ANNUAL RECYCLING REPORT FOR 2003

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

This report summarizes the materials, quantities, associated revenue, and avoided landfill costs derived from diverting recycled materials from the landfill for 2003.  Numeric quantities of materials diverted for recycling by the City of Lawrence Solid Waste Division are in the attached tables. 

 

In 2003, the City’s Solid Waste Division collected an estimated 68,697 tons of municipal solid waste.  Of this total, 12,766 tons of material was recycled by the City and approximately 55,931 tons were landfilled.  An additional estimated 15,576 tons of material was recycled by the private sector, primarily through the Walmart’s Community Recycling Center, University of Kansas, and by large retail, industrial and warehouse facilities and other smaller recycling operations.  This also includes an estimated 1,600 tons due to backyard composting and grasscycling.  (The Solid Waste Division also landfilled an estimated 12,800 tons of construction/demolition waste in 2003.  Construction/demolition waste is not included in municipal solid waste data.)

 

TOTAL WASTE DIVERTED FROM LANDFILL BY THE CITY

 

A total of 12,766 tons of grass clippings and leaves, newspaper, cardboard, brushy wood waste, Christmas trees, white goods and metals, and office waste paper were recycled through City programs in 2003 for a savings in landfill costs of $ 244,523.00.  Revenue from the sale of recycled materials was $103,429.00. 

 

In 2003, more than 28,342 tons of materials were recycled through City and private sector efforts in Lawrence representing a 34 percent recycling rate, which is believed to be the highest in Kansas and is higher than the national average.

 

 

MATERIALS RECOVERED THROUGH CITY PROGRAMS

 

Grass Clippings/Leaves

The City of Lawrence’s Solid Waste Division provides separate citywide collection services for grass clippings and leaves from Lawrence residences on Mondays from approximately March until near Christmas.  These materials are trucked to the City’s composting facility.  Commercial landscape and lawn care companies also drop their grass and leaves at the compost facility in exchange for providing estimated tonnages.  In 2003, 9,754 tons of grass clippings and leaves were collected and composted resulting in a savings of $186,789.00 in avoided disposal costs. 

 

Finished compost was not distributed in the fall as unacceptable levels of the herbicide, Clopyralid, were detected and it was determined prudent not to distribute to the community for garden use until levels have decreased sufficiently.  Community education and outreach regarding Clopyralid is underway within the Waste Reduction and Recycling Division.  

 

Pending permit approval by KDHE-BWM, composting operation will begin at the new 1750 E. 11th Street facility in spring of 2004.

 

Old Newspapers

 

Nine city-sponsored drop boxes for newspaper recycling are located throughout Lawrence reflecting an increase from the previous year.  In 2003, 790 tons were collected and recycled, representing a 10% increase in material collected from last year.  This diversion resulted in savings of $15,129.00 in avoided disposal costs.  Market values ranged from $55 per ton to $70 per ton over the course of the year for baled material.  The sales of old newspapers provided revenue of $50,924.00.

 

Old Corrugated Containers

 

The City’s Solid Waste Division serves over 500 Lawrence businesses with cardboard recycling services.  In 2003, 655 tons of materials were collected for recycling resulting in revenue of $46,227.00 and an avoided disposal cost of $12,600.70.  Market values ranged from $58 per ton to $70 per ton over the course of the year for baled cardboard.

 

BRUSHY WOOD WASTE

 

In 2003, the City’s Parks and Recreation Department diverted 1,369 tons of brushy wood waste from the landfill.  Two programs administered by the Parks Division contributed to this diversion; (a) a residential drop-off chipping service at the 11th and Haskell Forestry facility (298 tons); and (b) Right of Way removal of tree and brush debris (1,071 tons).   Wood chips produced through these programs were used on city landscape projects and made available to the community through the Parks Division Annual Fall Wood Chip sale.  Avoided disposal costs attributed to the brushy waste programs was $26,216.00.  Revenue generated from the sale of wood chips was $ 4,532.00.

 

Christmas Trees

 

On the first three Mondays following Christmas, the Solid Waste Division crews collected Christmas trees for recycling from Lawrence residents.  Thirty three (33) tons of Christmas trees were collected, processed and used as erosion control and wildlife habitat enhancement at the closed landfill north of Riverfront Park.  Diverting Christmas trees from the landfill resulted in $637.95 in avoided disposal costs.

 

White Goods & Metals

 

Bulky item pickup for appliances like refrigerators, washers and dryers is provided by appointment by the City’s Solid Waste Division to Lawrence residents.  Metal appliances and other collected metals are sold to a local metal recycler.  One hundred and forty seven (147) tons were recovered and sold for revenue of $791.46 and provided an avoided disposal cost of $2,815.05.

 

 

SORTED Office WASTE Paper

 

Collecting from small businesses and some schools, this program diverted 16 tons of paper from the landfill.  A grant from KDHE will assist in the procurement of a small packer truck allowing program expansion in 2004.  Market values ranged from $70 per ton to $60 per ton over the course of the year for sorted office waste paper.  Revenue derived from the sale of the paper was $829.80

 

OLD MAGAZINES

 

Generated by city offices, almost 2 tons of material was shipped loose in gaylord boxes to V.I.M Recyclers in Topeka.  Revenue received for unbaled old magazines was $77.50.

 

Used Motor Oil

 

A total of 5,623 gallons of used oil was collected at the City’s Maintenance Garage in 2003 of which 3,830 gallons were recycled as bunker fuel by Clearwater Recycling.  One thousand seven hundred and ninety three (1,793) gallons were burned for heat at the garage.  The collection of used oil generates no revenue.

