EPA 910/9-91-008
Decisionmaker's Guide to
Recycling Plastics
Prepared for
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling Section
and
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region X
Solid Waste Program
December 1990
Printed on Recycled Paper
-------
-------
labile of Contents
Introduction
Decision Process ...2
Current Status of Plastic Recycling .. .3
A Successful Program .. .4
Why Collect Plastics? ...5
About Plastics
What Are Plastics Used For? .. .6
Leading Resins ...7
What Plastics Are Recycled? ...8
Markets
Who Buys Used Plastics? ...9
What Is Plastics Processing? ...9
Markets For Northwest Plastics ... 10
Meeting Specifications ... 11
Markets Change ...11
Collecting Used Plastics
Whether To Collect ...12
What To Collect ...13,14
How To Collect ...15,16,17
Planning For Recovery Levels
Estimating Recovery ... 18,19
Worksheet! ...19
Recovery Assumptions ...20,21
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Estimating Collection Costs
Introduction ...22
Cost Factors ...23,24,25
Capital / Start-Up Costs .. .26
Worksheet 2 ...27
Annual Operating Costs ...28
Worksheets ...29
Cost Offsets ...30
Worksheet 4 ...30
Summary Worksheet 5 ...31
Policy Issues ...32,33
For More Information ...34,35,36
The Deeisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics was prepared under a grant from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Region X , Solid Waste Program. The project was
coordinated by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
The document was researched and written by Resource Integration Systems, Ltd., and
Waste Matters Consulting, Portland, OR, with design and layout by Becker Projects,
Portland, OR.
Portions of this document may be reproduced upon request. Please credit the Oregon
Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection;Agency
when using information contained in this document.
Declslonmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Should your community collect used plastics for
recycling? If so, what is the best way to do it?
There are good reasons to collect plastics, but there
are important decisions to make. It can become an
expensive proposition if program planners take the
wrong approach.
Whv Recycle'Mastics?
To save resources andreduee the waste stream. Plastics total 1 - ^percent of the
municipal waste stream by weight, and about $55 percent by volume.
To meet public demand for plastics recycling and to attract other recyclable
ateriajs^^Clolleej^ng plastics can get more people involved in waste reduction
programs,' " ,
Even, possibly, to msSm money, Certain plastics fetch the highest market
prices for semp commodities* Some programs say.plasMes improve their
program finances, f „ ^ „
An increasing number of recycling programs in
Oregon and across the U.S. collect used plastics. Nation-
wide, curbside collection of at least one type of plastic is
available to as many as 3 million households. Hundreds
of drop-off centers and buy-back operations also accept
plastics.
But plastics can take up a lot of room on a truck or
at a depot without amounting to significant weight. A
cubic yard of loose plastic jugs and bottles weighs 5 per-
cent of what newspapers or glass containers occupying
the same volume weigh. Transporting loose plastic con-
tainers can run up the costs-especially if the program
doesn't take steps to avoid unwanted, unsellable items.
The light, bulky character of plastics forces program
planners to choose approaches that will control the costs
of collection and marketing.
This guide is intended to help decisionmakers decide
whether and how to collect used plastics from residences.
The guide also provides worksheets to estimate collection
costs. It includes information on finding markets, pre-
paring plastics for market and lists program develop-
ment information sources.
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
! Introduction
.Decision Process
Identify Markets (See pages 9-11)
S available, reliable for what resins
S distance
S specifications
price paid
Identify Target Plastics (See Worksheet 1)
j resin types
j quantities available
j quantities likely to be recovered by:
Curbside
Depot
Identify Space Requirements (See Worksheet 1)
Estimate Costs (See Worksheets 2,3,4,5)
(model several options for types of packaging
collected, methods of collection, costs of capital,
operations)
j Absolute cost to add plastics
S Increase in average cost/ton for all materials
collected
u
Evaluate Risks/Benefits
j Which plastics can be sold
j What costs will be incurred
How will plastics recycling fit with other services
U
Decide
j Whether to collect
S What to collect
S How to collect
^ Program plan and budget
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Introduction
.Current Status of Plastic Recycling
Nationally,
markets exist
in many urban
areas for
recycled plastic
containers.
The plastics
industry has
provided
assistance to
local recycling
programs.
Nationwide, curbside recycling collection of at least
one type of plastic is available to about 3 million house-
holds. Hundreds of drop-off centers and buy-back opera-
tions also accept plastics.
Most programs take only one or two types of plastic
containers. Milk/water^juice jugs and soft-drink bottles
are by far the mesl e&mmen itesis golleeted. They are
easily recognized, san be aeeuii»i!&$£d m, large quanti-
ties. Many areas of the £f J3. have established markets
nearby. DefJeadB^eii available Ui&rJcets;, some pro-
grams accept dther scrap plastics*
la Q&5g&n, at least seven curbside programs and
more tfaaa 28 tfcop-off depots accept milk Jags,, Several
drop; sites also take dairy tubs and detexjgQ&ta&cl sham-
posfjoffcleg* Ag a result of the Oregon Bottle Bill, Citizens
hare a mmmient means to return their plastic
to stores, retrieving the 5-cent
It Is esMamtedtibat^m 1990^
much as !Jhdai!iiimF3«3ids o
cent of all plasMc lased t» convey a prodf^t is the con-
sumer. More ifaas half of this quantity was soft-drink
bottles returned through the deport system.
Plastic resin manufacturers have begun to put more
resources into recycling, hi Oregon and elsewhere, they
have helped pay for the equipment used to collect and
process their products. The plastics industry has also
expanded markets for products made with recycled
plastic.
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
A Successful Program
- Has a reliable market nearby:
Don't collect it if you can't find someone
who wants it. You'll end up throwing it
away and running up costs.
Be sure you can
provide what the • Plans for enough space:
market wants. Lisht'bulky Plastics take UP room on
collection vehicles and at storage sites. If
your plastics are 4 percent of a truckload by
weight, they can be 30 percent by volume.
You may want to consider shredding or
compacting your plastics at the time of
collection.
• Meets market specifications:
The public can't always distinguish one
plastic from another, and markets want
specific types. Often, markets specify "no
The less residents caps or labels"- Be sure vou can Provide
what the market wants, or that the market
have to do to ^ take what you collect
prepare plastics
for recycling, • Educates and promotes:
the better the The public has to learn what plastics you
participation want and how to prepare them. Collection
.-,-,, staff has to understand the importance of
meeting market specifications.
• Keeps it convenient and consistent:
Your list of recyclable plastics and prepara-
tion requirements should remain as steady
and simple as possible. The less residents
have to do to prepare the material—remov-
ing labels, for example~the better the par-
ticipation will be.
Declsionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
in Introduction
Why Collect Plastics?_
1. The public demands it.
Recycling is widely perceived as an essential re-
sponse to solid waste and environmental problems.
