Recycling Plastic Film atChapel Hill North Shopping Center

UNC Institute for the Environment Capstone Project

May 6, 2009

• Chapel Hill North Shopping Center

• Anchor Store: Harris Teetero Collects plastic filmo Sells to Trex Lumber

• Overall waste reduction

Photo credit: www.trex.com

Plastic Film Labeled #2 or #4

• diaper wrap (packaging)• plastic shipping envelopes(remove labels)

• case wrap (e.g., snacks,water bottles)

• plastic retail bags (hardplastic and string handles removed)

• sealed air bags used inpackaging

2&4

Plastic Film Labeled #2 or #4:

• newspaper bags• dry cleaning bags• bread bags• produce bags• electronic wrap• grocery bag• zip lock bags (removehard components)

• cereal box liners

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• Meetings• Tour of landfill, and back of store HT• Introductory letter• Survey

o Phone calls and in-person follow up

• Waste audit• Donated bins

• Weekly film collection from each bin

• Volume of film measured with 5-gallon buckets

• Addition of more binso Outdoor bins made

from recycled materials

• Thank-you notes to each storeo Encouraging letter from

the county• Post hoc survey• Discussions with store owners

about collecting and delivering their own film

• Final waste audit

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Table 1. Initial survey data

Survey Question Wellness store General medical practice

Size of dumpster? Unknown Regular

Shared dumpster? Shared Shared

Who holds dumpster contract? Shopping Center Landlord

Could the above contract be modified? Unknown Unknown

Cash rate,? If yes, what is the rate? N/A Unknown

Types of waste disposed of separately? Cardboard Cardboard

Is plastic film recycled? No No

What fraction of waste is plastic film? Less than 5% Very little

Amount of film customers leave store with? Very little None

Type (if tenant offers information)? Plastic bags N/A

Is there a storefront return system? No No

Willing to collect film in-house? Yes No

Willing to house a front-of-store bin for customers? No No

Space to collect plastic film until a weekly pick-up? Yes. In back room. N/A

Willing to arrange for its drop-off at Harris Teeter? Yes No

Survey Question Pizza place Cleaning service

Size of dumpster? 4 large trash cans & 1 dumpster Regular

Shared dumpster? Not shared Shared

Who holds dumpster contract? Shopping Center Landlord controls/county collects

Could the above contract be modified? Never discussed Never discussed/capacity sufficient

Cash rate,? If yes, what is the rate? Bundled pro-rate Unknown

Types of waste disposed of separately? None Plastic bottles and cardboard

Is plastic film recycled? No Yes

What fraction of waste is plastic film? Unknown Unknown

Amount of film customers leave store with? Unknown None

Type (if tenant offers information)? Plastic bags N/A

Is there a storefront return system? No No

Willing to collect film in-house? Yes Yes

Willing to house a front-of-store bin for customers? Yes Yes / only one

Space to collect plastic film until a weekly pick-up? Yes Unknown

Willing to arrange for its drop-off at Harris Teeter? Yes Yes only w/ financial incentive

* These surveys are incomplete. Most initial surveys were conducted over the phone, and gathering complete data depended on Capstone Team

member's communication skills and the amicability of the store staff. Post hoc surveys were completed in person

Table 1. Initial survey data

Survey Question Video rental* Chocolatier*

Size of dumpster? Missing data Missing data

Shared dumpster? Missing data Missing data

Who holds dumpster contract? Missing data Missing data

Could the above contract be modified? Missing data Missing data

Cash rate,? If yes, what is the rate? Missing data Missing data

Types of waste disposed of separately? Missing data Missing data

Is plastic film recycled? No Missing data

What fraction of waste is plastic film? Not sure Missing data

Amount of film customers leave store with? Very little Missing data

Type (if tenant offers information)? No Missing data

Is there a storefront return system? Yes Yes

Willing to collect film in-house? No No -- use interior hallway

Willing to house a front-of-store bin for customers? Yes No

Space to collect plastic film until a weekly pick-up? Yes Missing data

Willing to arrange for its drop-off at Harris Teeter? Yes Missing data

Survey Question Packing/shipping store Bird supply store

Size of dumpster? Unknown Regular

Shared dumpster? Shared Shared

Who holds dumpster contract? Landlord Not sure

Could the above contract be modified? Unknown Landlord decides

Cash rate,? If yes, what is the rate? Unknown Included in rent

Types of waste disposed of separately?

