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Recycling Plastic Film atChapel Hill North Shopping Center
UNC Institute for the Environment Capstone Project
May 6, 2009
• Chapel Hill North Shopping Center
• Anchor Store: Harris Teetero Collects plastic filmo Sells to Trex Lumber
• Overall waste reduction
Photo credit: www.trex.com
Plastic Film Labeled #2 or #4
• diaper wrap (packaging)• plastic shipping envelopes(remove labels)
• case wrap (e.g., snacks,water bottles)
• plastic retail bags (hardplastic and string handles removed)
• sealed air bags used inpackaging
2&4
Plastic Film Labeled #2 or #4:
• newspaper bags• dry cleaning bags• bread bags• produce bags• electronic wrap• grocery bag• zip lock bags (removehard components)
• cereal box liners
http://greencotton.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/plastic_bags.jpg
• Meetings• Tour of landfill, and back of store HT• Introductory letter• Survey
o Phone calls and in-person follow up
• Waste audit• Donated bins
• Weekly film collection from each bin
• Volume of film measured with 5-gallon buckets
• Addition of more binso Outdoor bins made
from recycled materials
• Thank-you notes to each storeo Encouraging letter from
the county• Post hoc survey• Discussions with store owners
about collecting and delivering their own film
• Final waste audit
http://greencotton.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/plastic_bags.jpg
Table 1. Initial survey data
Survey Question Wellness store General medical practice
Size of dumpster? Unknown Regular
Shared dumpster? Shared Shared
Who holds dumpster contract? Shopping Center Landlord
Could the above contract be modified? Unknown Unknown
Cash rate,? If yes, what is the rate? N/A Unknown
Types of waste disposed of separately? Cardboard Cardboard
Is plastic film recycled? No No
What fraction of waste is plastic film? Less than 5% Very little
Amount of film customers leave store with? Very little None
Type (if tenant offers information)? Plastic bags N/A
Is there a storefront return system? No No
Willing to collect film in-house? Yes No
Willing to house a front-of-store bin for customers? No No
Space to collect plastic film until a weekly pick-up? Yes. In back room. N/A
Willing to arrange for its drop-off at Harris Teeter? Yes No
Survey Question Pizza place Cleaning service
Size of dumpster? 4 large trash cans & 1 dumpster Regular
Shared dumpster? Not shared Shared
Who holds dumpster contract? Shopping Center Landlord controls/county collects
Could the above contract be modified? Never discussed Never discussed/capacity sufficient
Cash rate,? If yes, what is the rate? Bundled pro-rate Unknown
Types of waste disposed of separately? None Plastic bottles and cardboard
Is plastic film recycled? No Yes
What fraction of waste is plastic film? Unknown Unknown
Amount of film customers leave store with? Unknown None
Type (if tenant offers information)? Plastic bags N/A
Is there a storefront return system? No No
Willing to collect film in-house? Yes Yes
Willing to house a front-of-store bin for customers? Yes Yes / only one
Space to collect plastic film until a weekly pick-up? Yes Unknown
Willing to arrange for its drop-off at Harris Teeter? Yes Yes only w/ financial incentive
* These surveys are incomplete. Most initial surveys were conducted over the phone, and gathering complete data depended on Capstone Team
member's communication skills and the amicability of the store staff. Post hoc surveys were completed in person
Table 1. Initial survey data
Survey Question Video rental* Chocolatier*
Size of dumpster? Missing data Missing data
Shared dumpster? Missing data Missing data
Who holds dumpster contract? Missing data Missing data
Could the above contract be modified? Missing data Missing data
Cash rate,? If yes, what is the rate? Missing data Missing data
Types of waste disposed of separately? Missing data Missing data
Is plastic film recycled? No Missing data
What fraction of waste is plastic film? Not sure Missing data
Amount of film customers leave store with? Very little Missing data
Type (if tenant offers information)? No Missing data
Is there a storefront return system? Yes Yes
Willing to collect film in-house? No No -- use interior hallway
Willing to house a front-of-store bin for customers? Yes No
Space to collect plastic film until a weekly pick-up? Yes Missing data
Willing to arrange for its drop-off at Harris Teeter? Yes Missing data
Survey Question Packing/shipping store Bird supply store
Size of dumpster? Unknown Regular
Shared dumpster? Shared Shared
Who holds dumpster contract? Landlord Not sure
Could the above contract be modified? Unknown Landlord decides
Cash rate,? If yes, what is the rate? Unknown Included in rent
Types of waste disposed of separately?