A great deal of attention hais been focused on plastics
as one of the least-recycled materials in the waste
stream. Information hotlines report that one of the
most common calls they get is from citizens asking
where to recycle plastics.
2. Reduce the wastestream.
Plastics make up 7 to 9 percent of most municipal
wastestreams by weight. Total volume is about 25
Based on revenue percent. Although the plastic containers commonly
per ton plastics targeted for recycling may contribute less than 2
, ' , percent of garbage by weight, their recovery contri-
are tne second butes to waste reduction and the attainment of recy-
most valuable cling goals.
recyclable
material, after 3. Save non-renewable resources.
aluminum Plastics are made frompetroleumandpetroleumby-
products. This resource is limited, and there is
increasing opposition to its use for one-time, throw-
away packaging. Recyclingis seen as a way to retain
the advantages of plastic while preventing its waste.
4. Educate the public.
Collecting plastics helps make people attend to
their consuming and disposing habits. It strength-
ens participation in recycliing programs and can
increase recovery of other materials.
5. It can be done.
Active markets exist for several types of plastic.
Successful recycling programs have been demon-
strated in the Northwest and elsewhere.
Declsionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
About Plastics
All plastics are
not the same.
One-third of all
plastics in the
wastestream are
packaging...two-
thirds if dispos-
able dishware,
garbage sacks,
storage bags
and films
are included.
What Are Plastics Used For?_
The word "plastics" covers more than a hundred
different resin grades and blends that have varying
chemical compositions, physical characteristics and uses.
However, a half dozen types make up 70 percent of all
plastics~and 95 percent of all packaging.
Over the last 20 years, plastics have replaced glass,
metals, paper and wood for many packaging and product
applications. Car and plane parts, signs, furniture,
pipe, toys, luggage, clothing, handles, inks, paint, appli-
ance casings, personal care products and eyeglasses are
only a few of the ever-increasing number of products
made from plastic.
As a packaging material, plastic resins offer sev-
eral cost and marketing advantages: they are light, hard
to break, moldable, inexpensive and can be produced in
all colors. Some can be as clear as glass.
Because of these advantages, plastic packages and
containers have replaced other traditional materials for
specific uses, such as:
• glass bottles for milk, shampoo and large-volume
soft drinks;
• cardboard-and-metal containers for motor oil;
• paper bags for produce and retail carry-home
items.
Even paperboard beverage containers, such as milk
cartons, are coated with plastic.
30%
ALL PLASTIC PACKAGING BY RESIN
28%
PS/EPS
Other
Declsionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
About Plastics:
Leading Resins
• Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETe) - soft-drink bottles, bottles for
liquor, cosmetics, toiletries, food and Pharmaceuticals; ovenable trays; boil bags; blis-
ter-pack, cups and food trays.
• High-density polyethylene (HDPE) — containers for milk, yogurt, ice cream,
cottage cheese, spreads, oil, bleach, antifreeze, automatic transmission fluid, detergent,
shampoo, Pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, paint and other products; beverage bottle base-
cups and sacks for goods and garbage.
• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) ~ clear food packaging film and forms, closures,
blister-pack, tape, bottles for shampoo and other household items.
• Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) ~ usually a film, used for wrap, sacks and
bags (garbage, storage, take-out, bakery, frozen food, candy, clothing and meat); can
lids and milk bottle caps.
• Polypropylene (PP) ~ containers, tubs and bottles for yogurt, cream cheese,
margarine, medicine, snack foods, confections and condiments; screw-on or snap-on
caps; and bags, sacks, film and wrap.
• Polystyrene (PS) — tubs for cottage cheese, yogurt and spreads; also, vending
and portion cups, lids, clear containers for dairy, bakery and take-out food.
• Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) — egg cartons, food trays, meat/seafood/poultry
trays, single-service plates, hinged containers, cups, packing fill, shapes and contain-
ers.
1-PETCPETe)
2-HDPE
3-PVC
4 -LDPE
5-PP
6-PS
7-Other
PLASTIC CONTAINER CODING SYSTEM
Bottles, dairy tubs, sacks and other kinds of packag-
ing can be made with any of several resins. To assist
recycling, many packaging manufacturers place an
identifying code number, usually on the bottom of
the container. The code number appears inside the
recycling symbol. Production sind lot numbers may
appear, but will not be inside the symbol.
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
About Plastics
What Plastics Are Recycled?.
Almost no
programs collect
durable plastic
products, such as
furniture,
appliance casings
and housewares.
EQDPE, LDPE,
PP make up a
group of resins--
polyolefins— that
can be blended to
make products
such as plastic
lumber.
Almost all plastics manufacturers recover scrap
from their production lines and reuse it. They know
exactly what material they are dealing with, and they
don't have to worry about contamination that would ruin
their products.
Residential recycling programs have to limit
the plastic items they collect. If programs collected
all the plastic objects available, or even a large portion,
the volume and variety would overwhelm them. Much of
the material would have to be thrown away. Very few
markets accept a mixture of plastic resins. Even experts
often cannot readily identify the plastic used to make
some products. Different resins may be layered together,
and other materials may be bonded to the plastic.
Most residential collection programs focus on one or
two types of containers that can be identified easily and
accumulated in large quantities. Typically, only milk/
juice/water jugs (HDPE) and soft-drink bottles (PET) fit
these criteria. However, some programs have found
markets for other types of rigid containers and even
films. These programs provide the public with clear,
illustrated instructions and even brand names. Program
staff cull out unacceptable items.
RESINS IN PLASTIC PACKAGING
Nearly two-
thirds of all
rigid packaging
containers are
made with PET
and HDPE.
66%
49%
PET
HDPE PVC LDPE
PP PS EPS Other
Container
Film
8
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Markets
Most manufac-
turers buy
recycled resin
pellets, not used
containers.
Recycled plastics
can only compete
with virgin res-
ins if their price
is kept low
and they are
extremely pure.
.Who Buys Used Plastics?.
Collection programs typically sell their plastics to
brokers, processors or manufacturers Some of these
markets accept, but do not pay for., used plastics.
Brokers ship the plastics to processors. A broker
may bale or granulate the plastics if needed, but often
does little more than handle sales. The granulation
process reduces plastics into small pieces usually about
one-quarter inch in size.
Processors clean the material to an extremely high
purity, remelt it and form it into pellets for sale to manu-
facturers. A few processors also make consumer prod-
ucts.
Product manufacturers are the end market for
recycled plastics.
What is plastics processing?
Plastics processors usually do not depend solely on
post-consumer scrap. They also handle industrial re-
jects, trimmings and oversupply. Processors often take a
fee to clean and return scrap to the manufacturer who
generated it.
