Amending the Source Separation Ordinance

In Mecklenburg County

May 29, 2013

New Developments

County staff presented to the Business Development Commission (BDC) on May 21st and requested representatives to participate in C&D cardboard recycling discussions at today’s meeting.

What is the Source Separation Ordinance?

Review: This is a business recycling law, which was

adopted by the Board of County Commissioners in 2002 and all seven municipalities, requiring that business entities contracting for 16 cubic yards or more of trash service per week separate their office paper and corrugated cardboardfor recycling purposes and provide for the collection of these materials.

Exceptions

Review If the business generates less than 500

pounds a month of either material, they are exempt from separating that material

If the business is operating from a temporary location

If the business is contracting with a certified mixed waste processor

If physical constraints preclude compliance If compliance would cause the business to

break another law

Potential Changes to Ordinance Identified in SWMP - 2012

Lower threshold of SSO Remove or reduce 500-lb exemptions Expand materials affected Remove temporary site exemption Tracking and measurement of commercial

waste stream

C&D Composition

Wood32%

Inerts29%

C&D Materials

20%

Metal7%

Paper5%

Bulky/Other3%

Green Waste2%

Plastic 1%

Glass 1%

Other19%

Impact of Changes Related to Removing TSEs

Threshold # Businesses Tons OCC/YrTons Office Paper/Yr

Tons Mixed Paper/Yr

Tons Bottles/Yr Tons Can/Yr

16 CY 4,900 7,156 2,526 8,630 180 148

8 CY 1,700 2,483 876 2,994 62 52Temporary Site Exemption (TSE) 1,300 9,100 6 21 14 12

Total at 8 CY + TSE 7,900 18,739 3,408 11,645 256 212

Reduction in Emissions # Businesses Tons OCC/Yr

Tons Office Paper/Yr

Tons Mixed Paper/Yr

Tons Bottles/Yr Tons Can/Yr

Temporary Site Exemption (TSE) 1,300 -28,940 -25 -75 -21 -164

Session law 2005-362 An Act to Prohibit the Disposal of Motor Vehicle Oil Filters, Rigid Plastic Containers, Wooden Pallets and Oyster Shell in Landfills(Used Oil, Yard trash, white goods, antifreeze, aluminum cans, whole scrap tires, lead acid batteries).

Expand Materials Affected

Infrastructure Already in Place

Since the Ordinance was passed in 2002, the number of recycling companies servicing Mecklenburg County has greatly increased.

There are approximately 30 companies that collect cardboard for recycling purposes from business entities in the County.

There are at least 19 companies that collect pallets for recycling purposes from business entities in the County.

There are three single stream MRFs that service the business community with two more on the way.

Infrastructure for Smaller Jobs

The County operates almost 140 Drop-Off Centers that accept cardboard and are open to the public.

Impact of LEED

Approximately 200 LEED projects in Charlotte.

Increased focus on sustainability has led to greater availability of processing services and greater site efficiencies.

Estimated annual quantity of corrugated cardboard in C&D waste stream: 7,676 Tons

Estimated annual missed value of corrugated cardboard in C&D waste stream: $1,197,456

Annual Missed Value

Estimated annual quantity of pallets in C&D waste stream: 4,242 Tons (169,680 pallets)

Estimated annual missed value of pallets in C&D waste stream: $89,082

Annual Missed Value

Methods Used in Other Cities/Counties:◦ Orange County, NC Regulated Recyclable Materials Ordinance addressing corrugated cardboard, clean wood and scrap metal Results – volume of C&D waste fell almost 50%

Removing Temporary Site Exemptions/Bans – C&D

Removing TSEs

Pros Cons Overall positive impact to

the County based on economic gains to hauling & processing community & savings in disposal costs

Bring in additional recycling tonnage

Reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions

Level the playing field Infrastructure exists for

cardboard recycling Materials have economic

value

Difficult to enforce –permitting, working with other jurisdictions or departments

Space constraints on construction sites

Small Business Recycling Survey

Costs to Small Businesses

◦ $30-50 per month for a 6-cubic yard dumpster collected once a week◦ 45-65% savings since last survey in May 2011◦ 25% of businesses would see $20-25 per month savings in pull costs

Small Business Recycling Survey

Materials Collected From Haulers

MaterialHaulers

Accepting

Cardboard 5Office Paper 5Mixed Paper 5Aseptic Packaging 5Aluminum Cans 5Metal Food Cans 5Aerosol Cans 5Plastic Bottles 5Rigid Plastic Containers 4Mixed Plastic Containers 5Glass Bottles 2

The average of all the businesses responding to DSM’s survey reported generating 77 PET bottles, 54 aluminum cans, and only 14 glass bottles per month.

Steps Moving Forward

Set next meeting Identify any additional information needs