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).

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               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


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