United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5306W)
EPA-530-F-99-017a
October 1999
www.epa.gov/osw
Ann Arbor, Michigan
52% Residential Waste Reduction
Overview
Residential waste reduction in the City of Ann Arbor has
come a long way since the creation of its first community-
based non-profit drop-off station in 1970. Today the city
contracts with the non-profit organization, Recycle Ann
Arbor, for the collection — under mandatory ordinance —
of recyclables from all city households and the operation of a
drop-off facility for recyclables and yard debris. 1 In addition,
city crews collect yard debris at curbside seasonally. In FY96
the city diverted 52% of its residential waste through
recycling (30%) and composting (23%). Per household solid
waste management costs have increased by less than 10%
since FY89, even though per ton trash tip fees increased more
than 70% in the same period.
Keys to High Waste Reduction
Contributing factors to Ann Arbor's waste diversion level
are a state ban on landfilling yard debris, curbside collection
of 24 types of recyclables coupled with a mandatory
ordinance, multi-family dwelling recycling service, and the
bottle bill. The state ban spurred Ann Arbor to develop a
compost site, draft an ordinance requiring residents to
separate "compostables" from trash, and start curbside service
for these materials. Nearly one-quarter of Ann Arbor's
residential waste stream is diverted through the city's
composting program. City ordinance requires residents to
source-separate recyclables and
compostables from trash. The city
enforces this requirement by not
collecting improperly sorted and
prepared materials. As 52% of
households are multi-family, the city
recognized the importance of
providing this sector with waste
reduction services. Multi-family
buildings receive recycling carts and
can divert the same materials as do
single-family homes, with the
exception of motor oil and batteries.
DHALU
POPULATION: 112,000
(1994)
HOUSEHOLDS: 22,000
single-family and
duplexes; 24,000 multi-
family
FY89
FY96
Tons Per Year
44,806
47,943
Percent Diverted
Recycled
Composted
16%
16%
0%
52%
30%
23%
Average Ibs./HH/day
5.61
5.71
Net Program Costs/HH $72.96 77.61
Disposal Services 63.68 42.17
Diversion Services 9.29 35.44
Notes: 43,774 households served in FY89; 46,000 in FY96. 1989
dollars adjusted to 1996 dollars using the GDP deflator.
Numbers may not add to total due to rounding.
Source: Institute for Local Self-Reliance, 1999.
This profile is part of the fact sheet Cutting the Waste Stream in Half: Community Record-Setters Show How (EPA-530-F-99-017).
-------
The bottle bill provides an
incentive to recover
designated containers. The
city's waste reduction efforts are
supported by city ownership of a
material recovery facility and composting
facility, and a comprehensive education
program.
Cost-Effectiveness
In FY96, after subtracting material
revenues, the city spent $78 per household
served on trash, recycling, and yard debris
services. This cost represents an increase of less
than 10% over per household costs in FY89.
In FY97, the average net per ton costs of waste
reduction were $71. In contrast, FY97 trash
frvjauai]
CURBSIDE:
newspaper, magazines, and corrugated cardboard
mixed paper (including paperback and phone books, office paper, mail,
and paperboard)
milk cartons and juice boxes
steel and aluminum cans
scrap metal (including ferrous metal, aluminum foil and pie tins, white
goods, and aerosol cans)
glass containers, dishes, and heat-resistant glass
ceramics
#1 -#3 plastic bottles
textiles
household batteries
used motor oil and oil filters
yard waste (including leaves, grass clippings, brush, and holiday trees)
DROP-OFF:
all materials collected in curbside recycling program plus
hardcover books
polystyrene
packing peanuts
foam egg
cartons
car batteries
other materials can
be (collected for a
small fee)
Recyclables and yard
debris set out for
collection in Ann Arbor
RESIDENTIAL WASTE GENERATION
PER HOUSEHOLD PER DAY
7.0
6.0
5.0
4.0
FY89 FY96
I] Trash ] Recycling | Composting
Source: Institute for Local Self-Reliance, 1999.
collection and disposal costs averaged $86 per
ton. Contracting with a nonprofit for curbside
recyclables collection and
operation of the drop-off
facility, reduced total disposal
costs, and yard debris
diversion are primarily
responsible for keeping the
increase to a minimum.
Tips for Replication
Keep the program easy and user-
friendly.
Include public input.
Look for ways to cooperate with other
entities.
Use conservative projections for
tonnages and market prices.
Notes:
1 Residents in multi-family dwellings can recycle the same
materials at curbside as residents in single-family dwellings with
the exception of used motor oil and batteries.
Contact
Tom McMurtrie
Recycling Coordinator
City of Ann Arbor Dept. of Solid Waste
100 N. Fifth Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48107
PHONE: 734-994-6581
FAX: 734-994-1816
WEB SITE: http://www.ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
------- |