Transcript Gill Net Recycling Project

Recycling and Disposal of
Fishing Gear and other
Marine Debris
February 10, 2010
Alaska Forum on the Environment
Fran Recht, Pacific States Marine Fisheries
Commission
With attendance thanks to Marine Conservation Alliance
Foundation/NOAA MD
Most preferred→
Source Reduction & Reuse
Recycling/Composting
Combustion with Energy Recovery
Least preferred→
Landfilling and Incineration
without Energy Recovery
Environmental Protection Agency waste hierarchy
Gillnet Recycling
1990’s , 2009/10
Alaska- Dillingham, Naknek,
Cordova, Kenai, Petersburg
(4 WA, 1 OR)
NFWF/NOAA MD program
Recycling Study 2009
Unalaska, Kodiak for
MCAF
750 tons/yr ; 400 t/yr
Net and Line Composition
• Gillnet – nylon 6
• Seine net- nylon 66
• Old mid-water trawl nets-
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100% nylon or nylon in
the upper 2/3 part, other
1/3 polyethylene (HDPE).
Codend-polyethylene
Bottom trawls HDPE,
rubber, chains
Floats HDPE or other
plastic, HDPE feels waxy
Changing composition now
Challenges
• Net recycling different
scenarios:
– Communities where
gillnet recycling was
happening and then
stopped
– Communities where
gillnet recycling ongoing
• Kodiak, Dutch Harbor
– Fishing gear recycling?
• Part of larger solid
waste , landfill issue
Local problems, solutions
Investigate obstacles
and potentials
Economic and
logistical challenges.
Sustainable
Use local coordinators
and work in
partnership
Lead Entities
• NGO--Copper River Watershed
Project Cordova– 18,670 lbs
• Native Village Associations
– Dillingham, 15,000
– Naknek, 16,750
– Petersburg
• Fishermen’s Association- United
Cook Inlet Drift Association
Kenai
Community Partners
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Fishermen
Gear dealers
Packing houses
Shipping companies
Municipalities,Solid
Waste Operations
Harbors
Sea Grant
Community groups
Interested citizens
Purposes of Projects
• Collect/recycle gillnet
from communities
• Study feasibility of
recycling gear from
communities
• Recycling will be on-going
after program ends
• Not derelict gear
• Not gear etc. from beach clean
ups
• BUT ISSUES RELEVANT
Derelict gear retrieval
(NOAA image)
Common Goals
• Collect lots of stuff (debris
or gear) to minimize
environmental, social costs
• Ship and dispose/recycle
stuff with minimum cost
• Be as environmentally good
as possible. Re-use,
recycle, make useful
products, at least, dispose
of safely
Common Challenges
• Efficiency—
handling, transportation
• Minimize costs
(maximize revenue
potential)
• Assure sustainable
funding
• Dealing with changes—
global oil prices,
financial, political
priorities
Costs Disposal and Recycling
• Alaska disposal cost at landfills
$70/ton, $0.035/lb
• AK Landfills closing= 83 between
’89-06 alone
• All wastes baled and shipped out of
Petersburg, Sitka, Haines landfills.
$250/ton , $0.125/lb disposal
• Future may involve shipping to WA
Rabanco landfill.
• Shipping and disposal costs alone
for beach clean-up debris (2005)
$0.64/lb.
• Dutch Harbor costs to handle and
ship clean nets: $0.14/lb (assuming
some revenue from nets)
Costs Disposal and Recycling
• Cordova received donated
shipping worth $ 9369 for
18,670 lbs net.
• Received $0.08/lb
If paid full shipping-cost
.50- .08=.42/lb
• Dillingham paid discounted
rate of 1173 to ship 8000
lbs. $0.15/lb, will receive
$0.08/lb
• Cost would be $0.27/lb (if
paid full price -.08=
$0.19/lb)
note: $300 per container is another cost that must
be subtracted out (for getting container from
Seattle dock to recycler)
Differences?
Community Efforts Have Advantages
• Can use existing
equipment
• Can work with
existing programs
• Community support
• Can take advantage of
containers going back
“empty”
But also disadvantages
• Cooperation of many
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needed.
Tendency is too many
collection sites,
handling, volunteer
effort, no
institutionalization.
In contrast:
• Beach cleanups/derelict gear
removal– a set group
of folks “in charge” of
handing. Can set up a
“system” & run with it.
Process– Research Phase
• Gear preparation, handling
requirements of recycler*
• Role of municipality, harbor, fleet
—barriers, opportunities
• Collection, Storage Options *
• Collection locations, supervision
issues *
• Shipping Options
Start with the Endpoint, work
“backwards”
• Need to know ultimate
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disposal
location first, then work
backwards
Gear preparation,
handling requirements of
recycler
Lack of understanding
jeopardizes future
acceptance, reduces
potential revenue offsets
Acceptable/Not Acceptable for
Recycling
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Check with recycler first:
Fishing gear– no organic material
Put in tarp, tied up
Buoys, bottles, hard plastic fish boxes OK
Group like with like
NO STYROFOAM
NO POLYPROPYLENE LINES
Think of handling on other side…. Cooperative
effort
Fish net recycling
• If interested in revenue potential to
offset shipping costs:
– Nets are clean (sand, grass, gravel etc.)
– Free from lines and buoys other gear
– Tightly folded, twisted and tied with hanging
twine or bagged
– Gill, seine, trawl netting accepted
– Lead line, corks, buoys accepted, but kept
separate from nets
– No crab line, No weed line
• Just get rid of?
Trawl net- fishermen returning to Seattle
– Net with gear accepted at Port of Seattle 2-3
cents/lb Arranged with recycler. Will pick up
– No gear– disposal free
Gillnet: net without gear accepted Seattle,
Bellingham, Anacortes, Astoria
Collection, Storage, Supervision
Community Programs
Ideally:
• Goal is to minimize
handling–collection
container is transport
container.
• Gear only placed in
container if properly
prepared and bundled
• Requires supervision
and cooperation,
incentives
Shipping and disposal costs,
logistics
• Getting materials out
of communities, off
beaches to final
location(s)
Collection, Storage, Supervision
Beach Clean-ups
• Ideally handle only once. Practically
not so easy, but …
• Know upfront what items to be:
– collected for recycling
– landfilled
If in doubt, throw it out
• Establish separate piles/tasks
• Communicate clearly with crews
before collection begins-make part
of orientation
• Supervise
• Have tarps, ropes for bundling
fishing net, ease lifting at dock
photos courtesy of NOAA
Waste to Energy
Honolulu waste to energy –
H Power (Covanta), Schnitzer Steel,
NOAA, Hawaii Longline Association,
+ 8 other partners
Fishing for Energy
– Newport, OR 45 tons
– Garibaldi, OR 12 tons
– 9 MA, 2 NY, 2 RI, 1 NJ, 1 ME
– VA soon to start
– Ntl Fish & Wildlife Found/NOAA MD
Waste to Energy in Dutch Harbor?
$25 million…
Most waste to energy, waste to gas, waste to fuel
facilities require grinding nets into small pieces
Fran Recht
Pacific States Marine
Fisheries Commission
Habitat Program
P.O. Box 221
Depoe Bay, OR 97341
541-765-2229
[email protected]