Partnering Up to Collaborate on Cans
Dylan de Thomas, The Recycling PartnershipCMI Annual Meeting
May 14, 2020
recyclingpartnership.org
We’re all in this bin together
recyclingpartnership.org
Before we got to this…
A Little History…
A Little History…
to
<0%Infrastructure GrantsReduce Contamination and Increase ParticipationDrive Regional and Statewide System ChangeConnect Peer-to-Peer NetworksAdditionally, more than 500 communities representing 30 million households have downloading our free videos, campaigns, social media kits and tech tools.
Helping CommunitiesDrive National Recycling System Change Coast to Coast
Making an Impact…
Setting the Stage
$43Min new infrastructure with city matching
$8Min carbon savings
$7Min new recyclables collected
$2Min member consulting
$8Min technical assistance to cities
$74MTotal Value
2020
State of CurbsideRecycling Report
Estimate of Number of Households with Various Kinds of Recycling Access
Subscription-based Curbside (Assumed Uptake of Service)
6%
Subscription-based Curbside
(No Uptake of Service)14%
No Recycling Services Available
6%
Curbside Access Total 59%
Estimate of Annual Tonnage of Curbside Recyclable Material Generation by U.S. Single-Family Households
Scenarios of Estimated Total Annual Collection Cost for U.S. Curbside Recycling
What About Cans?What About Cans?
EPA Total Generation 2017
Facts and Figures
Single Family Estimate
Multifamily Estimate
Total Residential Estimate
Percent Generated in
Homes
Aluminum Cans 1,390,000 1,002,515 162,285 1,164,800 84%
Steel Cans 1,480,000 1,126,674 182,383 1,309,058 88%
Percentage of All Generated Cans in U.S. Homes (in tons)
Material Pounds of Annual Generation
Percent of Generation
Cardboard 106.76 13.9%Mixed Paper 302.51 39.4%Aseptic & Gabletop Containers 6.07 0.8%PET Bottles 50.92 6.6%Non-bottle PET 10.77 1.4%HDPE Natural Bottles & Jars 10.54 1.4%HDPE Colored Bottles & Jars 16.16 2.1%Glass Containers 156.44 20.4%Steel Cans 23.15 3.0%Aluminum Cans 20.60 2.7%Aluminum Foil & Trays 5.63 0.7%Other Plastic Packaging (~#3-7s) 34.32 4.5%Bulky Rigid Plastics 23.86 3.1%Total Pounds/HH 767.74 100%
Average Generation Per Single Family Household per Year
Where Are The Cans?
We Go and Find Them!
Capture Rate Studies
Main Technique: Cart-Based Sampling
Alternative Technique: Coordinated “back of truck” studies of Waste Composition and Inbound Recycling Composition
RECYCLABLES
TRASH RECYCLABLES
TRASH
Where Is It? – Garbage or Recycling?
Single-Family Generation is About 20 Lbs/Year
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
35.00
Atlanta
Chicago
Denver
Atlanta
Chicago
Denver
Denver
Anonym
ous
Seattle
Charlotte
Faye
ttevil
leAus
tin
Durham
Ft W
orth
Minneapolis
Nashvill
e
Saraso
ta C
ounty
Belle
vue
Phila
delphia
SWACO #
1
Lbs of Cans Generated
Average Across Community Studies
19.54 lbs.Source: The Recycling Partnership Database
Total Lbs of CansDeposit Cans Recovered
Non-Deposit RecoveredAway from Home
SF Homes with CurbsideSF Homes W/O Curbside
MF Homes
0
500000000
1000000000
1500000000
2000000000
2500000000
3000000000
Assumptions~91 billion cans sold annually in U.S.Cans/lb. – 34.5Estimated Deposit Recycle Rate Average – 85%Estimated Non-Deposit State Average – 30%SF and MF HH Numbers and Occupancy Rates – U.S. CensusHome vs Away from Home Estimates – The Recycling Partnership
Lost or Landfilled
Recovered
2.637B
520MM298MM
598MM
547MM
462MM
212MM
Where Are the Cans Today?
Where TRP is Focused
Generated
CAPTURE RATECardboard 79%Natural HDPE Bottles 71%Glass 63%Mixed Paper 60%Colored HDPE Bottles 58%PET Bottles 55%Aluminum Cans 53%Aseptic/Cartons 50%Steel Cans 47%Bulky Rigid Plastics 44%Other plastic packaging (#3 - 7s) 33%
Overall average 61%
Average Participant Capture Rates
How Can We Capture More Cans?
