Transcript 01_WasteStream_Barnell.ppt

Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals
Tribal Solid Waste Education and Assistance Program (TSWEAP)
Tribal Transfer Stations
Session 1:
Transfer Stations and
Your Waste Stream
Todd Barnell, ITEP
Subjects Covered
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Waste stream characterization: What size transfer
station is right for you?
Designing an appropriate transfer station
Working with your community
Managing the construction phase
Operations and maintenance
Safety considerations
Economics of operations
Expanding operations
Field trip
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What is a Transfer Station?
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A transfer station is simply a facility where solid
waste is brought for safe storage, prior to being taken
to its “final resting place”.
Transfer stations can come in many shapes and sizes
– the right transfer station for YOU depends on a
variety of factors, which we will discuss throughout
this course.
One of the biggest factors is: How much and what
kinds of waste do YOU need to get a handle on????
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Waste Stream Characterization:
What Is It?
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Every man, woman and child in your
community is generating waste – and recent
trends show we are all generating more
waste every year
Your waste stream includes all of this
waste, as well as waste from offices,
businesses, industries, etc.
You need to know:
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How much waste is being generated?
What types of waste are present in your
community
Where is it coming from?
Are there certain types that are increasing? Are
any decreasing?
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Approaching A Waste Stream
Characterization
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Records Examination
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Walk Through
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Reviewing purchasing records, waste hauling contracts, and
invoices can give you a snapshot of a specific facility’s waste
stream.
Visiting waste generators (businesses, tribal offices, etc) to see what
types of waste they generate and how often.
Allows you to interview staff to learn about any waste reduction
activities or potential increases over time.
Waste Sort
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Collecting, sorting, and measuring (volume or weight) waste that
you need to handle.
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Waste Stream Characterization:
Benefits
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Once you understand your total waste stream, that
knowledge can help:
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Determine your transfer station needs
Guide your transfer station operations (e.g. How many staff
are necessary? What types of waste will be accepted?)
Influence your long term goals for the transfer station
This study is the foundation on which many of your
future decisions will be made
The amount of detail you go in to should be based on
what you plan to do – more detail up front is always
better than having to go back and do it all again!
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Waste Stream Characterization:
Sorting Elements
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The following elements need to be determined
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Generators
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Residential
Nonresidential
Weight/Volume
Composition/Categories
Future trends in generation
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Waste Stream Characterization:
Generators: Residential
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Needs to be representative
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What are your primary population centers?
Is your housing mostly clustered or non-clustered?
Do you need different samples from different areas?
What is your time frame?
Samples from routes, drop-off areas, bins, others?
Communities off reservation?
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What effect might these populations have on your waste
stream?
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Waste Stream Characterization:
Generators: Nonresidential
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Needs to be representative
Some possible generators may include:
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Government offices (Tribal? Nontribal?)
Healthcare and educational facilities
Commercial sources (e.g. stores, casinos)
Construction/demolition activities
Industrial (possible source of “special wastes”)
Could there be sources off your tribal land?
Prioritize sample activities and time frames
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Waste Stream Characterization:
Getting Ready for the Category Sort
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First you need to decide on when and how the samples are
going to be taken
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Ranges from simple sorts of paper being thrown away at a school
each week to very involved sorts over long periods of time
Keep in mind elements that might affect waste generation, such
as seasonal variations, climate issues, etc.
Recent studies show the accuracy of sorting is more
important than the quantity of waste sorted
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The more people you have to do the sorting the more accurate
your sorting will be (usually)
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Waste Stream Characterization:
Three Step Sorting Process
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Primary: Establish broad categories and sort the
waste into separate piles
Secondary: Each category from the primary sort is
broken up into multiple, specific sub-categories
Weighing: Each category of waste is weighed in
tared containers or you may do a volume analysis
instead
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Waste Stream Characterization:
Primary Sort
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Paper
Plastic
Glass
Metal
Organic
Material
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Durables/White Goods
Construction and
Demolition Debris
Hazardous Waste
Special Waste
Other
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Waste Stream Characterization:
Secondary Sort (Paper Example)
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Newspaper
Cardboard
Glossy
Telephone Books
High Grade Office
Mail/Paperboard
Non-recyclable Paper
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Sorting containers
Scale
Sorting area
Waste
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Waste Stream Characterization:
Sample Considerations
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Safety first in all sampling activities
Staffing: How many are sorting what types?
Will seasonal issues affect samples?
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Tourism
Climate
Construction
Documentation of the samples
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Where did it come from? How does it fit into your
overall understanding of your waste streams?
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Waste Stream Characterization:
Future Generation
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Develop projections for future solid waste generation
by all identified sources
If necessary, include estimates of future generation by
neighboring communities
Linking waste stream characterizations to other
studies or activities undertaken by other programs can
save time and effort
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Population and economic projections done as part of other
studies can be combined with weight/volume data to make
per capita projections of future waste generation
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Waste Stream Characterization:
Sampling Resources
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Sampling activities can take many forms and may be
quite involved – pick the approach that works best for
you.
Tohono O’odham waste stream analysis report located
in your manual after this presentation.
The Garbage Project, University of Arizona “The
Archeology of Us” article is located in your manual
after this presentation.
USEPA Region 9 Costing Tool is also in your manual.
USEPA Transfer Station Guide will also be on the
course website.
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What do you mean you don’t have
the time or resources?
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Make It Work For You
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Determine what kind of an analysis makes sense
given your needs and resources
Visiting other transfer stations to get a feel for the
amount and categories of the waste being handled
Visiting representative businesses or household dropoff areas may allow you to make adequate estimates
of amounts and categories of waste
Remember: the more accurate your waste stream
characterization, the better informed your decisions
on the type and size of your transfer station will be in
the end
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