Cleaning is a costly process, involving the removal of
glue, paper, metals, dirt, food residues and unwanted
resins. Processors must inspect loads, remove unaccept-
able items, shred the material, wash it and screen out
paper fragments. The resulting mixture often contains
metal and several resins. Many processors separate out
the resin they want by placing the mixture in a water/
salt solution that has a controlled density. Resins with
lower density, such as HDPE, float and are skimmed
away. Heavier materials, such as metals, PET and PVC,
sink. The clean flakes are then dried, remelted and
extruded as thin strands that are chopped into pellets.
Finally, the pellets are shipped to manufacturers.
Contamination can ruin the efforts of processors,
which is why they buy only high-quality loads.
Declslonmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
e Markets
Markets for Northwest Plastics.
Information on
national markets
can be found
through sources
listed at the back
of this document.
Reliable markets exist in the Northwest for post-
consumer packages such as:
• HDPE "natural" jugs, containers and bottles
(used for milk, water, juice and some dairy prod-
ucts) ;
• HDPE colored containers (oil, detergent, bleach
and margarine);
. PET soft drink bottles (clear or green).
There are limited, less established markets for PS,
EPS, PVC, PP, and LDPE. One company, Wilsey & Ham
Pacific, is attempting to develop a facility in the Portland
area that would accept mixed plastics and use them to
make products, such as benches and fenceposts.
Some collection programs will accept; plastics from
smaller collectors. The Oregon Department of Environ-
mental Quality (see listing of information sources at the
back of this guide) can provide names of local programs.
Table 1 lists buyers of post-consumer plastics as of
December 1990. All are processors or brokers.
Buyers for Post-Consumer
Oregon Plastics
All States Plastics Dan Rohrbach
1 1 09 S. Grace Ave.
Battleground, WA (206) 687-77 1 1
Denton Plastics Jeff Walter
4427 NE 158th Ave.
Portland, OR (503) 257-9945
Hee Company Hee Kwon
4555 SE 122nd Ave.
Portland, OR (503) 760-0361
Wastech Sam Culpepper
701 N. Hunt
Portland, OR (503) 285-5261
C & M Recovery Harold Cheeks
PO Box 663
Vancouver, WA (206) 737-1646
Interstate Plastic John Kwon
4300 Columbia Way, Suite B
Vancouver, WA (206) 694- 1 753
Partek Corp. Bob Gaudet
PO Box 1387
Vancouver, WA (206) 695-1 777
" ':-::: . _."" /^ ^""atfr/
PET
•
•
•
HDPE
•
•
•
•
•
•
PVC
•
LDPE
•
•
•
PP
•
•
•
•
PS
•
•
•
•
•
10
Declsionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
i Markets
Most buyers
insist that the
material they
accept be sepa-
rated by resin
type prior to
purchase.
Watch your
markets and
confirm them
prior to shipping.
Meeting Specifications
Markets specify the quantity, quality and form of
delivery for used plastics. These specifications assure
that supplies suit their business and technology. Buyers
will not accept shipments that do not meet their specifi-
cations. On occasion, they may take a substandard load
at a lower price, but a collector should not count on this.
A collection program could easily lose money on
plastics recycling by shipping unacceptable loads, paying
the return freight, and sending the material to a landfill.
A common requirement is that material be baled or
granulated. Some buyers want only baled material, and
they may insist on bales-weighing a minimum amount,
such as 700 Ibs. Collection programs wishing to sell
shredded (granulated) material might be required to
send a sample to the buyer so it can be checked for qual-
ity.
Minimal load requirements are common-such
as five tons or more. Many buyers serving Oregon are
more flexible about load size. Even so, it can pay to
combine your loads with those of other programs, which
reduces transportation costs.
Markets Change
Recycling markets change, said a collector must stay
informed on market developments. New companies open
for business, other companies fold. New materials are
accepted, other ones are dropped. Some buyers accept
labels and caps, but they could set new standards. Pro-
gram equipment purchases, operating procedures and
success depend on this knowledge.
Always confirm the market. Call it, visit it and
talk to its other suppliers. Does it accept loads consis-
tently? Does it live by its written standards? Does it
pay in a timely fashion?
11
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
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Collecting Used Plastics
Whether To Collect.
Decisionmakers must weigh the opportunities and challenges of plastics
collection. Page 5 of this guide gives five reasons to collect plastics and
page 4 lists five criteria for success. But each program must determine
whether it can make the commitments that success requires. Here are the
special challenges of plastics collection, along with solutions that have
enabled programs to succeed.
Challenge: There are many
different plastic resins which
are difficult to tell apart, yet
most markets buy only spe-
cific types.
Solution: Limit the type of items collected to those that
can be readily explained and identified. Give clear, re-
peated instructions and reasons to the public and to col-
lection and sorting crews. Pay close attention to remov-
ing unwanted items.
Challenge: Special prepara-
tion may be required of the
public and the collection pro-
gram to remove contaminants.
Solution: Educate the public in clear, simple terms to
"Rinse and Remove Labels." Seek more flexible mar-
kets that accept labels, etc.
Challenge: Markets for used
plastics are not as well-estab-
lished as those for glass, met-
als and paper. Prices, specifi-
cations and payment sched-
ules often vary.
Solution: Visit the market and confirm its reliability
with other suppliers. Stay up-to-date on specifications.
Also, increased supplies are likely to strengthen and
stabilize buyers. The demand for material and invest-
ment in markets are expanding.
Challenge: Plastics are light
and bulky. They take up more
room per unit of weight than
other materials. Plastics that
weigh 4 percent of materials
collected may occupy 30 per-
cent of the space.
Solution: Plan for increased capacity at the beginning
of a program and when purchasing new equipment. In-
expensive curbside alternatives include cages and bag-
holders. Ask the public to "step on it." Also, mechanical
densifiers are available for on-route or stationary use.
Challenge: Plastics collec-
tion can cost more per ton than
other materials. Additional
vehicles or other equipment
may be needed. Sorting and
preparing plastics for market
can be labor-intensive.
Solution: Seek cooperative processing and marketing
arrangements with other programs. Use existing labor,
equipment and space. Plan, ahead: It costs less to
include plastics from the start than to add them later.
The relatively few tons of plastic collected won't in-
crease overall program costs significantly. Finally,
with markets paying $150 to $300 per ton, plastics are
the second most valuable recyclable material, after
aluminum.
12
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Collecting Used Plastics
The key factor
in choosing to
collect any used
material is
whether it has
a market.
Look at the types
of plastics other
collectors in your
area are han-
dling.
.What To Collect.
Until a stable market develops for mixtures of differ-
ent plastics, it would be wise to limit the selection to one
or two items that:
• can be sold or given away;
• the public and sorters can recognize easily;
• will not overwhelm the program's capacity to
collect, store and prepare for market.
