Spring 04

The Bourne Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility (ISWMF) recently got the “thumbs up” from the Cape Cod Commission to accept MSW. The Facility’s permit to take unprocessed C&D expired on 12/31/03, but was extended until 6/30/04 by Mass. DEP. When the Facility proposed to shift to MSW, the CCC determined that it would have to go out for public hearing, which the Planner attended on January 20. Most testimony, including hers, favored the shift. With SEMASS contracts for several of our towns due to expire in the next few years, it will be advantageous to have some competition introduced. Eight of our towns currently send C&D materials to the facility.

Facility Manager Brent Goins informed our Board at the March meeting that the Facility has also completed the permit process with the Board of Health, Mass. DEP and Board of Selectmen, and will begin accepting MSW by July 1. He must file a transition plan with the Mass. DEP by April 1.

Although it must stop processing C&D by June 30, the Facility plans to continue accepting unprocessed C&D for transfer thereafter. It seeks blocks of towns in order to negotiate a preferred rate with a permitted processing facility, and may continue to accept processed residuals (loads from which waste banned materials have been removed) for landfilling. Bourne would eventually need to build a transfer station for this. Goins anticipated a tip fee to municipalities in the range of $70/ton for mixed C&D/ bulky, and less for a “clean load” of residuals that can be landfilled, the definition of which is as yet unclear. His BOS plans to request another extension from DEP until the new regulations are promulgated.

Goins is now identifying sources of MSW, such as towns whose SEMASS contracts are about to expire. Tip fees would be in the range of $60-83/ton. He hopes to build a cocomposting facility if they can raise the funds, either for MSW or food waste and biosolids, to maximize the life of the landfill. Maximizing recycling and removal of HHW would be crucial for this endeavor, to market high quality compost back to the community. Toward this end, he has also proposed the construction of an automated recycling facility that can accept commingled loads. The current facility services 13 towns and is at capacity. Glass is a problem, and not currently accepted with the commingled materials.

The SSRC is issuing another RFP for C&D/bulky as this goes to press, due May 7.

Thanks to Garvey,

Go To www.ssrc.info

We’re finally on the web! The Executive Director expected the SSRC’s website launch to resemble the Wright Brothers’ first flight, but thanks to website volunteer John Garvey of Norwell, it took off like the Concorde. After receiving our mailer last fall, Mr. Garvey called the office to offer his services. The Exec. Dir., who had unsuccessfully tried to get one started not long before but found herself to be too clueless, pinched herself to confirm that she was awake, and eagerly accepted. John is an avid recycler, and told us that he was hopeful that by getting the details on each town’s recycling program on the web, he could play a role in reducing the amount of trash going into landfills. He has built websites for other nonprofits such as Sharingweb (a South Shore homeless shelter and food pantry at www.sharingweb.org) and Dreamchasers (a theater arts program at www.dream-chaserstheatre.org). The results exceeded everyone’s expectations, and Mr. Garvey gave the Exec. Dir. instructions on how to update the information. She is also taking a class to improve her skills and the website. Go to www.ssrc.info and be amazed!

More Towns Double Up for HHP Days

A general trend toward lower participation at household hazardous product collections has made it sensible for some towns to conduct joint collections. Duxbury and Kingston have been doing it for years, with each town taking turns hosting in alternate years. Hull and Cohasset have collaborated twice, and will work together again this June. Holbrook will join Abington and Whitman’s second joint endeavor on October 2, and Rockland will send its residents to Hanover on Oct. 30.

The overall number of collections has gone from a high of sixteen in 2002 to ten this year. Household participation dropped from 3,021 in 2002 to 2,354 in 2003, reflecting a statewide trend which hopefully is due to a trailing off of the backlog of old chemicals stashed in basements. While we avoided a setup fee in extending our current contract, it is likely that our next one will include one, so it makes sense to maximize efficiency and avoid having collections that will attract fewer than 150 households.

