Dale Martin
City Manager
Fernandina Beach
September 16, 2016 1:00 a.m.
Earlier this week, I invited Commissioner Kreger and Mr. Jeremiah Glisson, the City’s Fleet and Facilities Director, to join me in hearing a web-based presentation regarding recycling. Mr. Glisson, who coordinates the City’s solid waste and recycling efforts, disappointingly informed me that of the ten loads emptied from the City’s recycling bins, nine were sufficiently contaminated to result in those loads going to the landfill rather than the recycling center. I believed that the webinar, entitled “Recycling Reimagined: Overcoming Today’s Challenges,” would provide insight as to what issues are confounding local government recycling efforts.
The presentation did offer interesting historic information. Recycling efforts began in earnest in the 19080s: prior to that time, solid waste was overwhelmingly disposed of in landfills. Since that time, amazingly, the tonnage of solid waste to landfills has been consistent (approximately 137 million tons), while recycling now totals approximately 69 million tons. Other solid waste volume is disposed of through waste-to-energy (40 million tons) and organic waste (30 million tons). Projections indicate that organic disposal will continue to increase by 4-7% annually; waste-to-energy, 1-3%; recycling, 1-1.5%; and landfill disposal varying from -0.5%-0.5%.
It appears that the most challenging recyclable material is glass, although unlike cardboard materials, glass can be endlessly recycled. It is the cost of the glass recycling process that is nearly prohibitive. Cardboard prices have markedly decreased over the past several years, creating different economic challenges than glass. With the prevalence of oil in so many materials, the demand for recycled end-market materials has a demonstrated relationship to the price of oil: when oil is less expensive, newly manufactured goods are cheaper than recycled products.
It was illustrated that technology has had a significant impact upon recycling. As a kid, I remember countless newspaper collection drives, filling cargo trucks with stacks and stacks of newspapers. Once filled, we hauled the newspapers to a center and, after weighing, promptly unloaded the truck, re-weighed the now empty truck, and subsequently added hundreds of dollars to our charitable group’s coffers. Our newspapers today, however, are more and more frequently being read electronically: the newspaper material in circulation has plummeted from 18 million tons in 2000 to approximately 2 million tons in 2015.
Technology has also developed new plastics and packaging. Not all plastics are the same when it comes to recycling. Plastic products produced with HDPE (high density polyethylene) and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) are lighter-weight and have limited end markets. Similarly, some products formerly packaged in cans and bottle are now packaged in copolymer pouches (juices, meats, snacks, etc.), which also have limited recyclability. These products demonstrate a trend toward lighter-weight packaging, away from newspaper, glass, and steel to plastic and corrugated cardboard. The end result is that 48,000 plastic bottles weighed one ton in 2000 and now, 92,000 bottles weigh that same ton. It now takes more re-processing to generate a ton of recycled end-market product.
A lengthy topic of discussion, obviously relevant to our community, was the importance of public education. Contamination of recyclables can be a variety of other trash: yard waste, Styrofoam, pizza boxes (unless empty, dry, and clean), other foods, and clothing. Solid waste haulers are providing more and better resources for educating well-meaning residents.
The economics of recycling have turned upside down: whereas as recently as 2011, the tons collected generated sufficient revenue, in 2015, while the tons collected have risen significantly, the net revenue is approximately one-third. It is this economic challenge that both collectors and municipalities must address. What is the acceptable cost to continue recycling efforts?
The City’s current contract with Advanced Disposal is scheduled to expire in 2018. Preliminary discussions have commenced regarding interest in extending that contract, and Advanced Disposal representatives have been invited to the October 4, 2016, City Commission meeting to formally present their request for an extension. Even with an extension, it will be imperative for City officials to review the range of services desired, including recycling.
The City’s Comprehensive Plan does call for the operation of a public recycling site, and the City will continue to explore better alternatives for recycling at that site as well as supporting residential and commercial recycling efforts.
Thank you for tackling the task of recycling. I wish we could create more environmentally friendly packaging. However, I hope the City can find ways to continue the practice. If anyone has ever visited their local landfill, they suddenly look at packaging in a new light! Thank you!
If only City Commissioners would apply pressure on grocery stores, among others, to reduce packaging and stop using plastic bags. It is not acceptable to say ‘our hands are tied.’ They never are.