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Where Is Away?A Travel Diary of Western Mass Waste

Amy DonovanProgram Director

Franklin County Solid Waste Management District Greenfield, MA

Overview of presentation

About Franklin County Solid Waste DistrictWhere is “away?”Recycling in Western MassAbout Commercial Composting (CC): the climate change and farm connectionCC programs: transfer stations, schools, businessesWaste Diversion: Fairs, Festivals, RacesHazardous WasteNext steps = more sustainable in 2012

Franklin County Solid Waste Management District

BernardstonBucklandCharlemontColrainConwayDeerfieldErvingGillHawleyHeathLeverett

LeydenMontagueNew Salem (CC since 2009)Northfield (CC since 2008)Orange (CC since 2011)RoweShelburneSunderlandWarwickWendellWhately (CC since 2003)

1st program in state

22 member towns: • 30 schools - 15 public school compost programs• 17 transfer stations - 4 municipal compost programs

• (only 9 in entire state)

Solid Waste District Highlights:

Recycling coordinator for Franklin CountyAnnual Household Hazardous Waste DayWhat Do I Do With…? 350 items listed www.franklincountywastedistrict.org

MassRecycle’s Recycler of the Year:www.massrecycle.org Solid Waste District, Municipal Program, 1996 Jan Ameen, Executive Director, 2005 Amy Donovan, Program Director, 2011

Springfield Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) www.springfieldmrf.org

Solid Waste District on MRF Advisory BoardBoard = annual Reduce, Reuse, Recycle GuideMRF pays 74 western Mass municipalities $15- $45/ton for recyclables

Recycling saves space in landfills.

• It’s against the law In Massachusetts to put recyclable items in the trash.• Most landfills in area will close in 5 years• Expensive to open, use, and close

Trash Combustors

Covanta Energy, Springfield/ Agawam Waste-To-Energy facility Town of Deerfield sends household trash Produces 9.4 megawatts (MW) of energy, of

which 7.5 MW is sold to Northeast Utilities. Leftover ash >> landfill Emissions: mercury State: moratorium on new combustors

Composting and Recycling:

Save space in landfillsSave energySave moneySave waterSave natural resourcesCreate jobsSlow climate change!

Recycling

Recycle paper:

(staples, paper clips, notebooks

Envelopes (plastic windows, labels, stamps OK)

Recycle cardboard:

Boxboard: cereal + cracker boxes

Corrugated cardboard (clean pizza boxes OK)(no waxed cardboard)

DO NOT recycle:

NO paper products with food on themNO paper cups or plates

NO napkins, paper towels, tissuesNO egg cartonsNO hardcover booksNO copy paper wrappersNO PLASTIC BAGS, plastic wrappers or packaging!

Our paper recycling is:

Sent to Newark Mills, Fitchburg, MA78 Western MA communities recycle 32,000 tons a year.Made into board games and

hard book covers.

Guess what book’s cover was made entirely from Western MA paper recycling?......

Recycle metal, glass, and plastic containers =

“Cans and Bottles”

Empty food and liquids.Rinse when possible.

Recycle metal:

Aluminum cans, tin cans and lids, aluminum foil, aluminum pie plates

and aluminum trays

___________________________

NO paint cans or haz waste spray cans

Recycle glass:

Glass bottles and jars of all colors

______________________NO light bulbs, dishes, glasses

Recycle cartons:

Juice boxes, juice & soy milk cartons, soup boxes, milk cartons

Recycle with other containers, NOT with paper.Throw away caps and straws.

___________________________ NO Capri Sun pouches

Recycle plastic:Plastic bottles,

jars,

tubs,

and jugs

Food, soap, and beverage containers only!

Throw away bottle caps.

DO NOT recycle this plastic:

NO Styrofoam NO:

NO small items (plastic utensils, straws)

NO PLASTIC BAGS, wrap

NO plastic cups, plates, utensilsNO butter, packetsNO compostable plastics No compostable water bottles!

Be careful with plastic bags:they blow away and harm wildlife and the environment!

At the recycling factory:Plastic bags cause accidents if they get wrapped around sorting equipment.Recycle in stores only! NOT in regular recycling programs!

Home composting

Home composting is different than at school:

YES: compost fruit, vegetables, bread, leaves

NO: meat, bones, cheese!(animal products)

NO: milk cartons, paper

Save $ on trash disposal, buying soil/ fertilizer

Commercial Composting

“Commercial Composting”= “Organics Recycling”=“On-Farm”=“Food Waste”…goes way beyond the backyard bin!