The printing of the flyers for all 2004 collections was subsidized by American Ref-Fuel at SEMASS through the Material Separation Plan. Flyers and press releases have been distributed. The spring schedule is as follows:

4/3 9 -1:30 Weymouth DPW, 120 Winter St.

4/17 9 -1 Duxbury Middle School, St. George St., with Kingston

5/8 9 -1 Plymouth DPW, 120 Camelot Dr.

5/15 Scituate - CANCELLED

6/5 9 -1 Hull, with Cohasset, MDC lot, Rockland House Rd.

Boralex Seeks Clean Wood

Duxbury to Accept Out of Town Brush

Eric Dumond of Boralex, Inc. spoke to the Board about his company’s need for clean wood at its Maine facility, which burns it to make electricity. Its parent company, Cascades Paper, makes 2 million TPY (tons per year) of 60% recycled paper, and uses renewable energy sources, including hydroelectric, wind and wood. He is sourcing 150,000 TPY of C&D wood in Mass., which will soon be banned from disposal. This end use is considered “reuse” by DEP. The company also plans to build a biomass plant in Mass. to absorb more of the to-be-banned material. He has 5-100 CY trucks dedicated to the transport of the chipped material from our state, which can move 40,000 TPY, and is working on establishing rail access. Pricing depends on distance, and towns would be responsible for testing the loads of wood. He is willing to sign contracts for any quantity of material, and can assist with arrangements to have it chipped. The SSRC has a contract with J. M. Cook Company for the service.

Duxbury DPW Director Tom Daley offered to accept other towns’ brush and clean C&D wood for a small charge. The town plans to buy a bigger grinder than the one it has. The company is testing CCA (pressure treated) and creosote treated wood to establish a tolerance level that complies with Maine’s strict emissions controls. Currently, none is accepted.

Vice Chairman Steve Herrmann pointed out that in Hanover, manpower and space to sort clean wood from the rest of the C&D are problems. He estimated that wood accounts for more than half of the C&D stream.

HHP, Grinding, Screening Contracts Extended

The Board voted to invoke extension clauses in four SSRC contracts this winter.

After receiving a proposal from Clean Harbors to extend our contract for six months, through December 2004, with an additional $500 setup fee, per car increase to $40 and the elimination of the 10% overweight allowance, the Exec. Dir. noted the extension clause in the RFP. Clean Harbors accepted her request for the extension of the current contract terms for one year, through June 2005, with a price increase from $36/car to $40/car, and the elimination of the per drum option (which the Exec. Dir. advised against using anyway). That contract may be rebid this summer for FY06, unless a second extension is requested.

A similar one year extension option was exercised for our contracts with J. M. Cook Co. for brush grinding and compost screening. Those contracts will remain in effect at the current terms through December 2004.

Local Events Consider Recycling

Marshfield Fair, Cohasset Arts Festival, Beatty Cole May Accept Challenge

As reported in the Winter Newsletter, the SSRC received a grant from Mass. DEP to establish recycling programs at local events. Grant contractor Kate Gillooly has identified several recurring events in the area, including one of the most coveted target venues for this project, the Marshfield Fair. Gillooly and grant project manager Ann McGovern have approached organizers and host town officials of several events, and learned so

far that the Earth Day celebration at the South Shore Natural Science Center in Norwell already recycles (not surprisingly). SSRC Chairman Merle Brown would like to see a recycling program instituted at the Cohasset Arts Festival in June, and Abington Health Agent Michelle Roberts is encouraging participation by the Beatty Cole Circus which will also come to town in June. When Bob Griffin, SSRC’s Marshfield representative, and McGovern approached Marshfield Fair Board members Bob DiCastro and Roni LaHage to determine if recycling could be considered for the Fair, they indicated that the Fair would like to accommodate such an effort. LeHage’s presentation of the idea at the Fair’s February Board meeting got a thumbs up. All of us working together with the Marshfield DPW will determine the extent of the new program at this year’s Fair in August.

The grant team is working on gathering logistical information to facilitate recycling at these events, and if successful, we will gain valuable information and experience to share with other communi-ties to help public event recycling expand throughout the region.