Our Approach to Generate more Supply of Recyclables
Infrastructure
CompleteInfrastructure
Modernize Infrastructure
Educate to Drive Participation, Quality
Targeted Education
ApproachLbs Lost
200
400
600
700
800
Curbside in Carts, GoodEducation
Curbside in Carts, No Educaton
Curbside In Bins
Curbside Opt-In
No Curbside
Continuum of Curbside
Lbs LostLbs Captured
800 lbsof recyclables available
in HH
Access to Recycling: A Glimpse Into the Fate of CansImpact on Can Loss
NO CURBSIDE or DROP-OFF AVAILABLE6% of U.S. Households
CURBSIDE through Subscription20% of U.S. Households30% service uptake; 60% Capture/ per Participant
DROP-OFF ACCESS ONLY21% of U.S. Households
CURBSIDE IN CARTS – ROBUST EDUCATION22% of U.S. Households80% Participation; 75% Capture per Participant
CURBSIDE IN CARTS – LIMITED EDUCATION22% of U.S. Households65% Participation; 60% Capture per Participant
All 20 Pounds of Aluminum Cans per HH Lost to Trash
CURBSIDE in BINS9% of U.S. Households
17 Pounds of Aluminum Cans per HH Lost to Trash
16 Pounds of Aluminum Cans per HH Lost to Trash
14 Pounds of Aluminum Can per HH Lost to Trash
12 Pounds of Aluminum Cans per HH Lost to Trash
8 Pounds of Aluminum Cans per HH Lost to Trash
Type of Access
348 lbs/HH 450 lbs/HH
• 2.7 more lbs of aluminum cans• 3 more lbs of steel cans
Average Grant Results
102 more overall lbs per HH =
Material Category Capture Rate Before Carts
Capture Rate After Carts
Corrugated Cardboard 82.5% 90.6%Aseptic and Gable Top Cartons 32.1% 35.1%Mixed Paper (Recyclable) 53.1% 63.6%PET Bottles and Jars 62.0% 74.0%Other PET Packaging 32.1% 43.0%Natural HDPE Bottles and Jars 81.1% 88.5%Pigmented HDPE Bottles and Jars 66.4% 70.0%Other HDPE Containers 64.5% 17.5%PP Bottles and Containers 24.2% 50.4%Aluminum Cans 53.6% 75.5%Steel Cans 62.0% 78.8%Glass Containers 62.4% 72.0%
Carts Helps Metal Capture – Red Wing MN
Cleaning It Up for Cans
Inbound Contamination
Addressing Material Quality
What Communities Control
Sorted at MRF
+
What MRFs Control
Commodity BaleContamination Residue
Inbound Contamination
What Communities Control
Important Role of Haulers
What MRFs Control
Commodity BaleContamination
Residue
General January to April MRF 2020 ValuesJanuary 2020 Scenario April 2020 Scenario
Assumed % January Pricing Value Assumed % April Pricing ValueOCC 18.00% $25.00 $4.50 OCC 18.00% $73.13 $13.16Mixed Paper 36.00% -$1.88 -$0.68 Mixed Paper 36.00% -$1.88 -$0.68Aseptic 0.40% $22.50 $0.09 Aseptic 0.40% $22.50 $0.09PET 4.40% $217.00 $9.55 PET 4.40% $192.60 $8.47HDPE-Natural 0.90% $1,186.00 $10.67 HDPE-Natural 0.90% $737.60 $6.64HDPE-Color 1.10% $281.80 $3.10 HDPE-Color 1.10% $94.80 $1.04Bulky rigid plastics 0.40% $48.80 $0.20 Bulky rigid plastics 0.40% $47.60 $0.193-7 Plastic 1.00% $5.00 $0.05 3-7 Plastic 1.00% -$3.80 -$0.04Aluminum 1.00% $1,023.00 $10.23 Aluminum 1.00% $796.00 $7.96Steel Cans/ Ferrous Metal
1.80% $125.94 $2.27 Steel Cans/ Ferrous Metal
1.80% $94.38 $1.70
Glass (3 mix) 18.00% $20.71 $3.73 Glass(3 mix) 18.00% -$26.79 -$4.82Residue (Trash) 17.00% -$50.00 -$8.50 Residue (Trash) 17.00% -$50.00 -$8.50
100.00%Blended Value $35.20
100.00%Blended Value $25.22
Assumed MRF Processing Cost $90 Assumed MRF Processing Cost $90
MRF profit/(loss) ($54.80) MRF profit/ (loss) ($64.78)
Confidential – Not for External Sharing
BEFORE AFTER
22.01%12.42%
Example of Recycling Partnership Contamination Work
Fairfield OH - 44% Reduction in Contamination
METAL CAPTURE RATE DETAIL Before and After Data 2017 Pilot Areas - Single-Family - Curbside Service
*Based on The Recycling Partnership’s Atlanta Can Capture study, Numbers are representative of the kind of data we are seeing from capture studies across the US.