A drop-off system has lower equipment and operat-
ing costs than a curbside program and can afford to
accept more resin types. However, the same guidelines
apply. Several drop-off centers in Oregon recently dis-
continued all plastic items excepit milk jugs, due to mar-
ket and contamination problems.
The market may or may not pay, but should have a
record of reliability and be close to the source of collected
material. Payment delays beyond 30-45 days can be a
concern.
Some parties insist that there will always be buyers
for a clean, plentiful supply of any resin. In practice, the
buyers for some resins can be far away and not inter-
ested in the quantities generated by an individual pro-
gram. In addition, it can be too costly to collect, sort,
store and ship some resins.
The place to start in determining what to col-
lect is to look at what most collection programs
are handling in the region, A& 1990 ends, Oregon
programs collect mostly HDFE-usually the translucent
containers for milk, water, juice and other liquids. Sev-
eral also take colored or clear bottles and tubs, such as
those used for soap, bleach and dairy products. PET soft-
drink bottles are accepted by several collectors and
buyers, including those that handle deposit system
returns. The odds of recycling these resins are likely to
stay good. Several drop-off depots in the Portland area
accept LDPE, PS, PP and PVC. Markets should be
queried to determine if local programs can meet specifi-
cations for these resins and if the costs would be reason-
able.
13
Decislonmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Collect types
you can explain.
Collect quantities
and types you
can handle.
Most programs
decide to restrict
their target plas-
tics.
Collecting Used Plastics
What To Collect.
Unless told otherwise, repeatedly and in clear terms,
the public will donate every worn out plastic item in the
house. Toasters, hair dryers, paint brushes and loose
packing fill are just a few of the less exotic products that
could end up in the bin. And if collection and sorting
crews don't understand what is wanted—and why—the
buyer can be counted on to turn away shipments.
Start out with a short list that lends itself to good
visual illustrations. Product names and description of
contents (e.g., milk, soft drinks, margarine) can be help-
ful. Buyers can be helpful in letting you know if manu-
facturers have changed the plastic in their containers.
The more container types collected, the more vehicle
and storage space needed. More container types will
also increase sorting time, marketing costs and contami-
nated residue. For these reasons, and because of market
conditions, most collection programs limit the types of
containers they take. Oregon programs typically collect
only milk/juice/water jugs.
Participation and recovery rates vary. Based on a
national survey, curbside collection of milk jugs will net
4-5 cubic yards each day of weekly service for every
1,000 households on that route. That's a highly efficient
route for one truck. The payload would be 120 to 150
Ibs. (using 30 Ibs. per cubic yard for the jugs). Collecting
all types of plastic containers from the same 1,000
households could require 12-15 cubic yards each week~a
payload of between between 360 and 450 Ibs.
Drop-off depots in Oregon averaged 20 cubic yards
of (mostly milk jug) HDPE per week per depot. How-
ever, two centers serving a broad population in the
Portland area took in between 80 and 120 cubic yards
each week~or two to three large roll-off boxes.
Only the program operator can decide whether the
markets and resources are available to collect a variety
of plastics. Remember: It is easier to start the
flow of plastics than to turn it off. It is easier to
add plastics than to take them away.
14
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Collecting Used Plastics
Drop-off depots
are particularly
well-suited to
rural settings,
disposal sites, or
if curbside serv-
ice is not an op-
tion.
Many local
governments
operate or assist
drop-off depot
programs.
.How To Collect
Cost and effectiveness aire the key factors in
choosing a collection method. It is also important to
use an approach that fits in wiith the existing solid waste
and recycling system. Some mianicipal or private
curbside programs begin plastics collection by offering
drop-off service. This helps develop public awareness
and market relationships at alow cost. Curbside collec-
tion of plastics is then added when equipment is refitted
or purchased.
Three types of collection are used for plastics: drop-
off depots, buy-back centers and curbside service. Each
option has relative merits and (drawbacks. For example,
drop-off centers are least expensive while curbside serv-
ice usually attains the highest recovery levels. (See the
summary in Table 2 on page 17).
DROP-OFF PROGRAMS: The public brings its plas-
tics to a drop-off depot, placing them in bins. About 90
percent of the HDPE collected in Oregon goes to drop-off
depots. This type of collection has the advantage of low
cost, since the public pays transportation to the depot,
and staffing needs are minimal.
It is fairly easy to add plastics to an existing or
new drop-off depot. A depot that handles paper may al-
ready have an adequate baler. Transportation to market
can be done with existing and perhaps under-utilized
trucks and staff. Used dumpsters, barrels or even card-
board boxes can serve as collection bins.
Drop-off collection does not offer the same public
convenience or financial incentives of other methods, so
participation is often lower. But some depots with
strong community support capture amounts per house-
hold that compare well with curbside collection and buy-
back centers. Drop-off depots have been set up on va-
cant lots, at school or store parking areas, on church
grounds, in public maintenance yards, at materials
sorting facilities and at transfer stations or landfills.
Commercial and industrial generators also have access
to depots, whereas curbside collection normally reaches
only the residential sector.
15
Decislonmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Collecting Used Plastics
Buy-back centers
incur higher
costs per ton
than drop-off
depots.
Curbside
collection is
convenient,
effective,
expensive.
.How To Collect.
BUY-BACK CENTERS: Purchase of plastics from the
public is not widespread in Oregon, although several
processors pay up to 5 cents per Ib. at the door. A por-
tion of the population is motivated to recycle for money
but will not bother if the activity doesn't pay. Buy-back
centers can recover amounts of material comparable to
or greater than drop-off depots. This is especially true if
the center is located near low-income areas.
Stores that pay the public for return of deposit law
containers are not true buy-back operations. They sim-
ply pass through monies paid when the container was
purchased. However, they resemble buy-backs in that a
significant portion of the containers are brought in by
people who scavenged them from various sources.
Economics usually require a buy-back center to
handle a range of secondary materials, including paper,
corrugated cardboard, metals and glass. Paying the
public involves more staffing, record-keeping and cash-
flow needs than for drop-off collection. Consequently,
costs per ton are usually higher for all materials col-
lected.
Local governments do not often operate buy-back
businesses. However, they sometimes provide sites and
may contract with operators to take materials from or
even manage government sponsored drop-off centers.
CURBSIDE COLLECTION is the most convenient,
most effective, and most expensive method for collecting
plastics. Expenses for vehicles, fuel and skilled labor
can easily double or triple the per-ton cost of depot-based
or center-based collection. But curbside collection often
triples the material diversion rates (7 percent of the
wastestream or more compared with 2 percent or less for
depots).
Curbside collection vehicles generally pick up
newspaper, glass containers and cans made of aluminum
or tin-plated steel. Some programs collect corrugated
cardboard, mixed paper, used oil and other materials--
including plastics.