Paper, plastic bottles, bubble wrap,

peanuts

Cardboard, bubble wrap, paper, paper towels,

styrofoam, shrink wrap, trash

Is plastic film recycled? No Reuses as packaging material

What fraction of waste is plastic film? Unknown 20-25%

Amount of film customers leave store with? Very little Unknown

Type (if tenant offers information)? Missing data Plastic bags and packaging

Is there a storefront return system? No No

Willing to collect film in-house? No Yes

Willing to house a front-of-store bin for customers? N/A No

Space to collect plastic film until a weekly pick-up? N/A No

Willing to arrange for its drop-off at Harris Teeter? N/A Yes

• None knew the actual size of dumpsters

• 3/8 reported using

“regular” sized dumpster• 7/8 indicated that the

landlord controlled the waste disposal contract; 1

store was unsure who held the contract

• Plastic Film Consumptiono Bird supply: 20-25%o Wellness: less than 5%o General medical: “very little”o All others: “unknown” or

“none”

• Plastic Recyclingo 2/8 stores reuse film as

packaging material

o 3/8 stores offer customers plastic carry-away bags

o No stores offered return systems for customers

Packing/ shipping Chocalatier Wellness

Bird

supply Video rental Optician

In store plastic film recycling

bin? Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes

If yes, how full was it in a

typical week? About half Less than half Less than half N/A

Less than

half Full

Did you/employee take plastic

film to bins near Harris Teeter? No No No Yes No No

If yes, how often? N/A N/A N/A Weekly N/A N/A

Did you rely on student team to

collect your plastic film? Yes Yes Yes No Yes No

Do you plan to continue to

collect plastic film? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

If yes, how do you expect to

recycle it? Collect in store Take to the collection bins

Collect in store and take to the

collection bins

Take to the collection

bins

Collect in

store

Take to

collection bins

How convenient was it to

recycle plastic film? Very convenient Somewhat inconvenient Very convenient Somewhat convenient

Very

convenient

Very

convenient

What difficulties did you

encounter in recycling plastic?

Honestly we don't do

much. No problems

Employee awareness,

deciding where to put bin

No difficulties. I’m more

aware of waste we generate

There’s no place to keep

bag permanently N/A None

Was there feedback—positive or

negative—from customers? No No No No No No

If yes, please describe: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

March 20, 2009

May 1, 2009

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

3/27/2009 4/3/2009 4/13/2009 4/17/2009 4/24/2009 5/1/2009

Pla

stic

Fil

m (

ga

llon

s)

Collection Date

Plastic Film Collection

Wellness Store

Pizza Place

Video Rental

Hall Bin

Gas Station

Outback Bin

Common Area Front Bin

Bird Store

2.20 0.05

6.04 6.81

30.00

50.00

53.00

25.00

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

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55

Wellness Store Pizza Place Video Rental Hall Bin Gas Station Outback Bin Common Area Front

Bin

Bird Store

Week

ly A

verage o

f C

oll

ecte

d P

last

ic F

ilm

(g

all

on

s)

Bin Location

Weekly Average of Collected Plastic Film

• Length of pilot: 6 weeks• Total film collected:

258 gallons of film

• Most film: common bin located on sidewalk along store fronts

• Least film: Pizzeria; bin

was often contaminated with trash and other recyclables

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• Initial survey methods were ineffective; in-person proved the best approach

• Demonstrating the size and shape of bin was helpful

• Problem of space and aesthetics

• Slow response from stores needing corporate approval

• Interior service hallway accessible to shipping, chocolatier, and optician

• Outdoor bin in service parking lot

• Communal storefront bin on covered sidewalk

• Communal bin at gas station

• Bins in back-of-store areas only

• Stores began collecting and recycling other materials (paper, esp.)o Purple = Paper

• Increase in plastic film from initial to final waste auditso Turquoise = Plastic

• Contaminationo Most frequent in front-of-

store and bathroom binso Bins became a catch-all for

any recyclable or compostable item

• Staff more cognizant of waste generated

• More comprehensive waste audits

• Comprehensive compost

and recycling plan for shopping centerso Waste reductiono Customer/Staff awarenesso Promotes separation instead of

contaminationo In-store and back-of-store

• Role of the anchor store,

such as Harris Teeter

• Recycles all paper, aluminum, plastic bottles, and plastic film, and eliminate LIKELY one dumpster.

• Add a compost policy and eliminate a GUARANTEED ONE and POSSIBLE TWO dumpster(s).

Recyclables: 44%Compost: 46%

Total: 90%

Recyclables: 29%Compost: 26%

Total: 55%

• Eliminate Waste Industries rent for one dumpster

• Eliminate the Chapel Hill Public Works emptying fee: $22 per week per dumpster

• Transferring those savings to rent savings for recycling and composting tenants

• Convenience• Customer feedback• All pilot participants

indicated they would continue to recycle plastic film

• Transfer of film from

stores to Harris Teeter• Harris Teeter’s incentive to

collect film

• Successful collection of plastic film• Continuation of project• Awareness

• Elizabeth Shay

• Blair Pollock

• Dawn Reeves

• Nina Bellucci Butler Hendrik Kerstens “Bag”

(in the style of Vermeer)