Education
Source: The Recycling Partnership’s Can Capture Study Data
20%
Direct Education in Action
We CAN Do Better
Cross-City Analysis – Relative Aluminum Can Generation
Aluminum Can Generators Aluminum Cans Discard Distribution for Aluminum Cans% samples (n)
Lbs/hh/mo% of
generationAtlanta 81% (228) 2.55 100%High Generators 41% (114) 4.49 88%Low Generators 41% (114) 0.61 12%Chicago 80% (231) 1.37 100%High Generators 23% (67) 3.48 74%Low Generators 57% (164) 0.51 26%Denver 85% (424) 1.97 100%High Generators 38% (188) 3.68 83%Low Generators 47% (236) 0.60 17%Phoenix 75% (237) 2.01 100%High Generators 35% (109) 3.66 84%Low Generators 41% (128) 0.61 16%
Confidential – Not for External Sharing
High Can Consumers are Key• High can consuming HHs are
generating $30 - $40 of aluminum per HH/yr
• 38% of HHs are high can consumers but they represents 82% of can generation (consistent with 2017 data)
• For high can consumers - 50% are recycling most of their cans; 25% are recycling some; 25% are not recycling
Can We Capture More Metals?
Cities:
• Nashville• Omaha• Milwaukee• Detroit• Baltimore• Syracuse• Pittsburgh• Kansas City• Chattanooga• Indy
Progress in Engaging Large Cities – Volume
Multi-Family Projects – Behavior/In-Home Containers
Cities:
• Raleigh• Orlando• San Marcos• Detroit• Dallas/Ft Worth• Minnesota• Atlanta
Harmonization of Messaging to Drive Consistency of Recycling Education
The BIG PICTURE – More Recycling with Multiple Strategies
Optimization to Improve Quality and Get More Tons
Technical Assistance to Help Cities Implement Changes
Supporting Cities Investment in Infrastructure without Grants
Infrastructure Grants to Cities
Infrastructure Grants Communities• Auburn, AL• Bergenfield, NJ• Bristol, RI• Chattanooga, TN• Columbia, MO (Multi-Family)• Culver City, CA• Dickinson, ND• Garland, TX• Iowa City, IA• Nashville, TN• Milwaukee, WI• Raleigh, NC (Multi-Family)• Red Wing, MN• Sarasota, FL• Sedalia, MO• Stratham, NH• SWACO, OH (Columbus)• Ventnor City, NJ• Vineland, NJ
Statewide Partnerships• State of Minnesota• State of New Mexico• State of Tennessee• State of Ohio• State of Washington
Optimization and Participation Communities• Atlanta, GA• Dallas/Fort Worth,
TX• Denver, CO• El Paso, TX• Essex County, NJ• Las Cruces, NM• Houston, TX• Orlando, FL• West Coast
Contamination
Can We Get More Heavy Metal?
We CAN Capture More Metals!
InterventionHouseholds
Reached(in millions)
Industry Investment
(in USD millions)
New Pounds Collected(in millions of pounds)
PET HDPE PP OCC Mixed Paper Glass Aluminum Steel
Conversion from bins to
carts4 $104 30 14.4 9.6 72 192 96 7.2 9.6
Optimization of recycling behavior
7 $28 26 5.4 3.6 63 168 84 6.3 8.4
New curbside access 3 $78 74 36 24 180 180 240 18 24
New multifamily recycling access
4 $40 74 30 18 180 480 240 18 24
TOTAL 18 million households
USD $250 million
204 million pounds
85.8 million
pounds
55.2 million
pounds
495 million pounds
1.32 billion
pounds
660 million pounds
49.5 million pounds
66 million pounds
“Unlocking Supply”
More Metals!• Support for Community
Programs• More Access Means More
Cans• Cleaning Up Capture
Behavior • Tapping into Multifamily with
In-Home Infrastructure
Additional Slides
Top Ten Non-Deposit ‘Can States’
2.1
2.1
2.2
2.5
2.6
3.1
3.4
3.5
5.0
7.1
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0
New Jersey
Colorado
Arizona
Georgia
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Illinois
Ohio
Florida
Texas
Top Ten Non-Deposit Can Sales, Adjusted
Billio
ns o
f Can
s
Can sales per state were taken from
Aluminum Association 2008 data and
reduced proportionally to reflect lower overall
national can sales.
Can sales from Top 10 ‘Non-Deposit’ States represent 33.5 billion cans, or close to 1B lbs of aluminum used.
Assuming a recycling rate of ~30%, this leaves an opportunity of about 680 million lbs. in these 10 states alone.
Confidential – Not for External Sharing