Blaine County Recycling Blaine County Recycling Program Review & Program Review &

PlanningPlanningMeeting # 4Meeting # 4

January 21, 2005January 21, 2005

Review of Last MeetingReview of Last Meeting

Concept of Avoided CostsConcept of Avoided Costs Avoided costs are savings that can be Avoided costs are savings that can be

realized from choosing a less costly waste realized from choosing a less costly waste management option.management option.

Avoided costs are often applied to Avoided costs are often applied to recycling or waste diversion programs to recycling or waste diversion programs to account for some of the deficit of program account for some of the deficit of program costs minus program revenues.costs minus program revenues.

Blaine County’s avoided cost per ton is Blaine County’s avoided cost per ton is approximately $11.94approximately $11.94

Cost of Processing Cost of Processing CommoditiesCommodities

Approximate value of community service Approximate value of community service labor at the BCRRC is $17,700 per yearlabor at the BCRRC is $17,700 per year

If we add this value back into the cost per If we add this value back into the cost per ton calculation from last time, the processing ton calculation from last time, the processing cost per hour increases from $34.47/hour to cost per hour increases from $34.47/hour to $40.56/hour$40.56/hour

If all other factors remain the same, the If all other factors remain the same, the addition of community service labor makes addition of community service labor makes the following changes to the cost per ton to the following changes to the cost per ton to process each commodity process each commodity Note: Because the difference in cost per pound Note: Because the difference in cost per pound

worked out to just 10worked out to just 10ths ths of a cent, the figures were of a cent, the figures were not rounded to the nearest cent, as they were in not rounded to the nearest cent, as they were in the calculations from the December meetingthe calculations from the December meeting

Summary of Costs Per TonSummary of Costs Per Ton

CommodityCommodityProcessing Cost Processing Cost (Revenue) per Ton(Revenue) per Ton

CardboardCardboard $ 2.49 $ 2.49 NewspaperNewspaper (39.65)(39.65)Aluminum CansAluminum Cans (336.23)(336.23)Tin CansTin Cans 182.80182.80Paper GradesPaper Grades (7.56)(7.56)MagazinesMagazines (23.13)(23.13)PlasticPlastic 1395.001395.00

The Collection SystemThe Collection System

Collecting Recyclables-Collecting Recyclables-MethodsMethods

Residential CurbsideResidential Curbside Mandatory in Hailey and KetchumMandatory in Hailey and Ketchum Voluntary, or “subscription” service in Voluntary, or “subscription” service in

Bellevue, Sun Valley and unincorporated areasBellevue, Sun Valley and unincorporated areas Service provided by Clear Creek DisposalService provided by Clear Creek Disposal

Commercial CollectionCommercial Collection Voluntary, or “subscription” serviceVoluntary, or “subscription” service Both Clear Creek Disposal and Recycling Both Clear Creek Disposal and Recycling

Services provide this serviceServices provide this service Self-HaulSelf-Haul

Public brings materials to BCRRC at Ohio GulchPublic brings materials to BCRRC at Ohio Gulch

Collecting Recyclables–Collecting Recyclables–Residential CurbsideResidential CurbsideProsPros

Convenient for Convenient for ResidentsResidents

Utilizes one collection Utilizes one collection vehicle vs. multiple vehicle vs. multiple residential vehiclesresidential vehicles

Can increase Can increase recycling awareness recycling awareness at the household at the household levellevel

ConsCons Extremely Extremely

expensive expensive Labor intenseLabor intense Requires constant Requires constant

re-educationre-education Quality of materials Quality of materials

often compromisedoften compromised

Collecting Recyclables-Collecting Recyclables-Commercial CollectionCommercial Collection

ProsPros Can save a business Can save a business

money if reduces money if reduces dumpster sizedumpster size

Convenient for the Convenient for the businessbusiness

Can have a significant Can have a significant impact on the waste impact on the waste stream (esp. OCC)stream (esp. OCC)

ConsCons Requires frequent Requires frequent

re-training of staffre-training of staff Large OCC containers Large OCC containers

often used by residents often used by residents for illegal dumpingfor illegal dumping

Difficult to pinpoint Difficult to pinpoint sources of sources of contamination once contamination once materials are in the materials are in the trucktruck

Collecting Recyclables-Collecting Recyclables-Self-HaulSelf-Haul

ProsPros Perceived as “free” Perceived as “free”

by residentsby residents Generally produces Generally produces

a cleaner stream of a cleaner stream of materialsmaterials

Self-haul can Self-haul can participate in UBC participate in UBC buybackbuyback

ConsCons Not as convenient Not as convenient

for for residents/businessresidents/businesseses

More vehicle and More vehicle and pedestrian traffic pedestrian traffic at BCRRC = at BCRRC = possible safety risk possible safety risk

Collecting Recyclables-Collecting Recyclables-% of BCRRC Total Volumes% of BCRRC Total Volumes

1,40764%

52124%

26312%

Residential Curbside Business Collection Self-Haul

Participation RatesParticipation Rates Difficult to determine since people Difficult to determine since people

may only set out bins every 2-3 may only set out bins every 2-3 weeks when fullweeks when full