“Solid Waste Planner” Ditched

The South Shore Recycling Cooperative no longer has a Solid Waste Planner. At last month’s Board meeting, secretary John McNabb recommended that Claire Sullivan’s title, which she has held for 5½ years, be changed to “Executive Director” to more accurately reflect her duties. The Board approved unanimously. The “new” Exec. Dir. is very pleased, and so are her children, who unlike their mother were not especially proud of her former title.

Cohasset Awarded School Cleanout Grant

The Mass. DEP awarded Cohasset a technical assistance grant to continue work on a school chemical cleanout and management program. DEP’s Lori Segall asked the Exec. Dir. if she could subcontract the work, as they don’t have the resources in-house and the Exec. Dir. is experienced in chemical safety and management. After researching concerns around liability and insurance, she was given the go-ahead to conduct the grant, with payment for her time going to the SSRC. Most chemicals have already been removed from the buildings, and work will focus on policies and procedures for their future purchase and management.

Come Tour Miller Recycling

Last fall, Mitch Slapik of Miller Recycling talked to the Board about mattress recycling at their Plainville facility. If you would like to see for yourself how they do it, come to a tour on Wed., April 28 at 2:00 p.m.. at 12 High Street, Plainville.

Miller Recycling’s main operation in North Attleboro processes 4000 tons of material per month, including paper, non-ferrous metals, plastic and textiles. It recycles about half of the 4400 mattresses per month it handles at its Plainville location. The company also sells and services new and used balers and compactors, and dispatches 75 tractors and trailers. For more, call 1-800-783-6766 or email MSlapik@Millerrecycling.com .

LOCAL

Marshfield, Hull Mull PAYT

Two SSRC towns are considering implementing curbside unit based pricing systems (“pay-as-you-throw”) for trash collection.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of Hull Recycling Coordinator Jo Ann Rose, local recycling advocates Nancy Kramer, Judeth Van Hamm and her students’ Environmental Service Club, Town Manager Chris McCabe directed Community Development Director Jay Szklut to draft an RFP for curbside collection of trash and recyclables for the town which specifies a PAYT system in the bid. Hull’s Recycling Center is currently the only solid waste service the town provides. A pre-bid meeting was attended by six contractors, and proposals will be due before Hull’s May town meeting, at which time the residents will vote on whether to award a contract. A flat fee would cover collection, recycling, and one barrel of trash per household per week, with additional bags at an extra charge to cover disposal costs. It is anticipated that a single municipal contract should cost residents less than their current private subscription service by several haulers, increase town-wide recycling, and reduce truck traffic on Hull’s narrow streets.

Due to a high level of service, a high volume of trash and a low recycling rate, Marshfield residents and small businesses now pay $310/year for curbside trash collection. In an effort to reduce this cost, the Board of Public Works, which is chaired by DEP’s PAYT guru Joseph Lambert, is working with a consultant, DMS, to review rates and options, including stricter limits on maximum allowable amount of trash and PAYT.

Mass. DEP will be sponsoring a series of PAYT workshops for municipalities considering the option. SSRC reps Mike Breen, Scituate’s DPW Supervisor, and Selectman Merle Brown of Cohasset, will both speak about their towns’ PAYT successes. Please see “Events” on page 6 for details.

Another “Hero” to Get Award

Legislative Breakfast Planned

To recognize his sustained effort to pass the CRT Takeback bill into law (see p. 5), Secretary McNabb requested that the SSRC hold a legislative breakfast and award Rep. Mark Carron our third “Environmental Hero” award. The Board concurred, and the Exec. Dir. has reserved a room at Cameron’s in East Bridgewater on May 6. The SSRC’s other “Environmental Heroes” are Rep. Tom O’Brien and Rep. Bob Koczera. We will take that opportunity to bring other matters of importance to the solid waste community to their attention, such as reinstatement of the Clean Environment Fund and the Expanded Bottle Bill.

