What’s in your waste?

Alan Kirschner, P.E.

Advancing Recycling & Organics Management: A Sustainable

Future

March 29, 2011

Introduction …

MassDEP’s New Class II Recycling Program Regulations

Present the preliminary results of the Waste Characterization Study performed at three waste-to-energy (WTE) plants.

Background … the drivers

The MA Green Communities Act (2008) allows existing WTE plants to be considered Class II renewable energy generating sources if:

1. the facility began commercial operation before December 31, 1997

2. and the facility operates or contracts for recycling programs approved by the (DEP).  

Background … the drivers (continued)

Renewable energy generating facilities that comply with new MassDEP requirements will be allowed to obtain Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).

The RECs may be sold … 50 percent of the revenue may kept by the facility.

Revenue from RECs …

The remaining 50% of revenue from RECs is allocated to the Sustainable Materials Recovery Program, from where facilities may deposit it in either:

1.Expendable Trust that will be established and administered by MADEP, or 2.A dedicated account that the facility has established to hold the funds until projects are awarded.

 Haverhill Springfield Rochester

Saugus Millbury North Andover

Six WTE plants in MA qualify

 In 2008, these six facilities received approximately 3.2 M tons of solid waste for disposal

49 % of the total waste disposed of in the state of Massachusetts that year

Produce enough power for >250,000 homes

Six WTE plants in MA qualify

An additional requirement … Each facility taking advantage of the RECs must

conduct a waste composition study based on MADEP Guidance and ASTM Protocols

The waste composition study must be performed every 3 years

Brown and Caldwell’s scope of work Develop protocol consistent

with DEP requirements Perform waste composition

studies at three plants Study performed in two

seasons – winter& fall of 2010

Minimum of 52 vehicles at each facility

Minimum sample size of 225 pounds

What did we look for?

Paper (8) Plastic (13) Metal (7) Glass (4) Organic (5) C & D (8) HHW (9) Electronics (3) Other

Materials (4) Miscellaneous

62 subcategories of waste

Typical sample …

Recovered recyclables …

Glass Plastics

Cardboard

Findings …

Waste sources … residential vs. ICI

Facility 1 – Waste Composition

Facility 1 – Waste Categories

Major Waste Categories Percent

Paper 28.2%

Organic Material 19.8%

Plastics 15.4%

Construction and Demolition 13.3%

76.7%

Facility 1 – Major Subcategories42.9% of total waste

Facility 2 – Waste Composition

Facility 2 – Waste Categories

Major Waste Categories Percent

Paper 26.7%

Organic Material 17.0%

Plastics 16.3%

Construction and Demolition 16.3%

76.3%

Facility 2 – Major Subcategories43.4% of total waste

Facility 3 – Waste Composition

Facility 3 – Waste Categories

Major Waste Categories Percent

Paper 28.0%

Organic Material 20.4%

Plastics 15.4%

Construction and Demolition 13.1%

76.9%

Facility 3 – Major Subcategories43.6% of total waste

A few definitions … Compostable Paper means low grade paper

that is not capable of being recycled, as well as food contaminated paper. Examples include paper towels, paper plates, waxed papers, egg cartons, pizza boxes, and tissues.

Other Film means plastic film Examples include garbage bags and other types of plastic bags (sandwich bags, zipper-recloseable bags, produce bags, frozen vegetable bags, newspaper bags), painting tarps, food wrappers such as candy-bar wrappers, mailing pouches, bank bags, X-ray film, metalized film (wine containers and balloons), and plastic food wrap.

Observations …

Contributes the most food waste

Compostable paper is the largest paper subcategory

Carpet/carpet padding represented ~25% of the residential C&D

Observations …

Residential Sector

Contained higher fraction of C&D

Contained higher fraction of plastics (plastic film & composite plastic were highest)

Paper content higher at two facilities but cardboard higher than compostable paper

Observations …

ICI Sector

More paper & plastic in season 1 (winter)

More C&D in season 2 (fall) – wood & carpet

More organics in season 2 (fall) – prunings, trimmings, etc.

Food waste holiday effect at one facility (Thanksgiving)

Observations …

Seasonal Effects

Acknowledgements

Matt Hughes – Wheelabrator Technologies

Hala Sfeir – Brown and Caldwell Phil Jagoda – Brown and Caldwell

Questions?

Slides are available at www.slideshare.net/MassRecycle2011