Mecklenburg County Electronics Recycling

Program

October 22, 2001

Mecklenburg County

• Population - 700,000• 26,000 Businesses• Mecklenburg County generated

1.2 million Tons of SW in 1999

Why Recycle Electronics?

• 1997 NC State house Bill (HB-859) requires counties to develop a 10-year waste management plan.

• Mecklenburg County’s plan calls for a 23% reduction over ten years.

• Because of the aggressive goal and growing concern regarding toxicity all waste streams had to be evaluated for recycling.

• Including Electronics.

Plan -Drop Centers

• Four Staffed Drop Centers for Mecklenburg County residents (not businesses)

• Collect fiber, #1 & #2 plastic, aluminum cans, appliances, scrap aluminum, motor oil, tires, batteries, HHW (2 locations), foam rubber and ELECTRONICS.

• Open Tuesday-Saturday 7am-3pm.

Drop Centers

• Electronic recycling begins when a resident brings their items to one of the 4 staffed drop centers

• Electronic items include personal computers, laptops, fax machines, copiers, telecommunication equipment, and VCR’s (No TVs)

Electronics Program Vendor

History • 1999

Waste Management Inc. Kernersville, NC

• 2000

Oliver Trading Lexington, SC

• 2001

Computel Charlotte, NC

Annual Program Cost • Salaries & Wages

– Staff Time Coordinating (40 hrs) $1000– On-Site Labor (104 hrs) $1956

• Capital Cost– 320 SF (storage space) $500

• Non-Capital Direct Cost– Advertising $500– Supplies (pallets, shrink wrap, gloves, forklift , etc) $1500

• Total Annual Cost $5456

• Cost Per Ton (75 Tons) $72.00

Program Cost Breakdown

18%

37%9%

9%

27%

Staff Coordinating$1,000On-Site Labor $1,956

Capital Cost$500

Advertising $500

Supplies $1,500

Waste Management

• 31 tons of

electronics shipped 1999/2000

• Average cost $253 per ton

-$57 per ton for program cost

-$196 Disposal and

Freight

Waste Managment Program Cost

$102.00

$235.22

$326.62

$0.00

$100.00

$200.00

$300.00

$400.00

Co

st

Pe

r T

on

4/30/00 5 Tons 5/11/00 9 Tons 11/3/00 16 Tons

Oliver Trading

• 13 tons recycled • Program Cost $87/ton

- program development – Transportation Cost

(collected electronics and brought to central location for pick up)

– Supplies

• No freight or disposal cost

Computel• County’s cost $72/ton• Vendor does milk-run style

collection from drop centers (saves county from having to transfer electronics to central location)

• Recycle est. 75 tons yearly

• Vendor refurbishes and sells 50-60% computers they collect

Vendor Comparison

• Waste Management

Program Cost-$257.00

per ton

• Oliver Trading Program Cost $87.00 per ton

• Computel Program

Cost $72.00 per ton

Vendor Comparison

$72.00 $87.00

$257.00

$0.00

$50.00

$100.00

$150.00

$200.00

$250.00

$300.00

Computel Oliver Trading Waste Mangment

Vendor

Cost

Per T

on

Conclusion

• Continue to use the Drop Centers

• Events for Mecklenburg County Business

• 2002 goal to recover 100 tons

• Continue to combine efforts with other groups for cost effective programs

Steve Hoffman Mecklenburg County700 North Tryon StreetCharlotte, NC 28202(704) 336-5371hoffmss@co.mecklenburg.nc.us