Paper, plastic bottles, bubble wrap,
peanuts
Cardboard, bubble wrap, paper, paper towels,
styrofoam, shrink wrap, trash
Is plastic film recycled? No Reuses as packaging material
What fraction of waste is plastic film? Unknown 20-25%
Amount of film customers leave store with? Very little Unknown
Type (if tenant offers information)? Missing data Plastic bags and packaging
Is there a storefront return system? No No
Willing to collect film in-house? No Yes
Willing to house a front-of-store bin for customers? N/A No
Space to collect plastic film until a weekly pick-up? N/A No
Willing to arrange for its drop-off at Harris Teeter? N/A Yes
• None knew the actual size of dumpsters
• 3/8 reported using
“regular” sized dumpster• 7/8 indicated that the
landlord controlled the waste disposal contract; 1
store was unsure who held the contract
• Plastic Film Consumptiono Bird supply: 20-25%o Wellness: less than 5%o General medical: “very little”o All others: “unknown” or
“none”
• Plastic Recyclingo 2/8 stores reuse film as
packaging material
o 3/8 stores offer customers plastic carry-away bags
o No stores offered return systems for customers
Packing/ shipping Chocalatier Wellness
Bird
supply Video rental Optician
In store plastic film recycling
bin? Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes
If yes, how full was it in a
typical week? About half Less than half Less than half N/A
Less than
half Full
Did you/employee take plastic
film to bins near Harris Teeter? No No No Yes No No
If yes, how often? N/A N/A N/A Weekly N/A N/A
Did you rely on student team to
collect your plastic film? Yes Yes Yes No Yes No
Do you plan to continue to
collect plastic film? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
If yes, how do you expect to
recycle it? Collect in store Take to the collection bins
Collect in store and take to the
collection bins
Take to the collection
bins
Collect in
store
Take to
collection bins
How convenient was it to
recycle plastic film? Very convenient Somewhat inconvenient Very convenient Somewhat convenient
Very
convenient
Very
convenient
What difficulties did you
encounter in recycling plastic?
Honestly we don't do
much. No problems
Employee awareness,
deciding where to put bin
No difficulties. I’m more
aware of waste we generate
There’s no place to keep
bag permanently N/A None
Was there feedback—positive or
negative—from customers? No No No No No No
If yes, please describe: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
March 20, 2009
May 1, 2009
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
3/27/2009 4/3/2009 4/13/2009 4/17/2009 4/24/2009 5/1/2009
Pla
stic
Fil
m (
ga
llon
s)
Collection Date
Plastic Film Collection
Wellness Store
Pizza Place
Video Rental
Hall Bin
Gas Station
Outback Bin
Common Area Front Bin
Bird Store
2.20 0.05
6.04 6.81
30.00
50.00
53.00
25.00
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
Wellness Store Pizza Place Video Rental Hall Bin Gas Station Outback Bin Common Area Front
Bin
Bird Store
Week
ly A
verage o
f C
oll
ecte
d P
last
ic F
ilm
(g
all
on
s)
Bin Location
Weekly Average of Collected Plastic Film
• Length of pilot: 6 weeks• Total film collected:
258 gallons of film
• Most film: common bin located on sidewalk along store fronts
• Least film: Pizzeria; bin
was often contaminated with trash and other recyclables
http://greencotton.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/plastic_bags.jpg
• Initial survey methods were ineffective; in-person proved the best approach
• Demonstrating the size and shape of bin was helpful
• Problem of space and aesthetics
• Slow response from stores needing corporate approval
• Interior service hallway accessible to shipping, chocolatier, and optician
• Outdoor bin in service parking lot
• Communal storefront bin on covered sidewalk
• Communal bin at gas station
• Bins in back-of-store areas only
• Stores began collecting and recycling other materials (paper, esp.)o Purple = Paper
• Increase in plastic film from initial to final waste auditso Turquoise = Plastic
• Contaminationo Most frequent in front-of-
store and bathroom binso Bins became a catch-all for
any recyclable or compostable item
• Staff more cognizant of waste generated
• More comprehensive waste audits
• Comprehensive compost
and recycling plan for shopping centerso Waste reductiono Customer/Staff awarenesso Promotes separation instead of
contaminationo In-store and back-of-store
• Role of the anchor store,
such as Harris Teeter
• Recycles all paper, aluminum, plastic bottles, and plastic film, and eliminate LIKELY one dumpster.
• Add a compost policy and eliminate a GUARANTEED ONE and POSSIBLE TWO dumpster(s).
Recyclables: 44%Compost: 46%
Total: 90%
Recyclables: 29%Compost: 26%
Total: 55%
• Eliminate Waste Industries rent for one dumpster
• Eliminate the Chapel Hill Public Works emptying fee: $22 per week per dumpster
• Transferring those savings to rent savings for recycling and composting tenants
• Convenience• Customer feedback• All pilot participants
indicated they would continue to recycle plastic film
• Transfer of film from
stores to Harris Teeter• Harris Teeter’s incentive to
collect film
• Successful collection of plastic film• Continuation of project• Awareness
• Elizabeth Shay
• Blair Pollock
• Dawn Reeves
• Nina Bellucci Butler Hendrik Kerstens “Bag”
(in the style of Vermeer)