Best estimates: On any given week:Best estimates: On any given week: 38% of Residential Accounts38% of Residential Accounts 58% of Business Accounts58% of Business Accountswill have their recyclables set out for will have their recyclables set out for curbside collectioncurbside collection

Taking a Closer Look at Taking a Closer Look at CurbsideCurbside

Mandatory and Subscription Mandatory and Subscription Curbside ServicesCurbside Services

““Mandatory” service refers to the curbside Mandatory” service refers to the curbside costs being rolled into the monthly costs being rolled into the monthly garbage fees of every resident – everyone garbage fees of every resident – everyone pays; however, it is up to the individual pays; however, it is up to the individual whether or not to set out their binwhether or not to set out their bin Curbside collection is mandatory in the Cities Curbside collection is mandatory in the Cities

of Hailey and Ketchumof Hailey and Ketchum ““Subscription” service refers to a separate Subscription” service refers to a separate

line-item charge for curbside recycling at line-item charge for curbside recycling at the discretion of the residentthe discretion of the resident Curbside collection is available by subscription Curbside collection is available by subscription

in the Cities of Bellevue and Sun Valley, and in in the Cities of Bellevue and Sun Valley, and in unincorporated areasunincorporated areas

The Cost of Curbside The Cost of Curbside CollectionCollection

CityCity Service Service LevelLevel

Collection Collection CostsCosts

Curbside Curbside Billed Billed

SeparatelSeparately?y?

Curbside Curbside CostCost

BellevueBellevue Unlimited Unlimited garbagegarbage

$16.05$16.05 YY $4.95$4.95

HaileyHailey 30 gallon30 gallon90 gallon90 gallon

$11.45$11.45$22.89$22.89

NN $3.00$3.00

KetchumKetchum 70 gallon70 gallon95 gallon95 gallon

$18.53$18.53$20.38$20.38

NN $3.15$3.15

Sun ValleySun Valley Unlimited Unlimited garbagegarbage

$15.57$15.57 YY $4.95$4.95

Residential Curbside-Residential Curbside-# of Residents Served# of Residents Served

AreaArea# of Residential # of Residential Curbside Curbside AccountsAccounts

# of Stops per # of Stops per week (based on week (based on 38% set out rate)38% set out rate)

BellevueBellevue 5151 2020

HaileyHailey 2,5102,510 954954

KetchumKetchum 1,3281,328 505505

Sun ValleySun Valley 182182 7070

UnincorporatedUnincorporated 461461 176176

TotalsTotals 4,5324,532 1,7251,725

Cost per Ton for Collection –Cost per Ton for Collection –Garbage vs. Curbside Garbage vs. Curbside

RecyclingRecyclingESTIMATED ESTIMATED

AVERAGE COST PER AVERAGE COST PER TON FOR TON FOR

RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL GARBAGE GARBAGE

COLLECTIONCOLLECTION

$130$130

ESTIMATED ESTIMATED AVERAGE COST PER AVERAGE COST PER

TON FOR TON FOR RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL

CURBSIDE CURBSIDE RECYCLINGRECYCLING

$691$691

Notes on Estimated Costs per Notes on Estimated Costs per Ton for CollectionTon for Collection

Curbside Recycling rates were set before Curbside Recycling rates were set before the addition of plastics and mixed paper to the addition of plastics and mixed paper to the programthe program

Both residential and business recycling are Both residential and business recycling are collected in the same truck, therefore, collected in the same truck, therefore, volumes for residential curbside are volumes for residential curbside are calculated by an estimated percentage of calculated by an estimated percentage of the total, based on information from the the total, based on information from the recycling collection driver and BCRRC staffrecycling collection driver and BCRRC staff

Adding New Items to Curbside-Adding New Items to Curbside-How Does it Affect Collection?How Does it Affect Collection?

Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions What are the benefits/drawbacks of What are the benefits/drawbacks of

charging the cost of curbside charging the cost of curbside recycling as a separate line-item on recycling as a separate line-item on residential billing statements? residential billing statements?

Would charging curbside recycling as Would charging curbside recycling as a separate line-item on residential a separate line-item on residential statements increase participation in statements increase participation in curbside recycling?curbside recycling?

Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions Based on the information presented, is the Based on the information presented, is the

curbside program financially stable? (i.e. curbside program financially stable? (i.e. can we retain the current # of materials can we retain the current # of materials collected at the current collection rates?)collected at the current collection rates?)

If no, what can be done to make curbside If no, what can be done to make curbside recycling more fiscally responsible, and recycling more fiscally responsible, and the pros and cons of each option.the pros and cons of each option.

If yes, do we want to see the program If yes, do we want to see the program grow in any way, and if so, what might the grow in any way, and if so, what might the financial impact be?financial impact be?

Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions What direction should the recycling What direction should the recycling

programs in Blaine County take? programs in Blaine County take? Should the focus be on recycling Should the focus be on recycling more (quantity) or recycle better more (quantity) or recycle better (quality)?(quality)?