Cheverie Set to Retire

After 7 years as Hanover’s Director of Public Works, SSRC Board representative Frank Cheverie is planning for a well earned retirement in October. Cheverie, who had previously been Kingston’s DPW Director, also served as Chairman of the Plymouth County Highway Ass’n from 2000-03, and has represented Plymouth County on MassHighway’s Executive Board for 8 years. Hired from within the Dept., Victor Diniak will start transitioning to the position in mid August. Cheverie is always a valuable source of advice for the other Directors at SSRC meetings. He plans to do some consulting and traveling in his newfound free time. We wish him a long and healthy life of leisure!

McCarthy Extols Mandatory Recycling

Rockland Health Agent Janice McCarthy gave a sparkling dissertation at SWANA Mass. Chapter’s January Technical Session on the success of the town’s mandatory recycling regulation. Based on Abington’s, the Rockland Board of Health adopted the provision in 1999 that residential trash will only be picked up curbside if a recycling bin is set out. Since enforcement was stepped up last year, the recycling rate has increased by 7%, or 300 tons/year, and Rockland disposed of 500 fewer tons of trash than the previous year, saving over $40,000 in disposal costs.

Enforcement of the regulation required close cooperation between curbside contractor Del Prete and Sons and the BOH. The BOH publicized the enforcement efforts with newspaper ads, cable announcements, and flyers delivered by the contractor. Residents were given a one month grace period. Initially there was resistance, with residents demanding service since they pay a user fee. The BOH’s position is that to receive service, residents must meet the condition of leaving a recycle bin curbside. Noncompliant residents receive a notice in triplicate, so there is a paper trail when they call to complain of their missed pickup.

When asked if residents leave out empty bins just to comply, McCarthy replied that it didn’t seem to be a big problem.

Exec. Dir. to “Talk Trash” at SWANA Conference

The Mass. Chapter of SWANA will present "Let's Talk Trash”, a one-day solid waste and recycling conference, on Thursday, June 17th at the Holiday Inn, Boxboro. Similar to the "Money to Burn" conference, which attracted over 200 attendees last year, SWANA has offered to host this conference annually.
Topics will include Organics Management, Difficult-to-Manage Waste (catch basin/street sweepings), Single Stream Technology, Co-composting, and a regulatory update. The SSRC Exec. Dir. will discuss regional procurements. Over 30 exhibitors will be on hand, including equipment demonstrations, engineering firms, hauling companies and providers of recycling products. Due to the increased demand, the exhibit area will be in a separate function room to allow to all-day networking. A full luncheon and afternoon snack will be served. A registration form and agenda will be available in late April.

Used Needles Here, Please

What can you tell residents to do with used hypodermic needles and other medical sharps? They cannot go into the trash, as they pose a serious safety hazard to waste handlers, and are prohibited from disposal by SEMASS. To facilitate proper disposal of sharps used for in-home medical purposes, the Mass. DEP has identified three companies with mail-back programs. All provide a prepaid mailing containers ranging from one quart to 5 gallons in size, and are incinerated when returned. Pricing structures vary with respect to shipping, making it difficult to compare prices (see below). Town offices may serve as collection points.

SteriCycle charges $55.95 for a one gallon container, plus $9 S&H for 1-2 containers, $12 for 3-7 containers. Call Diane Creel at 800-355-8773, x2016.

A one gallon container from Sharps Compliance costs $58.65, including S&H and tax. Call Allison Towry at 800-772-5657.

Medadent charges a one time $49.95 fee for unlimited S&H. A one gallon container costs another $42.20. Go to www.medadyne.com or call Keith at 800-200-3581.

