[greenyes] Trashed Recyclables and the Big Picture

[Gary Liss <gary@no.address>]

Peter,

We've discussed this many times before, so I'm glad you acknowledge that 
there may be ways to collect commingled materials correctly.  I believe San 
Francisco's Fantastic 3 program is a good example of that.  In Hawthorne, 
CA, we have just completed a procurement for a new residential commingled 
recyclables system where we asked the proposers to provide evidence that 
Recyclables Processing Facilities achieve less than 5% residue.  I believe 
a key to good systems design is for communities to establish strict 
requirements regarding residues like this.  In addition, economic 
incentives could be used (as in Hawthorne) to make it in the proposer's 
interests, to increase recycling as well.

This will only work in communities (like Hawthorne in the Los Angeles 
metropolitan area) that have existing MRFs that can meet these standards, 
or in an area where procurements will define new standards for MRFs to meet 
in their area.

I don't think multi-national garbage companies need to be the only ones 
making the rules, although I agree with Peter's concerns about their 
strategic interests.  I believe local governments could be encouraged to 
include these standards in future procurements, as Best Management 
Practices for commingled recyclables collection.

Gary Liss

Gary

At 10:59 AM 04/11/2003 -0500, Peter Anderson wrote:
> The question, then, is whether single stream will be done properly or
> not.  While there are and will continue to be instances of cases where it
> is, we have to look at who controls most of the recycle collection in
> America to assess what will be the dominant influence of single stream.  And

Gary Liss
916-652-7850
Fax: 916-652-0485