Presentation Recycling

A Plan for City-wide Curbside Recycling Committee of the Whole March 23, 2009

Dear East Hill Sanitation Customer, The City of Pensacola and Escambia County are partnering to provide a curbside recycling pilot project for approximately 400 sanitation customers in the East Hill Neighborhood. This recycling pilot project will help us evaluate the feasibility of a implementing a citywide curbside recycling program. The project should begin sometime in July depending on when the new recycling containers are delivered. Residents will be informed of the actual start date when their new recycling container is delivered. We anticipate that the study project will last several months before a conclusion can be made on the program’s effectiveness and a recommendation concerning citywide curbside recycling program can be made. Residents in the pilot project area will receive onceoncea-week curbside collection of garbage on Tuesdays (in your existing black garbage container) and onceonce-aweek curbside collection of recyclables on Fridays (in your new recycling container). The success of the project depends on citizen participation so we ask you to recycle all that you possibly can within the guidelines listed to the right. You may find there are many items that you normally throw away that can now be conveniently recycled once you get your new recycling container. Please note that glass is not an acceptable item in this recycling project. This is due to the fact that broken glass will contaminate the paper products that are collected and compacted in the recycling truck. However, you can continue to recycle glass by taking it to a recycling dropdrop-site location. Please call 435435-1890 if you have any questions. Thank you for your cooperation. City of Pensacola – Sanitation Services

CURBSIDE CURBSIDERECYCLING RECYCLINGGUIDELINES GUIDELINES Recycling collection will Recycling collection willbe beevery every FRIDAY FRIDAY •Aluminum if possible) •AluminumCans Cans(rinse (rinse if possible) •Steel empty steel cans such as soup •Steel(Tin) (Tin)Cans Cans(any (any empty steel cans such as soup

cans – labels and lid ok – rinse if possible) cans – labels and lid ok – rinse if possible) •Plastic generally any plastic bottle with a •PlasticBottles Bottles(#(#1-7, 1-7, generally any plastic bottle with a “neck” opening that is smaller than the base – please empty and “neck” caps opening that is than the base – please empty and remove or lids. Nosmaller oil bottles.) remove caps or lids. No oil bottles.)

•Plastic •PlasticBags Bags •Cardboard empty, dry, flattened – no pizza boxes) •Cardboard(clean, (clean, empty, dry, flattened – no pizza boxes) •Paperboard boxes, shoe boxes, etc.) •Paperboard(cereal (cereal boxes, shoe boxes, etc.) •Newspapers •Newspapers •Mixed mail, office and notebook paper, •MixedPaper Paper(junk (junk mail, office and notebook paper,

paper bags, wrapping paper, etc.) paper bags, wrapping paper, etc.)

•Catalogs •Catalogs •Magazines •Magazinesand andPaperback PaperbackBooks Books •Phone Books •Phone Books

July 9, 2008: 375 East Hill Customers Receive a 96-gallon Recycling Container

July 18, 2008: The Pilot Program Recycling Collection Begins

Pilot Program Objectives • Determine citizen acceptance and participation • Determine the impact of a once-a-week garbage collection • Determine the potential recycling recovery rate • Determine if cross-contamination is an issue • Determine the best method of implementation

The Stats thru 32 Weeks Garbage Landfilled

Recyclables Recovered

78% by weight

22% by weight

194.3 tons – 32.4 pounds per customer per week

54.9 tons – 9.2 pounds per customer per week

The Recycling Recovery Trend 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%

1

3

5

7

9

11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31

Recycling Recovery Percentage

The East Hill Customer Survey In December 2008 staff mailed a survey to the 375 customers in the East Hill Recycling Pilot Project area and 178 surveys, or 47%, were returned. The survey results are as follows…

Question #1 How many persons live in your household?

One

29.4%

Two

Three

Four

Five or more 0.0%

42.9%

10.2%

11.3%

6.2%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Question #2 Did the informational flyer you received with your recycling container adequately explain the recycling program?

Yes

No

0.0%

93.8%

6.2%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Question #3 Question 3 was a follow-up to question #2. What additional information concerning the program would have been helpful?

Comments received

0.0%

14.1%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Question #4 How often do you normally place your recycling container at the curb for collection?

55.4%

Every week

35.6%

Every other week

7.3%

Once-a-month

Rarely

1.1%

Never

0.6%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Question #5 When you set your recycling container out for collection is it:

37.5%

Full

Half full

27.3%

More than half full

Less than half full

0.0%

29.0%

6.2%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Question #6 Before being involved in the recycling pilot project how often did you use the recycling drop-off sites?

Regularly

Occasionally

25.4%

24.3%

Never

0.0%

50.3%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Question #7 What level of satisfaction would you rate the curbside recycling system used in the pilot program? 68.4%

Very satisfied

25.4%

Satisfied

4.5%

Somewhat satisfied

Not satisfied

0.6%

Don't know

1.1%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Question #8 Did the once-a-week garbage collection schedule, together with the once-a-week recycling, meet your waste disposal requirements?