16
Decislonmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Collecting Used Plastics -
How To Collect.
Some programs add vehicles to accomodate new
plastic volumes. This is the most expensive solution, as
annual costs per vehicle (including labor, fuel, and capi-
tal) can easily exceed $60,000. Addition of wire mesh
cages on top of vehicles or use of trailers may increase
costs no more than a few hundred dollars on an annual-
ized basis. Bag-holders attached to existing vehicles are
even less expensive.
OPTION
PRINCIPAL FEATURES
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
Drop-Off
Depots
Drop boxes/bins located In parking lots
Materials are self-hauled to depots
Often sponsored by community organizations
Easy to implement
Low startup costs/budget
Available to commercial
and industrial sectors
Inconvenient to public
Low waste stream reduction
Less control over quality of
materials
Buy-Back
Centers
Purchase materials from public/private sectors
ONP, OCC, AL most common materials
Materials are self-hauled to centers
Require clean and sorted materials
Expenses for equipment, site, purchase, labor
Effective collection of AL
Collects variety of materials
Provides economic Incentive
Available to commercial
and industrial sectors
Good cash flow required
Inconvenient to public
Low waste stream reduction
Curbside
Collection
Most effective method for residential recycling
Materials picked up at curb or In alley
Typically Includes at least ONP, GL, AL, TN
Materials may be commingled or separated
Service provided by municipality or private firm
Most convenient method
Possible high waste reduction
City authority over system
Possible high disposal savings
Garbage system integration
Complex
Time-consuming
High costs/budget
[Product codes ONP (newspapers), OCC (corrugated), AL (aluminum). GL (glass). TN (tin) |
17
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
!Planning For Recovery Levels;
Estimating Recovery
The amount
of plastics a
program will
recover affects
planning for
labor, equipment,
space needs and
revenue.
This section provides some good rules of thumb and
a worksheet for calculating recovery. Based on estimated
recovery volumes, you can project program needs for in-
creased collection and storage capacity. This informa-
tion will help you complete worksheets in the section on
"Estimating Collection Costs," including equipment and
labor costs (Worksheets 2 and 3, pages 27 and 29) and
revenues (Worksheet 4, page 30).
Worksheet 1, "Plastics Container Collection: Recov-
ery Levels and Space Requirements," allows program
planners to estimate tonnage and cubic yards. Each
plausible scenario should be modeled separately. The
basic steps are:
1. For each plastic collected, multiply the annual
Ibs. generated per household by the number of house-
holds the program will serve.
2. For each plastic collected, choose a recovery
level and multiply the product of Step 1. This will give
the Ibs. per year that can be expected. The percentage of
recovery chosen reflects whether a curbside or depot
system is to be used. (See footnote 1 on Worksheet 1).
3. Estimate recovery volumes (cubic yards) by fol-
lowing the steps shown under the heading "Cubic Yards"
at the bottom of Worksheet 1. These projections of recov-
ery volume can be done for each item collected or for the
total items (if more than one type of plastic is to be col-
lected). The cubic yards show the space requirements
per month, week and day.
4. Use the cubic yards projected in Step 3 to consider
equipment needs. Do your vehicles or collection boxes
have enough excess capacity to handle the daily vol-
umes? Or will you need to buy new equipment? How
often will your storage boxes fill up? If you use curbside
collection, will you need new vehicles or will it be enough
to add smaller, less expensive cages trailers or bag-
holders? (See section "Estimating Collection Costs").
18
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
! Planning For Recovery Levels
Estimating Recovery
Material
Lbs. Generated
per Household
No. Households
Served
% Recovery
Expected (1)
Lbs/Year
HOPE
milk jugs
LDPE
PP
PS-solid
PS-foam
PVC
PETC2)
soft drink
TOTAL WEIGHT
Cubic Yards
36.7
10.8
3.2
4.9
7.0
8.4
2.2
10.0
7.6
Per Year: Divide Ibs./year by 30:
Per Month: Divide cubic yards/year by 12:
Per Week: Divide cubic yards/year by 52:
Per Day: Divide cubic yards/year by 260:
(1) Recovery level is based on collection method. Assume 5-10 percent for
depot collection or 20-50 percent for curbside collection.
(2) PET soft drink bottle recovery through curbside or depot collection is
not likely to exceed 10% in deposit law states, such as Oregon.
19
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Recovery per
Household
Planning For Recovery Levels
Recovery Assumptions
The table, "Plastic Container Recovery Levels:
Sample Estimates," identifies the average quantity of
each packaging resin available per capita and per house-
hold. It provides two examples of feasible recovery
levels: 10 percent (seen in some drop-off depots) and 50
percent (considered a successful rate in curbside pro-
grams). Worksheet 1 (page 19) allows planners to model
any range of recovery they wish, based on number of
households served and extent of promotion/education
effort.
The data in Table 3 and on Worksheet 1 were devel-
oped for the Oregon Department of Environmental Qual-
ity in the study "Current and Target Recovery Rates for
Plastics Packaging in Oregon." It is based on U.S. con-
sumption averages compiled by the Society of the Plas-
tics Industry and published in Modern Plastics maga-
zine.
PLASTIC CONTAINER RECOVERY LEVELS ^ ^ ^
RESIDENTIAL COLLECTION PROGRAMS , ^ J ,' \ ^ (\ ^
Resin Type
HOPE
milk jugs
LDPE
PP
PS-solid
PS-foam
PVC
PET(2)
soft drink
(1) Based on U.S.
Per capita ge
Household ge
(2) PET recovery \A
Weight Generated (lbs./yr.)(l)
Per capita Per household
13.6 36.7
4.0 10.8
1.2 3.2
1.8 4.9
2.6 7.0
3.1 8.4
0.8 2.2
3.7 10.0
2.8 7.6
Recovery (Lbs/Hous
10%
3.7
1.1
0.3
0.5
0.7
0.8
0.2
1.0
0.8
.enold/Yr)
50%
18.4
5,4
1,6
2.4
3.5
4.2
1.1
5.0
3.8
resin consumption data. Modern Plastics, January 1990.
neration derived by using U.S. population of 250 million.
neration assumes 2.7 persons per household.
rould be much lower where there is deposit legislation.
20
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Recovery Level
by Method
'Planning For Recovery Levels
Recovery Assumptions
Recovery levels vary with the collection method, the
extent and effectiveness of promotion and education and
the types of packaging targeted. No two programs oper-
ate under the same conditions or attain the same results.
Some people will not participate! in even the most con-
venient and efficient collection program. Many people
who participate will not contribute all the material they
have.
