Agenda - Council - 10/14/1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

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- 26 - 'The cost of curb-side leaf collection and centralized composting through the windrow method can vary between $4.75 and $7.35 per ton (MPCA, 1980). Of course, if backyard composting is used as a community's preferred program, the only cost incurred will be from public education materials and staff time. In-office paper recycling programs are generally recognized to have the potential for net savings to any agency or business with at least 200 employees, depending on the type of organization. Since the paper markets will supply most of the necessary employee education literature, including desk-top recycling files, and actually conduct the first "how to" instruction seminars, the only costs to the office establishment are usually the price of centralized containers where the employees dump their desk-top recycling files, and start-up staff time. The savings from reduced mixed-waste collection costs and revenues usually exceed the minimal capital and operating costs. Essentially, once this type of program begins, it runs itself with only a minimum of monitoring and occasional employee reminders. Separation program costs involving manual picking will vary, depending on the system and amount of labor time. In order to break even, the program must generate enough revenue from the materials to recover costs of wages, including fringe benefits and transport costs. Probably the most extensive program today is in California, where excellent corrugated markets, availablity of a minimum-wage labor force and favorable weather provide the ingredients for a successful program The economics of mechanical separation programs are better known because of the research completed by existing industries and the National Center for Resource Recovery (NCRR). The New Orleans demonstation project indicated that capital and operating costs for mechanical separation of recyclable materials were: Glass Aluminum Ferrous $200 per ton $200 per ton $5 to $20 per ton Current market prices in the Region for these materials are: Glass Aluminum Ferrous $40 per ton $460 to $600 per ton $0 to $10 per ton 3. WASTE PROCESSING Full-scale shredder technology is not currently economically feasible at small disposal sites. For a 300 tons per day (TPD) facility, current costs are on the order of $7.00 per ton ($7.89 per metric ton). A detailed analysis would be required to determine if the benefits, in terms of saved landfill space and reduced cover, would be sufficient to justify the capital and operating costs incurred to implement shredder systems.