Yes

No

0.0%

92.6%

7.4%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Question #9 When you set your garbage container at the curb during the pilot program was your garbage container generally:

39.8%

Full

Half full

More than half full

Less than half full

0.0%

31.8%

11.4%

17.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Question #10 Would you like to see the once-a-week recycling and garbage collection program continued in East Hill and expanded throughout the city?

Yes

No

0.0%

95.4%

4.6%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Comments Tell us how we may be able to improve the recycling program. Your comments are important to us.

Comments received

0.0%

66.7%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Breakdown of Comments This chart reveals a categorical breakdown of the 118 concerns and comments that were made.

Total support of program

49.1%

Supported program but requested glass by added

22.8%

Requested twice-a-week garbage

9.3%

Requested more information on recycling items

9.3%

Objected to the program

3.3%

Requested every-other-week recycling

1.6%

Requested a lower rate

1.6%

Requested a smaller recycling container

1.6%

Requested same collection day for all debris

0.8%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Container Usage This chart reveals container usage trends.

Every Week - Full

18.5%

Every Week - More than Half Full

19.1%

Every Week - Half Full Every Week - Less than Half Full

16.3% 1.1%

Every Other Week - Full

15.7%

Every Other Week - More than Half Full

9.6%

Every Other Week - Half Full Every Other Week - Less than Half Full

7.3% 3.4%

Once a Month or Less

0.0%

8.4%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

The Purchase of Recycling Containers The Recommendation: Staff recommends the purchase of 64-gallon containers. Funding is available in the Insurance Retention Fund and can be paid back by the Sanitation Fund over a 10-year period. The 64-gallon recommendation is based on the following: • 64-gallon containers will cost $144,000 less than 96-gallon containers. • The pilot program customer survey indicated that 82.5% of customers used less than the full capacity of the 96-gallon container. • The slimmer design of the 64-gallon container is more storage friendly than the larger design. • The 64-gallon container has proven to be a good size in many once-a-week recycling collection systems.

Customer Education Container Labeling:

Each container will have a full color graphic display on the lid with information relative to the recycling program including a listing and images of items that can be recycled. This is included in the cost of the containers. A recycling flyer will be attached to the container upon delivery and a self-sticking label will be put on the lid letting customers know what day their recyclables will be collected.

Periodic Mail-outs:

We anticipate the need to spend significant time and effort to inform and educate our customers on the recycling program. Initially this may include regular mailings to update and remind customers of the program. It’s estimated that this educational program would cost about $40,000 annually for quarterly postcard. However, if this effort increases recycling participation it’s likely that its expense would be offset by higher recovery rates and additional disposal savings.

Potential Savings Disposal Savings: If we recycle 20% of our garbage waste stream we can reduce our landfilled waste by about 4,640 tons and realize a savings of $165,000 based on current tipping fees. This savings assumes a $0 tipping fee on recyclables. Transload Contract Savings: Based on the recovery of 4,640 tons of recyclables we can realize a savings of $47,200 in our Transload Contract with Allied Waste. However, these savings may be slightly offset by the increased cost of city collection trucks having to direct haul to the recyclable processing facility.

Processing of Recyclables Recyclable Processing: It is recommended that city recyclables be taken to the County’s Material Recovery Facility for processing. An Interlocal Agreement securing a $0.00 tipping fee on recyclables over a period of 10 years has been negotiated with the County and is addressed in a separate agenda item. Although Allied Waste/Gulf States Recycling has indicated a possibility of providing a revenue return on recyclables, city staff has reservations.

The County Material Recovery Facility

Financial Impact Additional Costs:

Container Cost (if amortized over 10 years): $803,010 containers / 10 yrs / 19,000 customers / 12 months

= $0.35 month

Customer Education: $40,000 annually / 19,000 customers / 12 months Additional Costs

= $0.18 month = $0.53 month

Potential Savings:

Disposal Cost Savings: $165,000 disposal savings / 19,000 customers / 12 months

Transload Contract Savings:

$47,200 transload savings / 19,000 customers / 12 months Anticipated Savings Net Savings

*

= ($0.72) month = ($0.21) month = ($0.93) month = ($0.40) month

The city-wide recycling system should also result in some reduction in fuel usage and impact the monthly Fuel Charge

The Proposed Change in Collection Schedules CURRENT Garbage Monday/Thursday Tuesday/Friday

PROPOSED Garbage Recycling Monday

Thursday

Thursday Tuesday Friday

Monday Friday Tuesday

If approved by Council, the container vendor can begin delivery of containers to all city sanitation customers within 60 days and we can establish the target date to begin the city-wide curbside recycling program as June 15, 2009

Questions?