 

Tires

 

A total of 2,678 tires were collected for proper disposal by the City’s Solid Waste Division.  The Solid Waste Division provides Lawrence residents, by appointment, free pickup for up to five passenger tires per year, per household.  Thirty five percent (35%) of the tires were collected for recycling by Champlain Tire at the cost of $1,323.75  Remaining tires were collected by TireTown for shredding and monofill in Leavenworth County at the cost of $2,45.56.

 

Freon

 

Six hundred and forty (640) refrigerators and other freon-containing units were collected for recycling by the City’s Solid Waste Division.  Over 75 pounds of freon were captured and sent for reclamation by trained Container Maintenance personnel with EPA-approved equipment.  Federal regulations require freon to be removed from appliances prior to salvaging.  By moving this responsibility in-house, the city has greater regulatory control of the extraction process and saves money.

 

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE

 

Over 94,000 pounds of hazardous household products were diverted from the Hamm regional landfill in 2003 with 1,710 participants including drop offs, homebound pickups, abandoned waste and orphan waste collection service.

 

In 2003, the Small Quantity Generator program provided technical assistance and environmentally-preferred disposal options to 51 small businesses, doubling the participation from the previous year.

 

 

 

CITY OF LAWRENCE

SOLID WASTE DIVISION

 

MATERIALS RECOVERED FOR RECYCLING - 2003

 

 

Material

Quantity

Revenue from Sales

Avoided Landfill Disposal Costs

Grass Clippings / Leaves

9,754 tons

N/A

$ 186,789.00

 

 

 

 

Old Newspaper

790 tons

$ 50,924.28

$ 15,128.50

 

 

 

 

Old Corrugated Containers

655 tons

$ 46,227.00

$ 12,600.70

 

 

 

 

Brushy Wood Waste[2]

1,369 tons

$ 4,532.00.

$ 26, 212.00

 

 

 

 

Christmas Trees

33 tons

N/A

$ 637.95

 

 

 

 

White Goods & Metals

147 tons

$ 791.46

$ 2,815.05

 

 

 

 

Office Waste Paper

16 tons

$ 829.80

$ 306.40

 

 

 

 

Old Magazines

1.77 tons

$ 77.50

$ 33.89

TOTAL

12,765.77 tons

$ 103,429.06

$ 244,523.49

 

 

 

 

Other Materials

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Used Motor Oil

5,623 gallons

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tires

2,678 units

 

 

 

 

 

 

Freon Recovery

640 freon-containing units were processed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CITY OF LAWRENCE

SOLID WASTE DIVISION

MATERIALS RECOVERED FOR RECYCLING

 

YEAR-TO-YEAR COMPARISON

 

MATERIAL

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grass Clippings/Leaves

6,317

7,667

7,864

5,963

5,206

6,066

9,052

9,754

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old Newspapers

426

606

866

852

790

950

704

790

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old Corrugated Containers

22

347

425

451

510

509

641

655

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brushy Wood Waste

N/A

N/A

122

186

215

456

311

1,369

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Trees

43

49

46

50

36

39

38

33

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White Goods & Metals

54

59

36

108

111

158

80

147

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorted Office Waste Paper

N/A

2

7

8

11

13

19

16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old Magazines

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

2

.29

0.5

1.77

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

6,862

8,730

9,366

7,618

6,881

8,191

10,846

12,766

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OTHER MATERIALS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Used Motor Oil (gallons)

6,465

5,300

8,955

5,764

8,281

5,026

4,337

5,623[3]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tires (units)

1,768

2,943

3,670

4,129

3,006

2,304

2,791

2,678

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Freon Recovery (units)

402

275

388

457

394

553

589

640

 

LAWRENCE WAL-MART COMMUNITY

RECYCLING CENTER - 2003[4]

 

 

                                                                        2003

 

NEWSPAPER                                                 799

MIXED PAPER                                               408

MAGAZINES                                                 400

CORRUGATED CARDBOARD                     692

HDPE NATURAL                                           22

PET MIXED                                                    39

HDPE COLORED                                           10

GLASS                                                            514

WHITE LEDGER                                            54

ALUMINUM CANS                                       24

STEEL CANS                                                 79

 

TOTAL                                                           3,041 tons

 

Household Hazardous Waste Program

Year-to-Year Report

 

 

 

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Number of Collection Events

6

6

7

7

7

7

7

7 events + Appts.

7 events + Appts.

By

Appointment

Only

Pounds Collected (HHW, SQG)

21,207

26,547

36,020

57,656

58,319

73,920

61,295

86,536

100,603

97,980

Pounds distributed through Product Reuse

10,687

12,115

5,367

13,819

12,155

15,280

9,506

8,342

7,644

8,306

Disposal Costs

$13,931

$10,088

$11,865

$19,275

$22,095

$20,005

$21,135

$40,350

$37,939

$34,700

No. Served

648

724

919

1,335

1,450

1,580

1,773

2053

2,016

1,761

 

 

 


[2] Beginning in 2003, brushy wood waste recovered from both residential drop off and right-of-wayclearance are recorded

[3] 1,793 gallons burned for heat @ Central Maintenance Garage and Street Department; and 3,830 gallons collected by Clearwater Recycling for use as bunker fuel.

[4] Walmart accepts materials from the following curbside recycling companies that service Lawrence: Jeff’s Curbside Recycling, Community Living Opportunities and Home Recycling Service.