Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Recycling Subcommittee

Meeting January 15, 2009

OverviewBackgroundHighlights of the 2008 ReportPerformance Measures: Recycling Rates and

Challenges to Data Quality

Summary and Report are available electronically

www.novaregion.org/wastereport

Waste Report Background-HistoryProduced since 1989. Smaller cities and

towns added in 2004.Original and primary use: a tool by and

for waste managers.The executive summary produced for

public.2007-2008 NVRC redesigned the report

and streamlined data collection.

Waste Report BackgroundData determined by and for local waste managers, no

statutory basis.NVRC collects the information and generates report.For 2008, data request coincided with Virginia recycling

report deadlines.This year, 15 jurisdictions contributed data: City of

Alexandria, Arlington County, District of Columbia, City of Falls Church, City of Fairfax, Fairfax County, Town of Herndon, Town of Leesburg, Loudoun County, City of Manassas Park, City of Manassas, Montgomery County, Prince Georges County, Prince William County, Town of Vienna.

Reporting includes calendar year and fiscal year (July to June).

Data collected from May into late fall…Report focuses on municipal services and programs for

single family households. Little information collected on private, commercial, and multifamily data.

2008 Waste Report HighlightsFindingsWaste ProgramsServicesOutreachCollectionDisposalSpecial Services

FindingsReduced growth of households publicly served.Increase in nuisance cleanups from foreclosures.Electronics recovery increased by 30%, commingled

waste increased by 65%, recycling rates increased.Regionally, 55 percent of 3.11 million tons of waste

disposed generates electricity in WTE plants. Most of Virginia WTE disposal occurs in Northern Virginia (65%). Overall, Northern Virginia represents 28 % of statewide disposal (1.67 million tons).

Region faces continued challenges of commercial, school multifamily data and compliance, CDD waste, data quality.

Waste Programs All jurisdictions offer extensive recycling

opportunities and disposal services.Fourteen of 15 jurisdictions offer residents

HHW and electronics recycling.Funding Structures: 7 jurisdictions rely on

general fund, 5 have user fees, 3 use a combination of fees and general fund.

Eight jurisdictions have hauler certifications.Ten jurisdictions have mandatory recycling for

commercial buildings, eleven require recycling for multifamily residences.

CollectionEight jurisdictions reported no change in households

served, two reported lower numbers for 2007.Overall, smaller growth rate for local collection

services in the region from 2007: from 2.18 to 1.53 percent increase in recycling, 1.13 to 0.8 percent for solid waste services.

Eight of the thirteen jurisdictions use public collection for refuse, and 6 operate public collection for recycling. Six jurisdictions rely on contract services for refuse, 8 for recycling. Prince William County and Loudoun County do not provide collection.

Single stream: jurisdictions reported continued switch to public single stream collection: 8 jurisdictions reported single stream collection in the region. Switch to single stream could be reflected in jump in commingled tonnage.

Collection (continued)Households Receiving Refuse Services*

2006 2007 2008Change 2007-2008 % Change

Public 189,464 191,585 197,286 5,701 2.98%Contract 350,067 300,910 302,622 1,712 0.57%Private 373,950 440,900 448,787 7,887 1.76%Total 913,481 933,395 948,695 15,300 1.61%

Households Receiving Recycling Services*Change 2007-2008

2006 2007 2008 % ChangePublic 122,032 124,378 121,420 -2,958 -2.38%Contract 546,337 489,816 494,138 4,322 0.88%Private 373,950 439,900 447,787 7,887 1.76%Total 1,042,319 1,054,094 1,063,345 9,251 0.87%

*Data reported as received by jurisdictions

Households Receiving Refuse Services*

2006 2007 2008Change 2007-2008 % Change

Public 189,464 191,585 197,286 5,701 2.98%Contract 350,067 300,910 302,622 1,712 0.57%Private 373,950 440,900 448,787 7,887 1.76%Total 913,481 933,395 948,695 15,300 1.61%

Households Receiving Recycling Services*Change 2007-2008

2006 2007 2008 % ChangePublic 122,032 124,378 121,420 -2,958 -2.38%Contract 546,337 489,816 494,138 4,322 0.88%Private 373,950 439,900 447,787 7,887 1.76%Total 1,042,319 1,054,094 1,063,345 9,251 0.87%

*Data reported as received by jurisdictions

DisposalData collected from individual reports, Virginia DEQ,

Maryland DEP, and U.S. EPA reports. Four jurisdictions dispose of waste outside of the region.Six jurisdictions receive most of the waste. 56% waste WTE generating electricity, 65 percent of NV

waste is WTE. Total Virginia waste to WTE: 11 percent.Tip fees: range from 45-79.95/ton, average $57/ton, 7

percent increase. Four jurisdictions no change from last year.

Contracts: the report notes contract conditions as of May/June 2008. The report lists conditions, rates, contract periods, and whether the contracts have riders for fellow MWCOG members.