Bechton Dickinson provides mail back containers which are available through Rite Aid Pharmacies. Go to www.safeneedledisposal.org/ds/BD_sdbm.html

Scrap Prices Soar

After bottoming out three short years ago at a 15 year low, prices for scrap steel surpassed the all time high last month and continue to climb. The March 1 “Waste News” reported that a sharp increase in export demand, especially by the Far East, has fueled price increases from an average of $100/ton for the bellwether grade of steel in Jan. 2002 to $230/ton last month. Total scrap steel exports from the U.S. rose 19% from 2002 to 2003, to 10.8 million tons. While good for struggling scrap metal dealers and their suppliers, this phenomenon is wreaking havoc down the supply and manufacturing chain, prompting calls for temporary controls on scrap exports by domestic steel manufacturers, a move that is opposed by the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries. The U. S. Steel Corp. is confident that the market will correct itself. Meanwhile, it may be a good time for solid waste managers to check in with their vendors and make sure they’re getting a fair price for their material.

Governor Budgets Recycling $, EBB

Thanks to a flood of testimony, calls and letters to the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs and the Governor’s Office, $3.5 million for recycling, line item 2010-0100, was included in Governor Romney’s House 1 budget. In addition, he proposed an Expanded Bottle Bill in Outside Section 172, which would include noncarbonated water, fruit juices and drinks, coffee and tea drinks, and sport drinks up to 1 gallon. It is anticipated that adding these drinks to the redemption system would not only greatly improve the recovery of these materials, which represent over a quarter of the market, but would result in an additional $13 million in unredeemed deposits. Under the current system, all such monies go into the General Fund, since last year’s elimination of the Clean Environment Fund.

The Mass. DEP’s operating budget was cut by another $2.3 million, or 8%. In a message to the Environmental Business Council on March 14, Commissioner Golledge states: “The FY 05 cut of $2.3 million will have an impact on the Department’s operations and may result in program and staff cuts. . . . the Governor’s proposed FY 05 budget includes a number of initiatives designed to mitigate further cuts to the Department’s budget (including). . .

§ Hazardous Waste cleanup fees- Closes a loophole in the 21E statute that allowed PRPs to avoid paying fees in a year where they did no remediation. The current law creates an incentive for PRPs to delay clean up activities.

§ Commercial waste fee- The proposal charges 50 or 60 cents a ton on commercial waste to generate funds that will be used to offset proposed municipal recycling program cuts. (see article at right)

§ Rent relief- Provides DEP the authority to renegotiate its Boston and Worcester leases. . . “

The House Ways and Means Committee is now considering its own budget, which it will present to the full House for a vote on April 16. At that time, the Senate Ways and Means Committee will take it up, followed by the full Senate, and finally a House / Senate Conference Committee will reconcile the House and Senate Budgets and present its final version to the Governor, who has line item veto authority.

DEP Proposes Disposal Fee Hike

Mass. DEP has proposed a solid waste compliance fee increase of 70¢/ton in FY05 to cover a larger proportion of actual Solid Waste program costs, estimated to be approximately $5 million annually. The proposed increase is necessary to forestall major funding reductions for that program, and to more equitably reflect DEP’s costs associated with overseeing the management of each facility’s waste. Existing flat fees will remain at the same levels. The proposed fee increase together with existing fees would bring in approximately $3.3 million annually to DEP.

The DEP has directed this proposed hike to be assessed on commercial waste (i.e., not municipally collected or contracted waste) sent for disposal or transfer for disposal. However, several disposal facilities including SEMASS state that they would still pass the cost of the fee on to their contracted municipal customers as another Change in Law surcharge despite the fact that their waste is specifically excluded from the fee by definition and DEP’s stated intent not to burden municipalities. There was heated discussion about this among DEP, disposal facility and municipal officials at the March 25 Solid Waste Advisory Committee meeting.

Regulations to increase these fees should go out to public hearing in April.

At our March meeting, Secretary John McNabb announced that H4535, filed by Rep. Mark Carron, received a favorable report from the Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture on Feb. 25. The bill requires manufacturers of televisions and computer monitors to take financial responsibility for their proper disposal. Rep. Carron had added computer peripherals to the refiled bill, but the NR&A took it back out. The bill is now in Ways and Means, and will go to the House for a vote if reported favorably. Clean Water Action is working on gathering up some municipal officials to meet with House Speaker Finneran in support. He encouraged the Board to write or call their representatives to contact Ways and Means in support of this bill. The Exec. Dir. is drafting a template.

