Single Stream Recycling Material Recovery Facilities Tracy Nestor, Republic Services

About Republic Services Republic Services, Inc. is an industry leader in U.S. non-hazardous solid waste and recycling. Republic Services operates 75 recycling facilities nationwide, and partners with more than 100 mills and manufacturers worldwide to turn recycled items into new products. Those products include newspaper, cardboard, glass and plastic bottles, tissue, paper towels, and metal cans. Republic Services has invested over $12 M in infrastructure upgrades at our Material Recovery Facility (MRF) to convert single stream technology. Today we would like to discuss our new single stream technology and the benefits single stream collection can bring to your community.

About the Conover Recycling Facility Approximately 49,000 square feet Highly-advanced, single stream recycling operation Serves more than 146,000 homes throughout Alamance, Alexander, Caldwell, Catawba, Guilford, Lincoln, Montgomery, Richmond, Rutherford and Stanly counties in North Carolina Employs 43 full-time personnel Recycling operations at the facility first began in 1990 Offers a unique Learning Center for the community to visit, experience a rare, up-close view of the recycling process, and learn more about recycling and sustainability issues. Designed by Bulk Handling Systems (bulkhandlingsystems.com)

MRF Capabilities Processes more than 400 tons of mixed recyclables per day, or 25 tons per hour Capacity is projected to increase by approximately 25% in the first year Recycled materials can be processed and shipped to domestic or international markets as commodities within 24 hours of arrival Finished bales of paper, plastic and metals weigh an average of 1,500 lbs.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Aluminum: Recycling one aluminum can save enough energy to run a TV for 3 hours (Source – Reynolds Metal Company) Glass: One ton of glass made from 50% recycled materials saves 250 lbs. of mining waste (Source – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Paper: Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees and 7,000 gallons of water (Source – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Plastic: The energy saved by recycling one plastic bottle will power a computer for 25 minutes (Source – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Steel: Every pound of steel recycled saves enough energy to light a 60-watt bulb for 24 hours (Source – Penn State University)

Public Buy Back / Learning Center We have a public buy back center that is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm, and we pay cash for certain items such as aluminum cans. We serve as a Convenience Center where the general public can drop off their recycling if they do not have pick up at their residence. Tours are available at no cost to the general public by appointment. Our education room has an 80” television screen that allows us to view all areas of the facility through cameras. One wall in the education room has a full diagram of the new automated sorting system on it. There are examples off all materials we accept on display in the education room.

Why is Single Stream So Significant Collection is the most expensive aspect of providing recycling service Single stream recycling enables more efficient collection Ability to commingle removes a barrier to participation Conversion to single stream is associated with significant increases in participation and landfill diversion More convenience centers in NC are single-stream than any other recycling style

Benefits of Single Stream Curbside Drop Off Centers Increased ease for participants No need for specialized / compartmentalized vehicle Material can be compacted (greater payloads, less time spent dumping, more time on route) Enables use of carts Increased ease for participants – no need to sort into different containers Takes up less space at convenience sites Compatible with common service vehicles (front-load or roll-off) Allows programs to maximize hauling effectiveness

Facts About Program Effectiveness source-separated and dual-stream curbside programs in NC Collection average = 249 lbs/household/year single stream curbside programs in NC Collection average = 331 lbs./household/year 33% increase Operational savings + increased recovery+ reduced disposal cost will outweigh lost revenue

Higher market = higher rebates Curbside Savings Example: 12,000 home municipality $45 per ton disposal cost EOW curbside recycling program 95 gallon carts $5 per ton rebate 2000 tons per year recyclables = $10,000 year rebate 2000 tons per year disposal diversion = $90,000 year savings Higher market = higher rebates Higher participation = lower disposal costs

County Recycling Program Styles in NC As of FY 2012-2013 Single Stream is the most common type of drop off program. * Source NC Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service # Counties # Convenience Sites Single Stream 43 333 Dual Stream 11 76 Source Separated 42 283

Single-Stream and Drop-off Recycling Simplify citizen experience – no need for sorting, one stop Fewer containers taking up less space, traffic flow at sites improves Allows for compaction to maximize hauling efficiency Counties should strongly consider compactors at staffed convenience sites (more payload, fewer hauls)

Space: Before and After Before: multiple containers for different recyclables After: one or two centralized containers for mixed recyclable material

Single Stream + Compactors = Results County Recycling Increase After Single Stream Implementation Franklin County 43% Moore County 49% Rutherford County 20% Moore County, NC Case Study Collection Costs Before $144,573 After: $53,775 Trend shows that single stream collection at drop off centers with compactors is a 3:1 reduction in collection costs

Rutherford County Case Study Bills Creek Site Danieltown Site Before: 3 trips per month at $180 per trip $6480 per year After: 1 trip per month at $108 per trip $1296 per year Annual savings $5184 Before: 12 trips per month at $108 per trip $15,552 per year After: 2 trips per month at $72 per trip $1728 per year Annual Savings $13,824

Contact and Visit a MRF Take a tour to understand the technology and capabilities Partner with a local MRF to review your recycling programs Consider Single Stream Recycling to Improve efficiencies Reduce landfill tonnage Make recycling easier on the consumer to increase participation Contact DEACS to see if there is grant funding for your community to fund the implementation of single stream collection. Use your MRF as a resource to provide you with the latest recycling trends

Thank you! Tracy Nestor Municipal Services Manager tnestor@republicservices.com 828.217.8766