Solid Waste Generated and Diverted

Tip Fees 2003 to 2008Jurisdiction 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

% Change 2006 to 2008

City of Alexandria1 $62.41 $62.41 $61.45 $63.81 $67.00 $77.79 13.87%Arlington County1 $62.41 $62.41 $61.45 $63.81 $67.00 $77.79 13.87%District of Columbia $46.43 $46.43 NR NR $59.20 $64.29 7.92%City of Fairfax $37.95 $37.95 $37.95 $44.95 $46.95 $49.95 6.01%Fairfax County2 $39.95 $39.95 $42.45 $44.95 $46.95 $49.95 6.01%City of Falls Church $39.95 $39.95 $42.45 $44.95 $46.95 $49.95 6.01%Town of Herndon NR NR $42.45 $44.95 $46.95 $49.95 6.01%Town of Leesburg NR NR $55.00 $52.00 $55.00 $60.00 8.33%Loudoun County $55.00 $55.00 $55.00 $55.00 $60.00 $60.00 0%City of Manassas $46.00 $46.00 $46.00 $47.50 $48.00 $52.00 7.69%City of Manassas ParkMontgomery County3 $44.00 $48.00 $52.00 $52.00 $56.00 $56.00 0.00%Prince George's County $49.00 $49.00 $49.00 $49.00 $49.00 $49.00 0.00%Prince William County4 $45.00 $45.00 $45.00 $45.00 $45.00 $45.00 0.00%Town of Vienna NR NR $42.45 $44.95 $46.95 $49.95 6.01%Metropolitan Average $48.01 $48.37 $48.67 $46.63 $52.93 $57.04 7.22%

NA - Not Applicable1Arlington County and the City of Alexandria use the Covanta WTE facility, and tip fees reflect fees for disposal to an ash monofil.2FY09: $57/ton for combustible waste ($55/ton for contract rate), $75/ton tires, $32 for brush3$56/ton, $60/ton waste delivered in open top roll off containers4County residents are not charged a fee, but towns and cities within the county are charged $45/ton.

Special Waste ServicesBrush and yard waste: collected in 12 jurisdictions.

Prince William, Montgomery, and Prince George’s counties operate public composting facilities.

Supplemental materials: electronics jumped by 30%. Greater public opportunity to recycle electronics from 2007.

CDD: Nine jurisdictions reported that CDD entering the MSW stream remains a problem. There are few CDD facilities, and little legal oversight of this waste stream. Four jurisdictions have local regulatory authority, and four jurisdictions track CDD issues.

CESQG: Loudoun County, Montgomery County, and Fairfax County offer CESQG events for resident businesses.

Special Waste Services: HHWHousehold Hazardous Waste (HHW): all jurisdictions

offer some kind of HHW disposal opportunity. Nine provide permanent HHW collection sites, 10 hold special events.

Jurisdictions have dedicated budgets for HHW, with 12 providing specific outreach and education. HHW costs range from 25-65K per year. Fairfax reported an annual cost of $600,000 for HHW managed at the transfer station and WTE plant.

Latex Paint, a nonhazardous byproduct often brought to HHW events, accounts for up to 92 percent of paint brought in as HHW. Loudoun collected 43 tons of latex paint, and Fairfax collected 513 tons.

Performance Measure: Regional Recycling Rate Recycling Rates. NVRC publishes self-reported rates for

individual jurisdictions. NVRC calculated the regional recycling rate for 2007 and 2008 by using a total diversion of reported waste and recycling tonnages. Recycled tons = primary + supplemental materials recycled Recycling rate = recycled tons/ (recycled tons + disposed tons)

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007Metropolitan Average 34.33% 35.47% 35.99% 35.00% 38.60%

Notes:1 - 2006, 2007 average was derived from tonnages reported by each jurisdiction.2 - The 2002-2005 Metropolitan Average was derived from averaging the recycling rates reported by each jurisdiction to their respective state agencies.

3 - 2003 figure is based on eight out of eleven jurisdictions reporting. Debris from Hurricane Isabel increased some rates reported by localities.

Performance Measures: Data QualityChallenges to report’s data quality:

different definitions, different reporting criteria, access to data in useful format.

Performance Measures: Specific Data Limitations Waste ReportDifferent timelines: Maryland and VA report differently

using fiscal and calendar year data.Definitions related to: funding structures, service

descriptions, public/private, waste definitions (commingled).

Access to Data: commercial, private tonnages by jurisdiction, population figures for per capita evaluations…who and how collected.

Perceptions of data by broader audience: This report represents public services. Great interest in how this relates to the whole spectrum of MSW: commercial, multifamily, HOAs etc.

Data unverified, including duplications and omissions.Programs difficult to compare, yet they invite comparison.

The 2009 Waste ReportData collection begins in May 2009: NVRC goal

for report final by September, 2009.Clarify definitions, request some information

less frequently to reduce reporting burden (metal, yard waste programs), eliminate information?

Add MRF map, improve yard waste/disposal maps.

Reorganize, clarify contract table.Coordinate with MWCOG to generate broader

analysis of MSW in the region.

The Tenth Annual Report of Public Solid Waste Services in the Washington

Metropolitan Area Summary and Report are available

electronicallywww.novaregion.org/wastereport

Debbie Spiliotopoulos, NVRC3060 Willliams Drive, Suite 510

Fairfax, VA 22031dspilio@novaregion.org

703-642-4631