4th Organics Summit Planned

Mass. DEP will host its 4^th Organics Recycling Summit: "Links in the Food Chain" on Earth Day, Thurs., Apr. 22, 2004 ,from 8:30am to 4:00pm at the Boxborough Holiday Inn.
Gather with 200 of your colleagues for a comprehensive overview of the food waste management infrastructure in Mass.

F Learn how municipalities can divert cardboard and food wastes from disposal, thereby substantially reducing solid waste management costs.

F Be ready for the potential disposal ban on organics.

F Meet equipment and product vendors.

Officials from the Mass. DEP and Agricultural Resources will provide updates on solid waste and recycling policies, programs and regional trends.
To see the agenda or register, go to www.mass.gov/dep/ recycle/compost.htm, or contact Steve Long (617-292-5734, stephen.long@state.ma.us) or Sumner Martinson (617-292-5969, sumner.martinson@ state.ma.us).

Bargains!

Does your municipal office need desks, chairs, file cabinets, computers, printers, a piano, a couch, or any number of other items? Go to www.mass.gov/agency/documents/osd/surplus/ surplus_pe.pdf to see what’s available on the State Surplus Property list, or to www.surplusnetwork.net, the site maintained by Institution Recycling Network. Items are typically available for $10-50.

Mass. Recyclers Network

It was like Old Home Day when fifty recycling coordinators, gathered at the Statewide Municipal Recycling Council meeting at E.L. Harvey’s in Westboro on March 24. Intentionally informal, the Exec. Dir., a few colleagues and vendors made brief presentations and led animated discussions that included the whole group.

The first hot topic was establishing uniformity from town to town on what recyclable materials are collected in a commingled program, led by MRC Chairman Ann Dorfman. The main variables seem to be plastics #3-7, aseptic juice cartons, aerosol and paint cans, and pizza boxes. Larry Spiegel and Bob Boucher from Avon’s WMI Recycle America MRF, provided some valuable insight into how the inclusion of certain materials in municipal contracts affects pricing, and what happens to some of those materials in question. They also learned of some outlets for some of those materials at the meeting. They currently lack viable end markets or sufficient quantity of the 3-7s and aseptics, and much of those materials winds up as outthrows.

Reciprocal HHP collections was the next topic, with the Exec. Dir. detailing the SSRC’s arrangement. Ways to combat rising costs and shrinking budgets were shared, and preregistration as a means of avoiding long lines was recommended.

The age old problem of mattress disposal was next on the agenda, and included a presentation by Richard Garrison of Conigliaro Industries, which is trying a new system for dismantling those troublesome discards. Some mattresses can be sanitized and re-covered for resale. The Exec. Dir. gave a summary of the SSRC’s experiences and recent RFQ. Bourne Recycling coordinator Jimmy Boyle pointed out that the ISWMF no longer landfills the airspace hogs, but ships them over the bridge to Miller Recycling (see previous article).

Some sharps collection programs were described. The Diabetes Foundation of RI is awaiting word on a grant proposal for a program to collect sharps at pharmacies in five New England states, including Massachusetts. Used needles are a serious health and safety threat at disposal and recycling facilities (see previous article).

After a catered lunch, President Jan Ameen and DEP’s Peter Allison led a lively discussion about the pros, cons and particulars of an expanded bottle bill. A bill sitting in the Energy Committee and an outside section of the Governor’s budget target different containers to add to the State’s redemption system. The group discussed the economic and operational effects of removing various segments of beverage containers from the municipal recycling stream. PET and aluminum are valuable, and help prevent glass breakage in commingled collections. Coordinators prefer that larger containers that tend to be consumed at home should be excluded from the deposit system, leading to the suggestion that only containers less than 48 oz be included. But surrounding states include them in their systems. The consensus was that this is a complex issue that may warrant its own meeting.