United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5306W)
EPA-530-F-99-017I
October 1999
www.epa.gov/osw
Madison, Wisconsin
50% Residential Waste Reduction
Overview
In 1968 Madison began the first curbside recycling
program in the United States. This pioneering program
collected only newspapers; now the city collects 13 types of
recyclables weekly at the curb. The city also offers its
residents seasonal curbside collection of yard debris and
operates drop-off sites for yard debris and large items such as
appliances. The city's diversion rate has grow as program
participation has become mandatory and more materials have
been targeted for recovery. The city's waste diversion rate
jumped from 18% in 1988 to 34% in 1989, when the city
mandated that all businesses and residents source-separate
materials for composting. When cardboard and containers
were added and recycling became mandatory in 1991, the
tonnage of materials recycled more than doubled from the
previous year. In 1996, the city diverted 50% of its residential
waste; 16% through recycling and 34% through composting.
Keys to High Waste Reduction
Yard debris recovery, the collection of a wide range of
materials through a convenient curbside program, and
mandatory source-separation of designated materials are keys
to Madison's waste reduction success. The city's yard debris
recovery program is the heart of its waste reduction efforts,
accounting for 67% of materials diverted from landfills in
1996. The city collected half of these materials through its
fall leaf program and a quarter in its seasonal curbside
brush collection program. Residents
delivered the remaining materials to
the city's drop-off sites. Madison
collects all residential recyclables at the
curb and operates two drop-off facilities
that accept appliances and scrap metals.
Residents commingle recyclable
containers in clear plastic bags and
bundle paper products separately. In
1989, Madison enacted a recycling
ordinance mandating all businesses
and residents of both single- and
DHALU
POPULATION: 191,000
(1989); 200,920
(1996)
HOUSEHOLDS: 82,949
(1996); 40,314 single-
family households, 42,635
multi-family units
1988
1996
Tons Per Year
71,640
88,583
Percent Diverted
Recycled
Composted
18%
5%
12%
50%
16%
34%
Average Ibs./HH/day
8.19
8.38
Net Program Costs/HH $162.55 $174.79
Disposal Services $132.97 $103.20
Diversion Services $29.58 $71.59
Notes: 47,945 households served in 1988; 57,949 in 1996. 1988
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).
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multi-family households source-
separate designated materials. The
city can issue tickets to residents
that fail to recycle but has not
done so although it has
ticketed residents for
scavenging recyclables and illegal
trash dumping.
Cost-Effectiveness
The cost-effectiveness of Madison's solid
waste management program is enhanced by
high diversion levels, low diversion costs for
yard trimmings, the use of large capacity clear
bags for recycling, and a revenue-sharing
contract with the materials recovery facility.
High diversion levels allowed the city to
decrease the number of trash routes serving
residents and helped to hold landfill tip fees in
check. The city's yard debris management
program diverts 34% of its residential waste
stream at a lower per-ton cost than recycling
or disposal. The large 30-gallon bags that
residents use for recyclables avoid the cost of
CURBSIDE:
newspaper, magazines and catalogs, corrugated cardboard
brown paper bags, phone books
glass containers
cans
#1 and #2 plastic containers
appliances
scrap metal
tires
brush, holiday trees, grass clippings, leaves, and other organic yard and
garden debris
DROP-OFF:
leaves, brush, grass
clippings, and other
yard trimmings
used oil
appliances
other large items
Brush collection in
Madison using tow-
behind brush chipper
RESIDENTIAL WASTE GENERATION
PER HOUSEHOLD PER DAY
1988
| Trash
Source: institute for Local Seif-Reiiance, 1999.
1991 1996
Recycling HComposting
\
purchasing bins and allow some residents to set
out recyclables every other week. Under its
MRF contract, the city receives 80% of
revenues from the sale of recyclables. The city
also reduced costs by closing its drop-off site
for recyclables. In 1996, the city spent about
$10.7 million for trash, recycling, and yard
debris services — about $185 per household
served. Material revenues from recycling
reduced this by $550,000 to $10.1 million -
$175 per household served. Madison's per
household waste management costs rose 8%
from $163 in 1988 to $175 in 1996. The
increase can wholly be explained by rising
disposal fees, which more than doubled during
the same period.
Tips for Replication
Don't fudge numbers in order to sell
your solid waste management program.
Know your markets.
Not collecting a material is better than
collecting it for recycling and then landfilling it.
Build political support.
Contact
George Dreckmann
Recycling Coordinator
Street Division
City of Madison Dept. of Public Works
1501 West Badger Road
Madison, WI 53713
PHONE: 608-267-2626
FAX: 608-267-1120
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