ameripen 2014 pbresee2
TRANSCRIPT
Perspectives from State and Local Government: The Philadelphia Story
AMERIPEN Annual Meeting
June 26, 2014
Phil BreseeDirector of RecyclingCity of Philadelphia
Philadelphia’s Story
• Founded 1682 by William Penn
• Fifth-largest City in U.S. with 1.55 million residents
• Metro area = ~6 million
• Healthcare, financial services, tourism, refining, IT based economy (transitioning from manufacturing)
• Renowned higher education system
• “Global” city, rich in history, arts, culture, professional sports, etc.
MSW Management in Philadelphia 2012
Recycled1,364,255
50%
WTE640,743 23%
Landfilled724,010 27%
• City provides residential MSW collection and disposal
• Limited services to small businesses
• Commercial & institutional MSW market-based
Philadelphia’s MSW Circle of Influence
Opportunities:Total MSW Stream
= (~2.7 million tons)
Influence: Commercial
MSW and C&D = ~75% of total
Control: Residential MSW = ~25% of total
MSW Management Trends in Philadelphia (includes residential, commercial, C&D)
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Recycled & Composted 1,221,029 1,025,394 1,175,842 1,493,955 1,396,987 1,364,255
Disposed 1,964,247 1,771,033 1,495,412 1,437,419 1,443,037 1,351,800
-
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
3,500,000
Ton
s P
er Y
ear
Philadelphia MSW 2007-2012
Residential Solid Waste Collection
• Department of Streets collects weekly from ~523,000 HH– ~$90 million budget– 1,200 employees– 200+ trucks (100% run on
bio-diesel); 5 transfer sites– Street cleaning & litter can
collections– Special event collections– Anti-litter programs
• Recyclables = 123,000+ tons curbside for FY 2013
• Garbage = 497,000 tons for FY 2013
• PA Act 101 (1988): – Mandatory recycling for
municipalities with more than 5,000 persons
– Includes commercial recycling requirements
– Established 35% recycling goal
• Commercial recycling ordinance established 1994
• Greenworks sustainability plan goals including 25% residential diversion rate and 70% landfill diversion rate
Key Recycling Requirements & Policy Goals
Curbside Recycling Program
• First piloted curbside recycling circa 1986
• Single-stream since 2009
• FY 2014 projected: 126,000 tons (480+- lbs. per HH/per year)
• Fiscal benefits to city (FY 2014 projected):
– $2.4 million in revenues
– $7.4 million in avoided disposal fees
• Recyclebank pilots began in 2005; city-wide since 2010
Comparative Curbside Recycling Rates (c. 2012; single-stream recyclables only)
Recycling Revitalization Milestones in Philadelphia
Efforts supported by outreach, education, events and enforcement.
Recyclebank Pilot
Other Initiatives & Programs
• Public space recycling opportunities (~970 Big-Belly sites).
• Recycling drop-off centers at sanitation yards accept other materials:
– Electronics
– Household Hazardous Waste
• Public event recycling:
– 86% recycling/composting rate at 2013 Philadelphia Marathon
• Curbside recycling capture rate = 60-65%
• Packaging & paper 25% of residential MSW
• Current packaging & paper program recyclables just 13.5% of residential MSW
Philadelphia’s Residential MSW Stream
Other metal25,539
Other glass4,420
Other plastics16,698
Organics, 133,588
Tex/rub/lthr36,835
C&D92,333
E-Waste7,858
Other, 60,409
Paper & cardboard70,723
Metal, plastic & glass cont. & pckg.
23,083
Film & bags pckg.19,645
MSW disposed estimates based on MSW composition analysis.
Philadelphia’s Challenges?
• Changing MSW stream (less low-hanging fruit)
• Fiscal issues
• Politics (new mayor 2015)
• Logistical and operational
Photo courtesy of Peter Tobia
How to Move the Philly Needle?
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
2012 2015 2020 2025
Residential Recycling Overall Recycling
• Target more paper & packaging materials; household metals & plastic
• Increase public space & institutional recycling opportunities
• Increase recycling in multifamily communities
• Expand commercial recycling support
• Pursue bigger targets (organics)?
• Legislative & regulatory:
– Reduce MSW denominator (e.g., review collection & set-out practices; materials bans)
– Commercial hauler reporting
Change the Paradigm…
• Pursue public-private partnership opportunities (wave of the future)
• Be willing to discuss “third rail” issues• Emphasize economic value of recycling
(2008 five-state (PA, NY, MA, ME, DE) economic study):– 11,738 recycling or recycling-reliant
establishments (3,803 in PA)– Workforce of 100,500; payroll of
$4.2 billion (52,316 & $2.1 billion in PA)
– $35 billion in gross receipts ($20.5 billion in PA)
How Can AMERIPEN Help? Engage states and recognize
opportunities: Many states have recently revamped
their solid waste management approaches and goals (Conn., California, Massachusetts)
Others are in process (Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota)
Engage policy makers, shapers & doers
Garbage & recycling are local: Understand political, institutional and fiscal realities
Best management practices are great, but be flexible
Be proactive: Don’t just show up to head-off things off at the pass
