalities, pop < 10,000 inhabitants

In separate collection, what does “OPTIMISED” mean? High captures Good quality (low % of impurities) Avoid increase of waste arisings Allow for cost optimisation Contribute to fulfilling diversion targets of the Landfill Directive

The paradigm - keep control on collection, make participation highest

Against the paradigm - lose control on collection, make participation lowest

Biobins (carts) for food waste – some issues The use of biobins may imply high deliveries of garden waste Bins require mechanical loading Low density implies adoption of expensive packer trucks – or high costs for transport Reduced frequency of collection is therefore considered to save money This impairs captures of food waste – fairly high percentages in residual waste

5 Biowaste – Paradigm for optimisation Buckets litres hand-picked – saves time collection time per pick-up point: 20” - 60” at high-rises, carts adopted to serve households with one single pick Biodegradable bags Help keep containers clean The bags + a relatively frequent collection make it an “user-friendly” system Highest captures, lowest percentages of organics in residual waste Residual waste may be collected at a much lower frequency – saves money !

Food waste in residual waste

Collection of garden waste  at Civic Amenity Sites (Municipal Recycling Centres)  at the doorstep less frequent than food waste  lower cost, higher participation in home composting programmes

Packaging waste – paradigm for optimisation There’s no “one stop shop” solution – different trucks for different materials Tackle different waste materials according to their specific density/compactability Multi-material being dismissed Paper collected on itself (high captures, best quality) Glass collected on itself (best quality; also, simple/cheapest collection, it breaks hence packer trucks not needed, open lorries much cheaper) Plastics + cans increasingly tackled through “combined” collection (lightweight and compactable materials, they need packer trucks)

Collection at the doorstep Road containers (bring banks)

10 Province capitals (larger towns, with high-rise buildings)

3 Is waste “management” more difficult somewhere?

7 The “new” European Map – Economist 2010 *

Florianopolis october 28, 2010Patrizia Lo Sciuto14 Salerno 150,000 inhabitants Separate collection= 75 % Organics 50% ! Slide by Enzo Favoino

Milan – first fourth of the town (pop. 350k) Captures (kgs/person.wk)

Costs of MSW management – some general remarks Increased cost of disposal Landfill Directive Incineration Directive + IPPC Anyway cost of collection may by itself be comparatively low – similar to commingled MSW collection Savings on disposal

INFA-VHE report (Germany, 2004)

Cost optimisation (Lombardy, pop. 10M, 1500 Municipalities) Cost of collection (green bars) and cost of treatment/disposal (blue bars) Euro/person

TOOLS AND STRATEGIES TO CUT COSTS   

Thanks for your attention Enzo Favoino +39 (335)