United States Environmental Protection Agency Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5306W) EPA-530-F-99-017g October 1999 www.epa.gov/osw Dover, New Hampshire 52% Residential Waste Reduction Overview In 1990, the city of Dover opened a drop-off center for recycling and a year later instituted a curbside recycling program and pay-as-you-throw trash fees. Since then the city has increased its waste recovery and reduced its production of waste. Average per household waste generation decreased from 6.2 pounds per day in 1990 to 4.7 pounds per day in 1996. In 1996 Dover diverted 52% of its residential waste (35% through recycling and 17% through composting) up from 3% in 1990. Dover residents receive weekly trash and recycling collection and seasonal yard debris collection services. The city operates a drop-off center where residents can deliver recyclables and yard debris. Dover's successful waste reduction program has reaped financial benefits as well; average per household costs for solid waste management have dropped from $122 in 1990 to $73 in 1996. Keys to High Waste Reduction The keys to Dover's waste reduction are convenient curbside residential recycling service, the city's drop-off facility for recyclables and yard debris, and a pay-as-you-throw trash fee structure. The curbside recycling program collects 20 categories of materials on the same day as trash; all participating households are given free containers for storage and set-out of materials. Materials collected include many paper grades, clear and colored glass containers, # 1 and #2 plastic bottles, juice and milk containers, and aluminum foil. The city's drop-off center accepts five recyclable materials in addition to all those collected at curbside. The center also provides a free, regular outlet for brush and other yard debris, which is only collected seasonally at curbside. The pay-as-you-throw trash program requires all municipal DHALU POPULATION: 25,042 (1990); 26,094 (1996); 27,000 (1997) HOUSEHOLDS: 11,315 (1996); 5,641 single family dwellings (4 units or less), 5,674 multi-family dwellings 1990 1996 Tons Per Year 10,838 9,462 Percent Diverted Recycled Composted 3% 3% 0% 52% 35% 17% Average Ibs./HH/day 6.18 4.71 Net Program Costs/HH $121.55 $72.53 Disposal Services $121.28 $43.78 Diversion Services $0.28 $28.75 Notes: 9,611 households served in 1990; 11,000 in 1996. Dover also serves 210 small businesses in its residential waste programs. 1990 dollars adjusted to 1996 dollars using the GDP deflator. Numbers may not add to total due to rounding. This profile is part of the fact sheet Cutting the Waste Stream in Half: Community Record-Setters Show How (EPA-530-F-99-017). ------- waste customers to place their trash into orange bags and tag oversized items. Untagged trash or trash set out in unauthorized containers is not collected. The trash fees provide a direct financial incentive for trash customers to divert materials through recycling or composting and to reduce their total waste generation. Cost-Effectiveness Dover's net residential solid waste management costs dropped from $1.1 million in 1990 to $798,000 in 1996 while adding more than 1,000 customers. Taking inflation into account, per household costs for solid waste management have been reduced from $122 in 1990 to $73 in 1996. In 1996, trash collection cost $115 per ton; and waste reduction averaged $60 per ton RESIDENTIAL WASTE GENERATION PER HOUSEHOLD PER DAY MATERIALS RECOVERED CURBSIDE: newspaper, magazines and catalogs, corrugated cardboard, mixed paper (including paperboard, mail, office paper, glossy paper, and phone books) juice boxes and milk cartons glass containers cans #1 and #2 plastic bottles aluminum foil leaves, and other soft yard trimmings (including grass clippings, garden plants, and pine needles but excluding brush and woody debris) large appliances and scrap metal (collected separately by appointment) DROP-OFF: All materials collected at curbside (except milk andjuice cartons) plus: brush and holiday trees tires automotive and other batteries textiles empty aerosol cans oil filters wood construction and demolition debris 1990 1996 Trash Recycling [Composting Source: institute for Local Se!f-Re!iance, 1999. (recycling cost $75 per ton and composting cost $27 per ton). Per ton trash costs have remained relatively constant since Dover instituted its recycling and composting programs and switched to a pay-as-you-throw trash system; $111 in 1990 and $115 in 1996. Overall budget savings have resulted from significantly lower per ton costs for waste reduction and reduced generation both for the city as a whole and per household. Tips for Replication Institute a user-fee based program. Research the bags used in bag-and-tag system. It is important to have bags of the correct size, strength, and color. Talk about waste reduction plans to all groups who will listen. Include low-income residents in the program. Establish a newsletter to remind and update residents on program changes. Track data. Contact Jeff Pratt Solid Waste Coordinator Dover Community Services Department Municipal Building 288 Central Avenue PHONE: 603-743-6094 FAX: 603-743-6096 WEB SITE: http://www.ci.dover.nh.us ------- |