Although we probably all agree that source reduction is the best way to go =
it really isn't practical yet for a great variety of commodities (eg =
window glass and carpet - although commercial leasing/recycling options do =
now exist for the latter as you are probably aware). =20
As a personal example, I have a two year old and we started out with the =
best of intentions with a diaper service, spent quite a lot of money on =
all the eco-diaper choices out there and found we still had to revert to =
disposable diapers for specific situations.
I am very interested in the pilots currently being conducted up your way =
and look forward to more talk on this topic.
>>> "Krueger, David" <David.Krueger@ci.sj.ca.us> 07/23 2:34 PM >>>
To: Eric Lombardi
From: David Krueger
Re: Wet / Dry
Eric, you're not crazy. Wet/dry is definitely worth pursuing. Let's
discuss further.
----------
From: Krueger, David
To: 'SMTP: Vikky_McArthur@ci.sf.ca.us'=20
Subject: RE: [GRRN] seeking info on commercial wet/dry programs
Date: Wednesday, July 21, 1999 5:28PM
Vikky -
I am very interested in wet/dry systems. I have been advocating this
approach in San Jose for years. The best place to study wet/dry as far as =
I
know is the City of Guelph in Ontario Province, Canada. Guelph acheived =
a
58% diversion rate in 1997. You can contact the Guelph Wet-Dry Recycling
Centre at (519) 767-0598. I gave Barbara Bernardini of SF copies of all =
of
the wet/dry information that I have.
I think that with a Wet/Dry system for both commercial and residential, =
San
Jose could achieve 65%-75% diversion (we have more yard trimmings than
Guelph due to a year-round growing season.) San Jose has a population of
900,000.
The key to the wet/dry system seems to be having a reliable and economical
composting system for the "wet" portion. We are performing two pilot
programs this year in San Jose that should move us in that direction.
Both pilots are for composting commercial food waste.
The Newby Island landfill (BFI) in North San Jose is going to compost =
food
waste using two different systems: The in-vessel Comptainer system from
Green Mountain Technologies and an open aerated static pile system. The
Z-Best composting facility in Gilroy will be composting commercial food
waste from San Jose using the in-vessel Ag-Bag system. Both companies are
going to start out composting produce waste from grocery stores, but then
experiment with other feedstocks. Z-Best and its sister company, =
GreenWaste
Recovery hope to expand on their pilot and develop a front-loader route
collecting organics such as food waste, yard trimmings, waxed corrugated
cardboard, and non-recyclable paper from grocery stores, restaurants,
landscapers, florists and other San Jose businesses with significant =
amounts
of "wet" compostable waste.
On the "Dry" side, one of our local haulers, GT Waste Systems, is =
currently
doing a pilot commercial program for us. They are using selective routing
to collect all "dry" waste in the same truck, and then sorting out the dry
waste at their MRF. The customers aren't asked to separate wet from dry.
Instead, only those customers with inherently "dry" waste streams are
collected on the targeted route. It is invisible to the customer. So far
the recovery hasn't been that great, maybe 30%. Some of this is due to
oddities in the waste stream: The last load GTWaste sorted contained a
large amount of glass windows and carpeting. As we get more data, I'll
gladly share it with you.
The impetus behind both of these programs is "tax breaks". San Jose
charges commercial franchise fees based on the volume of garbage service
provided to businesses. We do not charge these fees on recyclables. We =
are
going to waive the fees on organics collected for composting. We may =
also
waive the fees on "dry" waste that is taken to a MRF, provided that a
significant portion of the waste is recovered. Material that is recycled =
or
composted also avoids a $13 per ton tax at San Jose landfills. We have =
an
open-market system for commercial hauling in San Jose.
San Jose has a really cheap tip fee for disposal of residential waste at =
the
Newby Island landfill. I think the main stumbling block to residential
wet/dry collection here is that composting the "wet" portion may prove to =
be
more expensive than landfilling it.
I am very impressed with San Francisco's "Fantastic Three" pilot that
collects recyclables/garbage/organics (including food waste, yard =
trimmings,
and non-recyclable paper.) It's the closest thing to wet/dry I've seen in
the U.S. Do you have any plans to pilot a two-stream program?
Eric Lombardi is not the only "seeker" out there. I too have wondered =
why
this hasn't caught on outside of Ontario Provence.
David Krueger
(408) 277-5533
david.krueger@ci.sj.ca.us=20
or
ekndknsj@aol.com=20
----------
From: Lacaze, Skip
To: Krueger, David
Subject: FW: [GRRN] seeking info on commercial wet/dry programs
Date: Wednesday, July 21, 1999 1:46PM
FYI
----------
From: Eric Lombardi <
To: Vikky_McArthur@ci.sf.ca.us=20
Cc: CRRA@ucsd.edu; Recycle@envirolink.org; DEGEARE.TRUETT@epamail.epa.gov;
JGwaste@aol.com; jtruini@crain.com; johnarmando@raischco.com;
dpw180@co.santa-cruz.ca.us; elombard@ix.netcom.com; dkies@harding.com;
sjccdorsey@earthlink.net; koplow@indecon.com; muirjulie@aol.com;
margaret_rands@qmgate.pln.co.santa-clara.ca.us;
debbie.devine@city.virginia-beach.va.us; lawrecyc@ccia.com;
hsanborn@CIWMB.ca.gov; LAPVP@aol.com; lynchm@metro.dst.or.us;
bplatt@ilsr.org; pligon@tellus.org; brantley@ci.monterey.ca.us;
bjmurphy@cmc.net; greg.warren@mail.co.ventura.ca.us; ddryer@menlopark.org;
recycle@toxicsaction.org; jerecycl@aol.com; Norm.Schiferl@co.ramsey.mn.us;
mwhittlesey@co.slo.ca.us; Laura_Yates@co.st-louis.mo.us;
Brooke.Nash@state.ma.us=20
Subject: Re: [GRRN] seeking info on commercial wet/dry programs
Date: Wednesday, July 21, 1999 12:37PM
Greetings Vikky and everybody else,
I have been researching wet/dry for years. Not real
hard, mind you, but pretty consistently ... and my
interest continues to grow. And every once in a while
I run across another "seeker" like Vikky here, and I
tell them what I know, then they disappear.
Why? Wet/Dry looks so damn good on paper, why isn't it
taking the world by storm?
I would like to start a small email dialogue with this
group about wet/dry.... I recognize some of your names,
and this is a great brain-trust to start with.
Also, Vikky, you should call me (303) 444-6634, and we
can talk about how far you've gotten in researching...
and what your goals are here.
Well anyone, are Vikky and I crazy for pursuing this?
Eric Lombardi
EcoCycle
BOulder, CO.
At 09:24 AM 7/21/99, Vikky_McArthur@ci.sf.ca.us wrote:
> I'm looking for information on commercial commingled (wet/dry)
> recycling programs in medium to large cities (populations over
> 200,000). If anyone out there knows of any programs fitting this
> description, please email me. I'm especially interested in their
> cost/workability/diversion attained, etc.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Vikky McArthur
> San Francisco Recycling Program
> vikky_mcarthur@ci.sf.ca.us=20
>
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