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

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- 31 - Figure 1. POTENTIAL WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. Recyclables 8% Residuals :'~;:'}:'Y'::?:: ?';:]: J:?:':':':'?:'":"' · ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: o ~ ,:'::' ~'e ~ ~i:~'6'J'~ -~ 3'i"-"..':. \ recycling: X .. ,~:'? \ enerav. \ Yard ~'~ ~. ~?oe~og;i~a,, etc. ~aste 8%' \34%\/ 1981 -- ~ ~// Existing, 2.5 Million Tons Per Year Without Waste Reduction, Yr. 2000 -- 3.1 Million Tons Per Year / ~5% ~¥:-;'.~ With Waste Beduction, Yr. 2000 -- 2.6 Million Tons ?er Year An ideal, comprehensive system for solid waste management should include elements of all four abatement categories. However, even under an ideal system, there will always be some remaining residue that cannot be recovered and must be landfilled. Figure 1 illustrates two possible combinations of recovery and landfill options, without and with waste reduction. The chart shows the results of the preliminary analysis that a maximum of 33 percent of the waste stream could potentially be recovered through waste separation of recyclable materials (paper, glass, metals, plastics and textiles), eight percent through composting of yard waste and 34 percent through energy, biological and/or other resource recovery systems. Figure 1 shows that, with waste reduction, the maximum waste separation potential for recyclable materials is about 30 percent and resource recovery about 37 percent, with yard waste being unaffected by waste reduction. Both potential systems show that about 25 percent of the waste will still have to be landfilled because the diminishing economic return of attempting to recover contaminated recyclables or because of the ash residue produced from energy recovery facilities. However, if shredding and/or baling are used to further process the unrecovered 'residues, landfill needs could be reduced by more than 25 percent. It is also important to note that, although these systems can complement each other, they may sometimes compete for the same materials. For instance, paper can either be recycled into new paper, burned for its energy content, or shredded and composted with other organics. Therefore, management decisions concerning these various strategies should certainly consider the best use of the materials and efficiencies of the entire system. If facility planning includes careful examination of alternative recovery systems, over-design and cost overruns can be avoided through comprehensive management plans that include all feasible strategies.