2003 ANNUAL REPORT
2/11/04
According to the IMA, the mission of the SSRC is: "… to provide a
forum of cooperative management of solid waste by members, to assist
each member Town to improve the cost-effectiveness of their
recycling efforts by providing economy of scale while maintaining
full control over solid waste management; to assist members to
improve programs to divert waste materials from the waste stream and
to reduce the amount and toxicity of wastes; and to provide such
assistance on an individual basis to each member Town and
cooperatively in joint programs with other Towns."
The SSRC has grown to 15 Member
Towns, and its mission has been fulfilled in Calendar Year 2002 as
follows:
QUANTIFIABLE BENEFITS
1.
By using the regional
contract negotiated by the SSRC with Safety Kleen, which was
assumed by
Clean Harbors, for the collection and disposal of
household hazardous products, Member Towns saved about 25% plus
the $750 setup fee required in the State contract, and avoided the
administrative time to bid it out. At 2003's fourteen collections,
which were attended by 2354 residents, savings were
approximately $30,000 for this service. The contract also
enabled 118 residents and businesses to attend other towns'
collections in the region that year using the reciprocal
arrangement, which is administered by the Planner. In addition,
the Planner publicized the events with several thousand flyers
she delivered to the town halls and libraries and ongoing press
releases in all local papers, on cable TV and the radio.
She attended and helped run twelve
of the collections, handed out paint stirrers with cost saving
instructions on latex paint disposal, provided signs and calculated
the proper billing for the vendor to ensure that discounts
and allowances were credited and visitors billed properly. In this
capacity, she flagged $3,570 in billing errors and
overcharges and negotiated them off. The Planner spent 37 hours
publicizing the events and 127 hours administering the
contract and attending the collections.
2.
By using the arrangement
negotiated by the SSRC with the Bourne ISWMF, Member Towns
enjoyed a disposal rate of $57/ton for construction and
bulky waste. The gate fee is $75/ton. With a generation of
8,599 tons, Member Towns saved $54,782 in CY02 with this
arrangement. The Planner spent 53 hours administering the
agreement and conducting an RFP, a s the Facility will no
longer be able to accept C&D in 2004.
3.
The SSRC Planner custom
designed recycling and hazardous waste informational mailers
for each of the fifteen member towns, and obtained sponsorship from
American Ref Fuel at SEMASS to cover most of the printing cost, and
a DEP grant to cover the mailing service and postage for 134,000
mailers. Total cost was $29,180. The Planner spent 115
hours on the project.
4.
The Planner assisted the
eight member towns that have long term contracts with SEMASS to
maximize their benefits from the Material Separation Plan (MSP),
including the provision by SEMASS of about 500 digital thermometers
for exchange and reimbursement for mercury disposal costs, valued at
$10,640. The Planner spent 21 hours administering
these programs, which removed over 11 lbs. of mercury from
the waste stream.
5.
The Planner arranged for
the Mass. DEP to provide 192 digital thermometers valued at
$1,152 for thermometer swaps in four towns not covered
by the MSP. These exchanges netted half a lb. of mercury.
6.
The Planner facilitated a service agreement with CRTRecycling
for the collection of electronic equipment, much of which is banned
from disposal by state regulation. Under this arrangement, our
vendor recycles and reuses the equipment for a rate about 50% less
than the State Contract. Savings over the State contract are
estimated to be $80,000. Our contractor also saved our towns
additional labor and material costs by taking the equipment loose.
Avoided disposal cost for the electronic equipment he takes at no
charge is estimated at over $5,000 for the year.
7.
The SSRC provided member towns with postage paid
collection boxes for cell phones, rechargeable batteries and
printer cartridges. Participating towns receive rebates on
the phones and cartridges, and free recycling of the otherwise
costly batteries. Figures are not available.
CY03 COST OF MEMBERSHIP: 15 towns @ $4,000 = $60,000 CY03
BENEFIT: $214,324; 353 hours
Intangible benefits
1.
The SSRC bid out and awarded contracts for brush grinding
and trommel screening for the processing of compost, which were
used by four of our towns in CY03.
2.
Four companies responded to an RFP for the processing and
disposal of construction, demolition and bulky waste. No
award was made since the municipal facility our towns use at reduced
cost received a permit extension, but it was informative for our
managers’ FY05 budget requests.
3.
Through a grant from the Mass. DEP, the SSRC established the
South Shore Business Recycling Partnership to facilitate
startup of recycling programs in small to medium sized businesses.
WasteCap of Massachusetts subcontracted the work of promoting the
program to the businesses and bidding out collection service for
paper and cardboard. To date, eleven businesses have signed up,
diverting an estimated 42 tons/year of fiber.
4.
The SSRC provides valuable networking opportunities
and information sharing at our well-attended monthly Solid Waste
Manager meetings, at which solid waste collection, disposal and
recycling service, pricing and proposed laws and regulations are
discussed among member towns. The meetings often feature speakers on
subjects of interest to the local MSW community, including special
waste disposal, regulatory compliance, legislative and budget
issues, grant assistance and regional recycling collections.
5.
The Planner's advice and assistance are
frequently sought by and provided to the solid waste managers, both
on site and over the phone, on such issues as curbside contracting,
disposal of special wastes, alternative vendors for different
materials, regulations and accessing grants. She investigated
solutions to such problems as alternative markets for glass, propane
tank storage and disposal and continuously researches recycling
alternatives.
6.
The SSRC published a
quarterly newsletter filled with information of immediate
interest to the South
Shore solid waste
community, including local solid waste news, regulatory and
legislative proposals, meetings and seminars. The newsletter is
circulated to over 300 town officials, legislators, regulators and
volunteers.
7.
The Planner did public outreach by writing articles
for and being the subject of interviews with the local press which
promote waste reduction and recycling, and the proper disposal of
mercury-bearing waste. She also fielded at least 100
calls from Member Towns residents in CY03 to answer questions,
related mostly to HHP and CRT disposal.
8.
The SSRC had large signs made for our towns with
transfer stations regarding increasing costs and possible fees.
9.
The SSRC held a
Legislative Breakfast in January at which Rep. Robert Koczera
was recognized with our “Environmental Hero” award.
10.
The Planner advocated
for passage of solid waste legislation aimed at increasing
funding of municipal recycling programs through the Clean
Environment Fund, extending the Waste to Energy Grant Program, and
shifting some of the burden of disposal costs onto electronics
manufacturers. The Planner also orchestrated municipal advocacy for
State budget items that benefit municipal solid waste programs,
securing an override of a gubernatorial veto of recycling funding.
Legislators seek our advice on solid waste matters.
11.
The SSRC Planner attended policy meetings, forums
and conferences hosted by the DEP, Solid Waste Association of
North America, the Council of SEMASS Communities, the Mass.
Recycling Coalition, the Northeast Resource Recovery Association,
and the Environmental Business Council. She attends most Mass. DEP
Solid Waste Advisory Committee and C&D Subcommittee meetings. She
shares what she learns with the Managers, and relays the Managers'
concerns to the professional and State organizations and regulators.
The SSRC exists to serve its
member towns by facilitating their solid waste disposal and
recycling functions. It always welcomes suggestions on how it can
better serve its Members.
Respectfully submitted,
Claire Sullivan, Solid Waste
Planner