Curbside programs seldom top 70 to 80 percent par-
ticipation, and more people set out newspaper than
glass, metal and plastic containers. People also separate
a higher percentage of their newspaper than their plas-
tics. Drop-off depots and buy-back centers typically
attract only a small portion of the public. Continuing
promotion and education can increase recovery levels,
but the following diversion rates are common for plas-
tics.
Curbside collection:
Depot collection:
20 to 50 percent of quantity
generated
5 to 10 percent of quantity
generated
Weight and
Volume
Equivalents
Bottles & Jugs: about 7 items per pound
All containers: 30 Ibs. per cubic yard (loose)
40 cubic yard box: 1,100 Ibs. loose containers
Standard Bale: 700 to 1,000 Ibs.
Gaylord, shredded: 500 to 700 Ibs.
Anational survey of collection programs shows an average of one milk jugper eligible house-
hold per weefe, o* 7.3 Ibs. per eligible household, recycled annually, Oregon curbside
progi-amsaveragedabout filbs.ofBDPE recycled (not allof it beverage jugs). "Eligible"refers
to all households fhat could set out, not aH the ones i&at do, Mi»sd plastics collection
programs, including film, have generated more than 2.§ Ibs* per eligible household weekly*
or 130 Ibs. annually.
21
Declsionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Estimating Collection Costs
Making multiple
copies of the
worksheets
will allow
development of
several scenarios.
Introduction.
This section provides information and worksheets to
help estimate costs of collecting plastics. Costs are
calculated per ton and per household for the addition of
plastics only or for the entire program—that is, for all
materials collected by the program.
Identifying the impact on total program costs
is the most useful way to look at the cost of plas-
tics collection. Considered alone, curbside plastics col-
lection may cost several times more per ton than other
items, but could add only pennies per household or a few
dollars per ton overall. Plastics collection typically has
even less impact on the costs of depot collection.
Four worksheets are provided:
• Worksheet 2: Capital/Start-Up Costs
• Worksheets: Annual Operating Costs
• Worksheet 4: Cost Offsets
• Worksheets: Summary Worksheet
Program planners need Worksheet 1 (page 19) and
previous data to decide the following:
• the collection and processing methods they will
employ;
• the equipment they will use, and its cost;
• the materials to be collected;
• estimated recovery tonnages and cubic yards;
• the staff levels and labor rates involved.
The worksheets can be used to estimate costs for
all materials and households in a multi-material pro-
gram, as well as to calculate the costs of adding plastics.
22
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Estimating Collection Costs
Cost Factors
material.
Higher costs may be observed with;
Each program will have different equipment, labor
rates, productivity and operating procedures. One pro-
gram may have higher costs per ton than another, but
lower costs per household. Several program characteris-
tics affect the costs of adding plastics to a collection
program:
1. Existing capacity. If the truck fleet has spare
capacity, plastics may not add much cost. In fact, they
may lower overall costs by improving utilization. But if
plastics collection requires more vehicles, higher costs
result. This is especially true for smaller programs: the
impact of increasing from two Ixucks to three trucks is
much greater than going from ten trucks to twelve.
2. Collection efficiency. Efficiency is the amount of
time and money needed to collect a given amount of
collection vehicles (more time per pick-up due to drivers walking
>, around vehjglej, slow loading systeKi5j
inefficient collection rotates (fewer stops per route, fewer hours on route,
fewer households per dayjcollected—due to low participation, low population
^ensiiy, distance from tlie central yard, poor route design, short work day);
Mgher Ikbor costs (more crew per vehicle, higher salaries);
more corbside sorts (more time per stopt fewer stops per day).
The lowest curbside costs are attained by one-person
collection crews serving a route of more than 800 house-
holds per day and collecting material that is commingled
to some degree. Depot collection tjrpically requires lower
capital, labor and operating costs because transportation
is minimized.
3. Materials collected. Collection of mixed plastics
or collecting a variety of containers will result in higher
space requirements, more expensive handling, increased
disposal of unacceptable plastics aind more load rejection
by markets.
23 Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
-Estimating Collection Costs
Representative
costs of programs
nationwide
Cost Factors.
4. Quantities recovered. Higher recovery can re-
duce costs per ton and increase revenues, tout may also
increase equipment and labor requirements. Low recov-
ery coupled with expensive equipment purchases will
drive up costs.
5. Cost of equipment. Less expensive options for
curbside programs may include used vehicles and bins or
expanded vehicle capacity (cages, bag holders, trailers)
rather than new trucks. But more expensive, high-
capacity vehicles may be justified if plastics are included
in planning a new program. Depot collection may be able
to rely entirely on existing boxes and balers. New drop-
boxes or dumpsters still cost less than vehicles.
6. Sorting efficiency. An efficient sorting system
(high sorting rates per worker, low costs per lb.) reduces
overall collection system costs. However, high quanti-
ties—several hundred Ibs. per hour—may be needed to
justify the investment in expensive processing equip-
ment. Most programs do not generate this quantity of
material.
7. Transportation costs. Distance to market is a
major factor, with truck operation (including labor) often
costing $40 per hour or more. Undensified material is
too expensive to haul farther than a few miles.
Table 4 on page 25 provides average costs and
ranges observed nationally. It is offered for general
interest only. A multitude of labor costs, equipment
types, sociodemograpbics, efficiency and recovery levels
are represented by the programs included in these aver-
ages. Comparison with your own program should be
undertaken cautiously.
24
Declslonmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Estimating Collection
>^V»»I 1 VIWIVSI«
^^fe;"^-^'^"*"^^^^"-*"
^losps?™,, *»" «"~t ?f it5^yjBwij!Sw^*T'if iV»» I!.,I»A*I
^iS^Ci ocf*-/*\\/cn\f l^vufeiVfu*. ,:;'
M KS5 jciCHQViRY COSTS A
-t >%>!? ®ilfl-|l#rf?»^l .COLLE^lf l0^PR0^is
\5^?*v?)^ ^ V $d^&&Mift&0& pl^raiii m0ete]li , \ ^
\<$$& ' $ ' -*• ^ ^"<"-si^ ~
*^x^
'"s ,"'< J '"* * "*>• *
Per Household
Average I
i
i
$1:23 1
i.
$0.25 [
'.
$0.25 1
J
1
1
P
P
Not Available i
i
i
Not A\railable |
Not Available i
!
»
§
§
Not Available I
Not Available t:
if
Ranged)
i
1
j
1 $0.61 - $4.02
s
| $0.04 - $0.73
j
j
$0.04 - $0.73
i Not Available
i
1 Not Available
i
Not Available
i
i
Not Available
Not Available
^ t
fci
4,"
I
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y
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(1) Per household cost ranges are the same for adding plastics and for plastics only.
because the number of households and
total added cost are the same.
