United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5306W)
EPA-530-F-99-017q
October 1999
www.epa.gov/osw
Visalia, California
50% Residential Waste Reduction
Overview
In 1991, Visalia began its waste reduction program in
order to meet California's state mandated recycling goals.
The city tried several curbside recycling pilot programs
involving bins and bags and manual collection. However
none of the programs were implemented due to poor
productivity and high worker compensation rates as
compared to the city's existing automated trash collection
system. Instead the city, in partnership with a local trash
equipment distributor, designed a special 110-gallon split
container for trash and recyclables and a dual-compartmented
automated truck that allows crews to collect trash and
recyclables simultaneously. The city implemented this
innovative automated dual-collection system citywide in
1996. At the same time, it reduced trash collection frequency
to once a week (from twice a week) and added a weekly
"green waste" collection program. In FY97,Visalia diverted
50% of its residential waste from disposal — 33% through
composting and 16% through recycling.
Keys to High Waste Reduction
Recycling program convenience, collection of 15
categories of recyclable materials, the replacement of the city's
previous second-day trash pick-up with a green waste
collection day, the state bottle bill, and an extensive outreach
campaign contribute to the success ofVisalia's waste reduction
program. Residents can commingle
virtually all paper products, and metal,
plastic, and glass containers for recycling
in one side of their wheeled, split
containers. Visalia diverts 33% of the
city's residential waste through its yard
debris program. All green waste is taken
to a local compost facility. Visalia
diverts nearly 3% of its residential
waste through the state container
deposit and redemption program.
The city undertook an extensive
outreach campaign to teach residents
DHALU
POPULATION: 91 ,314
(1996), 92,677 (1997)
HOUSEHOLDS: 28,869
(1996), 25,346 single-
family households, 3,523
multi-family units
FY94
FY97
Tons Per Year
45,395
50,806
Percent Diverted
Recycled
Composted
2%
2%
0%
50%
16%
33%
Average Ibs./HH/day
10.58
10.71
Net Program Costs/HH $190.33 $202.20
Disposal Services $190.33 $108.77
Diversion Services1 $0 $93.43
Notes: 23,500 households served in 1994; 26,000 in 1996 and 1997.
1994 dollars adjusted to 1996 dollars using GDP deflator.
Numbers may not add to total due to rounding.
1Diversion represents deposit container recovery only in FY94,
therefore; there were no direct costs to the city.
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).
-------
how to use the new system and emphasize the
importance of recycling.
Cost-Effectiveness
In 1996, the city spent about $5.26 million
for trash, recycling, and yard debris management
services — about $202 per household served.
Of this, about 54% was spent on trash collection
and disposal, 18% was spent on recycling, and
28% was spent on yard debris collection and
processing. On a per-ton basis, trash cost $117
and waste reduction programs cost $96 —
recycling, $114 and green waste
-~w recovery, $87.1 Overall, net solid
waste management costs per
household served have increased
from $190 in FY94 to $202 in
FY97. During this same time period,
per ton trash tip fees increased 10%. If
these fees had not risen, per household
waste management costs in FY97 would
have been within 5% of per household costs in
FY94. In FY94, per ton trash costs were $101
per ton, now waste reduction and trash services
RESIDENTIAL WASTE GENERATION
PER HOUSEHOLD PER DAY
11.0
MATERIALS RECOVERED
CURBSIDE:
newspaper, magazines, corrugated cardboard
mixed paper (including mail, paperboard, and office paper)
glass containers
cans
all plastic containers
milk andjuice cartons
scrap wood and lumber (except creosote or treated wood)
grass clippings, brush, leaves, and other yard and garden debris
DROP-OFF:
same materials as curbside plus holiday trees
Fully automated dual
collection truck used to
collect trash and
recyclables in Visalia
•§ 6.0
FY94 FY97
I | Trash | | Recycling H Composting
Source: Institute for Local Self-Reliance, 1999.
cost $106 per ton. Recyclables processing and
composting costs are less expensive per ton than
landfill tip fees, helping to contain costs.
Tips for Replication
Investigate the dual-collection split-
container system and automated collection.
Focus on education to teach residents
how to use the system.
Seek out committed staff and
administration to ensure program.
Find processor willing
to receive commingled
recyclables.
Put together a Citizen
Advisory Group or find other
ways to obtain resident input.
Note:
line differences in the per-ton costs in these figures are largely reflections of
the per-ton costs for recycling and composting processing and trash
disposal. Visalia does not track curbside collection costs for recyclables, yard
debris, and trash separately and reports per-ton collection costs for all
materials as the total system average curbside collection cost.
Contact
Kathy Onsurez, Conservation Coordinator
Torn Baffa, Solid Waste Services Manager
City of Visalia Public Works Department
336 N. BenMaddoxWay
Visalia, California 93292-6631
PHONE: 209-738-3531 or 209-738-3569
FAX: 209-738-3576
------- |