Commercial Composting accepts materials previously destined for trash = less trash

Acceptable materials:All food including items not composted at home: Meat, chicken, fish, bones, dairy, fats, oils

(+ bread, veggies, fruits)All paper including non recyclable: Paper cups, paper plates, napkins, paper towels, waxed

cardboard, waxed paper, soiled pizza boxes, soiled paper, soiled paper bags, flour/ sugar bags, egg cartons

Wood: skewers, chopsticks, coffee stirrers, sporks“Compostable plastic:” PLA cups, certain bags

NO plastic, metal, glass, foil, etc.!

Compost is good for plants: • adds nutrients to soil• reduces need to water• replaces chemical fertilizers

Farmland

Finished compost

CC’s benefits to participating organizations and planet:

Save money on tipping fees: Trash: $75/ ton Compostables: $45/ ton

Reduce trash dumpster size or reduce pickups and save on trash disposal /hauling costsSupports local commercial composting facilities/ farms = local businessSaves space in landfillsCreates valuable soil out of wasteMitigates climate change!

Composting helps slow Climate Change

Climate Change is caused by greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.

Greenhouse Gases:Carbon Dioxide MethaneNitrous Oxide

The Climate Change Connection

When food waste (and paper) decay in a landfill, methane is released (due to anaerobic conditions).

Methane is a greenhouse gas 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

Landfill Gas Recovery not always a solution.

Methane pipe at a landfill

Why doesn’t composting release methane? Because oxygen is part of the composting process (aerobic). There is no oxygen in a landfill (anaerobic).

More info:www.cool2012.com

Windrows

Bear Path Farm, Whately, MA

Windrows at Martin’s Farm

Martin’s Farm in Greenfield accepts compost from schools:Deerfield Academy,Pioneer HS,Mohawk HS,Turners Falls HS Deerfield ES,Erving ES, Sunderland ES, Amherst, more..

transfer stations:Northampton, Northfield,

markets: Big Y stores, Greenfield Stop & Shop,Greenfields Market,

plus restaurants…

Windrow turner at Martin’s Farm, Greenfield, MA

Whately Transfer Station:first municipal program in the state

Northfield Transfer Station: 2 yd dumpster

Saves town $1,384/ year

School composting

Gill Elementary: food, milk cartons, paper in green compostable bag

School kitchens compost food prep trimmings, expired food.

2 yard compost dumpster

Shelburne Falls Compost Collaborative

Blue Rock Restaurant, The Baker’s Oven,Mocha Maya’s, Mo’s Fudge Factor, West End Pub

• Shared compost dumpster• Cost is shared according to volume• Food waste, napkins, paper towels, cardboard

Waste Diversion/ Reduction: Fairs, Festivals, Races

Pictured: Recycling Volunteers at Conway Festival of the Hills

Solid Waste District’s Special Event Bin Loaner Program

Franklin County Fair

25,000 attendees, 4 day Fair2011 Fair: 29% diversion rate50% savings: disposal costs

Volunteers needed!- Green Fair, next weekend- FC Fair, Sept. 8-11- Community Service hours!

Household Hazardous Waste

Any substance labeled: CAUSTIC, TOXIC, CORROSIVE, 

POISON, FLAMMABLE, WARNING, DANGER, CAUTION www.franklincountywastedistrict.org/hazardouswaste.html

These hazardous items should not be put in trash:

Household hazardous waste, motor oil

Oil paint

Fluorescent light bulbs

Cell phones + batteriesBatteries: button, lithium, rechargeable (take to Home Depot/ Radio Shack)

“E-waste” (computers, phones, printers, etc.) Google “60 Minutes e-waste” Take to Staples, Best Buy

Mercury Thermostats & Mercury Thermostats & Thermometers:Thermometers:

… can be brought to the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District office at 50 Miles St. in Greenfield and be properly disposed of for no charge.(413-772-2438)

…call your municipality to see if accepted.

Also, CFLs, batteries, cell phones, e-waste….

… should never be thrown in the trash. They contain mercury, which is toxic.

Next Steps: Increasing Sustainability in 2012

2012 Reduce, Reuse Recycle GuideEducate DA community about composting + recyclingIdentify and address gaps in recycling on campusRecycle batteries, phones, e-waste, CFLsReduce disposables, increase reusablesSupport Expanded Bottle Bill: massbottlebill.blogspot.comMake manufacturers responsible for waste: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

www.productpolicy.org Product Stewardship: www.productstewardship.us

Questions?

Amy Donovan, Program DirectorFranklin County Solid Waste Management District Member, Springfield MRF Advisory Board50 Miles Street, Greenfield, MA 01301 (413) 772-2438 amy@franklincountywastedistrict.orgwww.franklincountywastedistrict.org