25
Decisionmaker's Quide to Recycling Plastics
-------
i Estimating Collection Costs
Capital / Start-Up Costs
Use Worksheet 2 on page 27 to examine several op-
tions for providing service. Based on the space needs
identified in Worksheet 1 (page 19), estimate costs for
equipment and other capital improvements. Interest
rates of 10 percent may be used. Compounded interest
should be added to the cost of equipment over the useful
life of the item. Equipment life is often estimated at
seven years.
Table 5 provides estimated capital costs for equip-
ment needed to collect, sort and process plastics. Local
planners will be able to identify opportunities to reduce
costs.
* Curbside Collection
1 Vehicles
;j Pick-up truck
i Manual loader
Front-loader
; Automated pickup
Packer
;::i7S-^«3«gp^H^jp-|
1 Burlap sacks @
60 gal. roll-carts
' ' *, " * ^ T N- H ' t y^^ SM' -w®***^
Supplemental vehicle capacity Jg
Wire-mesh cage
Trailer
1.5cu. yd. sacks®
Sack holders @
Customer storage containers
$0.25-$0.50
$45
,5 ,x ; »» *; 4f «i\
, Drop-off Collection (and Site Storage)
Storage/collection
30 cu. yd. roll-off box
4 cu. yd. bin
Gaylord box @
55-gal barrel, used
1 20-gal. fiber barrel
•,^ ,-* i,.. . M
$3,000
$450
$7
$7
$5
14 gal. boxes®
90 gal. roll-carts
$2,000 g
$3,000-$10,000 If
$500 8
EN '„ •t^^tf^flf^y^fs^f1^^^^
$7 Js-j
$60
Site preparation jgS
8' chainlink fence
Plastic or snow fencing
* *:' ---"N.*^'»< '^
' , .v>^»-,, -yT ^f»- ;#^ »**-
Processing equipment
1 Densification
i On-board compactor
Granulator
Shredder
Baler
1 Perforator
» *» »,,
$5,000-$ 15,000
$2,500-$20,000
$3,000-$6,000
$10,000-$500,000
$10,000
$13/linearft. ^
$2/linearft. £j
/ -j «i «-*''?" ^ ^\ ^-m^^
- Vc f 1
**. * i
Sorting fe|
Conveyors
Air classifier
Eddy current
Trommel screen
Sorting table
Materials handling
Forklift $15,000-$60,000
Roll-off truck $75,000
Front-end loader $90,000
: , ^ — »...»»
$7,000-$ 10,000 m
$9,000 J
$100,000 <'
$20,000 -
$500-$40,000 ,*
' X< ^ "* ' f -£, ^ j
'.•"^"rr'-s'^-'i
26
Declslonmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
! Estimating Collection Costs
Capitol / Start-Up Costs
•>#&
Capital/Start-Up Costs
Equipment
Collection- Trucks
Trailers
Cages
^«f- .>- ^v^'— :;-*-
^\^J^fJ&»^** ^*V«^*"v4-
^•* JfgM^Vv < ' < »„
:^f ;^^>?%,c~*
\ , , * c. "% '•*
* " >j£*l"~'' ^ ^<
f\ "'^ff ,^ ~&Wlfii. v ^*
" Fvl ^
Total Cost
= $
= $
= $
= $
= $
= $
= $
= $
= $
_ "* <^ **•
»'l
Annual Cost(l)
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
27
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Estimating Collection Costs •
Annual Operating Costs.
Worksheet 3 on page 29 requires local solid waste
planners to use their knowledge of salaries and operat-
ing costs. Several programs can be modeled. For ex-
ample, a single sorter may be able to remove contami-
nants from one ton of plastic containers daily. Only a
few hours may be needed for smaller quantities. Baling
or shredding may proceed at different rates, depending
on the equipment. It should be possible to densify a ton
of material in two hours with commonly available equip-
ment.
Table 6 provides a broad estimate of vehicle costs
seen in other programs. Information available to local
decisionmakers will be more specific and useful. How-
ever, the categories need to be considered.
Representative Vehicle Operating
Other Than Labor <1^
Category
Vehicle license/insurance
Tires, parts (per vehicle)
Fuel ($/gallon)
Miles/gallon
Miles/hour
Maintenance ($/hr of operation)
C.Xitr^riS^rv ^
''•;" S^ ~f, <•»<•'
Cost (1990)
$4,000/year
$l,500-$4,500/yr.
$1.50
5-10 i
12
;03 - .06
(1) Larger vehicles with more hydraulic equipment
have higher costs for maintenance, parts, fuel.
28
Declsionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
!Estimating Collection Costs
Annual Operating Costs
siyiLg%^&&vc|u* «&$ , j. * s x> ._, to, if e?~T "*" """^s^*" '*'"> « ^ .s~, " * *^
JSlP^rj^ -.. <••--_ , tlT.,.^. '— -.™T^y-»
Annual Operating Costs
Labor
(wages, taxes, benefits)
Collection: Drivers
Laborers
Process/Market: Sorters
s ^^ ^^~^.~ ~ V^t
"? g ~m *• ft~" ^^' ^ ^ ~ ^
Number X Unit Cost
X $
X $
X $
Equipment Operator X $
Maintenance: Mechanic
Administration: Manager
Clerical
Other Operating Expenses
Collection: License/Insurance
Fuel, oil
Tires/Parts
Maintenance
Process/Market: Utilities
License/Insurance
Fuel, oil
Tires/Parts
Phone, mail
Maintenance
Promotion: Design, printing
Distribute/mail
Supplies
Advertising
X $
X $
X $
X $
X $
X $
X $
X $
X $
X $
X $
X $
X $
X $
X $
X $
X $
TOTAL ANNUAL OPERATING COST
^ --,v»'V '"t^ ^-/, f * ^ ^ >
i * uiS „ * ^ \ ,' ^
Annual Cost
_ A
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
(S
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
29
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Estimating Collection Costs
.Cost Off sets
Program costs will be reduced by revenues from sale
of materials and by savings on disposal. Worksheet 4
allows planners to estimate revenues and disposal sav-
ings. These projections can be incorporated into Work-
sheet 5, "Summary Worksheet." Tonnages developed on
Worksheet 1 (page 19) are needed to complete Worksheet
4.
Prices vary considerably from one buyer to the next.
A low price estimate paid by Northwest markets for any
type of plastic is $.02 - $.04 per Ib. A high estimate for
HDPE is $.10 - $.15 per Ib. Other materials seldom
exceed $.08 per Ib. These prices can be applied to recov-
ery estimates in order to project revenues (see Work-
sheet 1). Multiply total estimated tonnage recovered by
the local cost of disposal to calculate disposal savings.
Cost Offsets
Revenues from Sale of Materials
Annual Lbs. of Material
HDPE
PET
Other
Avg. Price/Lb.
