Agenda - Council - 11/25/1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

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- 31- 2. WASTE SEPARATION Waste separation program costs will vary according to the type of system (that is, recycling centers, source separation with curb- side pickup, picking or mechanical separation), materials handled, population densities and quality of program administration. Results from recycling centers where data is available indicate that a range of net savings from $10 per ton to a net cost of $10 per ton is possible (MPCA, unpub, data). This data assumes that all the recycling centers analyzed were operated as a profit- making business. In other words, volunteer labor was calculated at minimum-wage labor costs. When calculated without this assump- tion, considering only paid labor and not including volunteers, the program costs range from no net cost to $25 per ton savings from revenues. Table 2 represents a typical breakdown of capital investment costs, by type of equipment, for various community source separa- tion programs. The data is summarized from an EPA report. These figures show a wide variation in costs, depending on items used in a source separation program. Curb-side source separation programs have a wider range of costs, from $10 per ton costs to $77 per ton savings (Boca Raton news- paper collection program). The Boca Raton program may not be rep- resentative because of its near ideal market conditions. (A High- capacity newsprint mill is located in Georgia.) Nonetheless, most curD-side programs do break even in terms of materials revenues and transportation and disposal cost savings, at least for meeting the program costs. 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-offlce 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 conduct the first "how to" instruction seminars, the only costs to' the organization 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 oper- ating costs. Essentially, once this type of program begins, it runs itself with only a minimum of monitoring and occasional employee reminders.