Transcript Montgomery County Division of Solid Waste Services Expanded Plastics Recycling Program COG Recycling Committee September 18, 2008

Montgomery County
Division of Solid Waste Services
Expanded Plastics Recycling Program
COG Recycling Committee
September 18, 2008
County Statistics
• 497 square miles
• Almost 1,000,000
residents
– 210,000 households
– 700 multi-family
properties
– 111,000 multi-family
dwelling units
• Approximately 35,000
businesses
– 520,000 employees
Residential Curbside Collection
• County contractors collect
from 210,000 households
weekly
• Weekly recycling collection
– Mixed paper
– Commingled materials
– Yard trim
• On request
– Scrap metal
• Special
– Christmas trees
Weekly refuse collection is provided to approx. 87,000 households
in the southern portion of the County
“What Types of Plastic Can I
Recycle?”
Planning for Change
• In 2006, only one vendor showed interest in recycling
plastic containers, tubs and lids
– Limited market
• In early 2008, DSWS directed Maryland Environmental
Service (MES) to research markets
– Additional plastic recycling markets now interested in tubs and
lids
• Vendor interest in receiving additional plastics and
market prices remained strong in late winter/early spring
• Initiated discussions with interested vendors on material
specifications
• In early spring, DSWS made decision to proceed with
expanding curbside recycling program
“Pilot Program”
• Initiated in May 2008 at the
Montgomery County Recycling
Center
– Sorting of materials already
entering the system from residents
– Bale materials
– Select representative samples of
materials for identification
purposes and photograph to send
to markets
• A significant amount of material
was collected during the pilot
(no education provided to
residents from DSWS)
• Response from vendors was
very positive
Planning for Change
• MES issued request for bids in June 2008
to recycle plastic tubs and lids and flower
pots
– Plastic containers, jars, lids, food-grade tubs,
pails/buckets, and flower pots
• Received bid proposals from several
vendors to recycle tubs and lids and flower
pots
– Best prices:
• $220/ton – plastic containers, tubs and lids
• $240/ton – flower pots
Planning for Change
•
Minor modifications made to
Recycling Center processes
– Added two stations (flower pots and
plastic containers, tubs and lids)
– Additional sorter
•
No change had to be made to
collections contract
– Educational materials were
provided to contractors
– Conducted training sessions for
collection contractors to identify
acceptable types of plastics
•
Provided education to DSWS
customer service staff, outreach
staff, and recycling center staff
•
Formally announced program on
July 1, 2008 with the County
Executive and County Council
Education
• Media Event with the County Executive/County Council
at Recycling Center on July 1, 2008
• Develop brochure to highlight change and list examples
of acceptable and non-acceptable items
• Develop multi-media education campaign to educate
residents
–
–
–
–
Cable television
Radio
Print notifications
Staff/volunteer participation at numerous community events to
raise awareness
• Montgomery County Agricultural Fair
• Comcast Film Festival
Media Campaign
• Radio
– July 1 – August 31
• WASH-FM 97.1
• WBIG-FM 100 FM
• Cable Television
– July 7 – August 31
• Comcast (A&E, ESPN2, Food Network, Fox News, Headline
News, History Channel, The Weather Channel, TNT)
• Movie Theater Preview
– July 15 – August 15
• Print
– June 24 – July 31
• The Gazette, Express, Washington Examiner, Washington
Hispanic
• Civic Loop Community and Civic Leader Newsletter
Kick-Off July 1: Media Event
July 1 Media Event
Bale of flower pots ready for market
DSWS Website
Printed Materials
• New Brochure
Update Existing Materials
• Flyers and Labels
Print Ads
English
Spanish
Transit Ads
Cable Television Campaign
Educational Awareness
Montgomery County Agricultural Fair and Comcast Film Festival
The Results?
• As of August 31, 2008, DSWS shipped one
load (22.8 tons) of plastic containers, tubs
and lids ~ 32 bales of plastic.
• A shipment of flower pots is not anticipated
until after Spring 2009.
Questions?
Montgomery County
Department of Environmental Protection
Division of Solid Waste Services
101 Monroe Street, 6th Floor
Rockville, MD 20850
(240) 777-6400 phone; (240) 777-6465 fax
Website: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/recycling
Email: [email protected]