Revenue
X
X
X
X
X
TOTAL ANNUAL SALES REVENUE
(total of revenue column)
TOTAL ANNUAL DISPOSAL SAVINGS
Annual Tons Recycled
Disposal
Cost/Ton
X
TOTAL ANNUAL COST OFFSETS
(add total sales revenue and disposal savings)
30
Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Estimating Collection Costs
Summary Worksheet
-'
Summary Worksheet
r.i3Sf&«f/ "" ' -
T « •* ^ /
i^ T tn > •«. —
^ -x, ^ £ «• , IS #"4,
vn / x^ * ^ F^ «
Annualized Capital Costs (from Worksheet 2)
Annual Operating Costs (from Worksheet 3)
TOTAL ANNUAL COSTS
J_
$
Annual Revenues (from Worksheet 4) $
Annual Disposal Savings (From Worksheet 4) $
TOTAL ANNUAL COST OFFSETS (from Worksheet 4)
NET PROGRAM COST
(Subtract total annual cost offsets from total annual costs)
Cost per Ton - divide net program cost
by total tons of material recovered
Cost per Household per Month - divide net program costs
by number of houses offered service.
Divide result by 12.
_$_
$
Costs of Adding Plastics.
To estimate the costs of adding plastics to the pro-
gram, you must calculate current costs for all materials
collected and processed. Then add-in the total costs for
including plastics and divide the new total cost by total
tons and by all households.
For example, if a program serves 50,000 households
and collects 6,000 tons of all materials at a total annual
cost of $600,000, it costs $100 per ton and $1 per house-
hold per month. If this program adds 500 tons of plas-
tics annually, at a total annual cost of $150,000, the
entire program now collects 6,500 tons for $115 per ton
and $1.25 per household per month..
31
Decisionmoker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Policy Issues
Decisionmakers need to resolve a number of issues surrounding plastics
collection. Most of these issues are the same for all recyclable materials. Whether and
how to collect are discussed above. Other questions include:
• Who collects? Will the local jurisdiction require plastics collection as part of
garbage franchise or contract agreements? Will collection be
assigned by bid?
. Who markets? Government is seldom equipped for the daily decisions in-
volved in selling secondary materials.
. Cost and Revenue sharing. What formula will be used to distribute
expenses and revenues? Markets may decline or increase,
and an equitable arrangement may involve sharing of both
risks and benefits. The simplest plan administratively may
be to assign all revenues to the collector/seller.
. How will collection costs be paid? Will they be billed directly to cus-
tomers as part of solid waste collection charges? If so, as a
separate line item? Will they be paid out of general tax
funds? Can the plastics industry be enlisted to contribute
equipment costs?
. How much can be spent? What limits will be set on increased expenditure
for plastics collection? What period of time is allowed to
bring costs down? Is the community willing to landfill as
much as 20 percent of collected plastics if they are not mar-
ketable?
. Will participation be mandatory? Higher recovery will result, but strong
opposition may also emerge. Additional equipment could be
needed to handle the added tonnage.
. What education and promotion methods will be used? Programs that do
not encourage and inform the public on a regular basis risk
wasting their investment in collection.
. Are zoning issues involved? Storage of milk jugs and other food containers
can conflict with health codes, particularly in certain neigh-
borhoods. Will special permits be required? Will these re-
quirements restrict a plastics recycling operation?
32 Decislonmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
Monitoring and evaluation. How will program results be reported and
assessed? Over what period? Who will be responsible for
maintaining and reviewing records? What standards will be
set for intervening?
Procurement of recycled products. Will the local jurisdiction make an
effort to purchase recycled plastic products, such as car-
stops, pallets, park benches, traffic cones and road markers?
Such efforts "close the recycling loop" and are important in
creating demand for the collected material. The local juris-
diction should publicize its efforts in this area.
Interjurisdictional cooperation. Costs can be lowered by pooling collected
materials for processing and shipment to market. Will this
be done, and if so, who will be responsible for it? Should it
be required of the collector?
Will bans on certain packaging be employed? Some communities, such
as Portland, Oregon and Minneapolis, Minnesota, have
ordinances banning non-recycled packaging. These local
actions reduce non-recyclable plastics in the waste stream.
They also educate the public and put pressure on industry to
assist recycling. They may encourage use of more recyclable
resins and packaging, but they can be cumbersome to en-
force. New state laws may supercede local initiatives. Mu-
nicipalities that have enacted bans should be contacted to
find out the pros and cons of such actions.
33 Decisionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
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For More Information
On MARKETS
Eaglebrook Plastics, Inc.
Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality
Plastic Recycling Alliance
Plastics Recycling Update
Guidebook
Plastics Recycling Compendium
Resource Integration Systems
Society of the Plastics Industry
Wellman, Inc.
2600 West Roosevelt
Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 523-1366
811 S.W. Sixth
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 229-5913
(215) 774-1942
Resource Recycling, Inc.
P.O. Box 10540
Portland, OR 97210
(503) 227-1319
Christiansen Associates
P.O. Box 7364
Toledo, OH 43615
(419) 389-1799
425 N.W. 18th Ave.
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 227-1326
1275 K Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 371-5319
P.O. Box 188
JohnsonviUe, SC 29555
(803) 386-2011
34
Declslonmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
For More Information
On PROGRAM PLANNING
Association of Oregon Recyclers
Council for Solid
Waste Solutions
EPA National Peer Match
Program
EPA Region X Peer Match
Program (Available in 1991)
Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality
Resource Integration Systems
Solid Waste Information
Clearinghouse (SWICH)
Waste Matters Consulting
P.O. Box 15279
Portland, OR 97215
(503) 233-7770
1275 K Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 371-5319
GRCDA
Attn: EPA Peer Match Program
P.O. Box 7219
Silver Springs, MD 20910
1-800-456-GRCD
1200 6th Ave.
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 553-6640
811 S.W. Sixth
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 229-5913
425 N.W. 18th Ave.
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 227-1326
1-800-67-SWICH
FAX: 1-301-585-0297
800 NW 6th Ave., Suite 210
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 294-0911
35
Declsionmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
-------
For More Information!
On NEW DEVELOPMENTS
Council on Plastics Packaging
and the Environment
Garbage (magazine)
Modern Plastics (magazine)
Plastics News
Resource Recycling (magazine)
and Plastics Recycling Update
Waste Age (magazine)
1275 K Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 371-5228
Old-House Journal Corp.
435 Ninth Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
(718) 788-1700
P.O. Box 602
Hightstown, NY 08520
1-800-257-9402, ext. 81
965 E. Jefferson
Detroit, MI 48207-3185
Resource Recycling, Inc.
P.O. Box 10540
Portland, OR 97210
(503) 227-1319
1730 Rhode Island Ave, NW
Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 861-0708
36
Decislonmaker's Guide to Recycling Plastics
* U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1991—592-754
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