PowerPoint Presentation

Recycle Program Update
Solid Waste Division
02/28/23

Presentation Overview
2
• Background
• Program Challenges
• Program Initiatives
• Funding
• Implementation Plan

Background
3
• Curbside recycling program started in late 90’s
• Service approx. 57,000 homes per week
• Recycle sector is a branch of Solid Waste
• Division is Responsible for:
– Container Inspection
– Bulk Trash Inspection
– Public Outreach
– Commodity Audits
– Developing Education Materials

Program - Challenges
4
•
MRF Closure – Equipment and efficiency issues (March 2021)
•
Market Volatility – Large swings in material value
•
Commodities – Cardboard decrease, more non-recyclable plastics
•
Increased cost of processing – Inflation, hauling, and labor
•
Limited Processing facilities – PHX MRF down, Fire at other sites.

Program - Initiatives
5
Collection
• Blue Barrel Program
• Recycle Education and Outreach Plan
Processing
• Processing Contract
• Transfer Station - Evaluation

Blue Barrel Program
6
• Pilot started in May 2018
• Blue Barrels placed in 6 neighborhoods
• Contamination Decrease Over 4 Years
– With Education and Outreach:  15.50%
• Participation Average Over 4 Years
– With Education and Outreach:  +4.16%
• Program results show that clearly identifying container 
helps improve the Recycle stream.

Blue Barrel Program
7
• Option 1 – Blue Barrels City-wide
– Cost - $4.9M to swap 57,000 containers 
– Grant Available – Application was submitted on 02/16/2023
– Timeline – 9-12 months

Blue Barrel Program
8
• Option 2 – Blue Barrel – Through replacement (3,000 per year)
– Cost – $114,000 for stickers to identify existing container as recycle only.
– Timeline – 15-20 years

Blue Barrel Program
9
• Option 3 – Sage Container with Blue lids - Through replacement (3,000 per year)
– Cost – $114,000 for stickers to identify existing container as recycle only.
– Timeline – 15-20 years

10
Consensus

Recycle Education and Outreach Plan
11
•
Goals
– Increase participation 
– Reduce Contamination 
– Divert Materials from Landfill
•
Education Materials
– Update Accepted item (add glass, plastics 4 & 5)
– Use images, and symbols to clarify message
•
Website
– Update website with images, videos, and symbols
– Update Accepted items
•
Education and outreach
– Perform Container tagging saturation, with and without inspections
– Improve “Good Job” tags to recognize good behavior
– Consistent colors to identify recycle containers

Recycle Processing Agreement
12
• Material Processing with Waste Management
– Contract approved – December 2022
– Guarantees processing of material collected
– Improved public confidence in where the material goes
• Increased recycle commodity list
– Paper, Cardboard, Plastics 1,2, Steel cans, Aluminum  
– Add glass recycling and Plastics 4 & 5 to the stream
• Education and outreach
– Partnering with WM to unify messaging

Retrofit MRF to Transfer Station
13
• Material Recovery Facility
– Closed in March 2021 due to equipment failures and efficiencies.
– Building and Infrastructure is still intact. 
– Location is ideal for routing collection equipment. 
• Improve Transportation – Compactor 
– Compactor will turn loose recycle material into cubes
– Cubes will be loaded into a transfer trailer
– Maximized weight and efficiency for hauling - 7 sideload trucks in one load
• Current Transportation Contract In Place
– Will allow us to re-bid hauling contract, reducing costs
• Cost of retro-fit - $1,000,000 ($500,000 in FY23, $500,000 in FY24)

Funding
14
• The Cost of Recycling 
– $103 per ton for processing cost
– $38 per ton for hauling cost
MRF Annual Budget
– $1,200,000 for processing
– $500,000 for hauling
• Current Material Costs 
– Tags - $11,000
– Calendars - $20,000 (other departments provide additional funding) 
– Magnets - $17,000
• Additional Material and Outreach Costs
– $120,000 education distribution ($31,000 in FY23, $89,000 in FY24 Supplementals)
– Stickers - $2 per sticker X 57,000 = $114,000

Summary
15
• We are implementing a Recycle Education and Outreach Plan
• Add Glass and Plastics 4 & 5 to Recycle Stream
• Finalizing the Blue Barrel Program
• Retrofit MRF to Transfer Station - $500,000 FY24 CIP
• Increase education and outreach funding by $89,000 in FY24

16
•Questions and Comments