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 ------- |