Green-ness is Next to Godliness - gbbinc.com

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

Green-ness is Next to
Godliness

Organics Diversion at a
Religious Facility

Presented at
Virginia Recycling Association

Virginia Beach

By
Harvey W. Gershman

May 18, 2010

GBB Overview

• Established in 1980 as an
objective adviser to governments,
institutions, and businesses

• Over 29 years implementing
innovative solutions for the waste
and recycling industry

• “Change Agents” to produce better services and facilities

• Emphasis on technical feasibility, as well as the business,
political, institutional, and public involvement aspects of
successful implementation

Innovation and Leadership in Waste Management
Quality - Value – Ethics - Results

2

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. 1

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

GBB Network of Clients
• Clients in 45 U.S. States; from largest cities/counties to rural communities
• Canada, Hong Kong, Australia and Chile

ALASKA FLORIDA (cont). MAINE MICHIGAN (cont.)
Anchorage Law Firm Emerald Coast Utilities Authority Aroostook County Southeastern Oakland County
ALABAMA Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach Waterville-Winslow Resource Recovery Authority
Solid Waste Disposal Authority of County City of Portland (SOCRRA)
Huntsville GEORGIA MARYLAND City of Pontiac
ARIZONA Coastal Georgia Regional Development City of Annapolis Greater Detroit Resource Recovery
City of Tucson Center, Brunswick City of Baltimore Authority (GDRRA)
ARKANSAS Cities of College Park and East Point Baltimore County Traverse City
Tri-County Solid Waste District City of Statesville Washington County MINNESOTA
City of Fort Smith Georgia Department of Community Frederick County Metropolitan Council of the Twin
CALIFORNIA Affairs Ocean City Cities Area
City of Oceanside HAWAII City of Gaithersburg St. Cloud Hospital, St. Cloud
City of Avalon Maui County Harford County Ramsey County
San Gabriel Valley, San Marino Kauai County Maryland Office of Attorney Lyon County
City of Beverly Hills ILLINOIS General Blue Earth County
City of San Fernando Peoria County Montgomery County East Central Minnesota
City of Torrance CornerStone Material Recovery Northeast Maryland Waste Martin County
San Bernardino County Cities of Champaign and Urbana Disposal Authority, Baltimore City of Minneapolis
City of Oxnard City of Chicago Anne Arundel County MISSISSIPPI
City of Santa Clarita INDIANA Calvert County City of Meridian
Disney Imagineering City of Valparaiso Caroline County MISSOURI
City of Santa Monica City of Wabash Town of Easton Kansas City
City of Pasadena IOWA Charles County City of Springfield
City of Ontario Metro Waste Authority, Des Moines Somerset County MONTANA
City of Hemet Iowa Department t. of Natural Talbot County Yellowstone County (Billings)
Cypress Abbey Company Resources Queen Anne’s County NEW HAMPSHIRE
Mojave Desert & Mountain East Central Intergovernmental Wicomico County New Hampshire Office of State
Recycling Authority Association USPS – Baltimore Division Planning
COLORADO Hardin County Maryland Recyclers Coalition City of Portsmouth
City and County of Denver Scott Area Solid Waste Management Maryland Department of the City of Nashua
CONNECTICUT Commission, Scott County Environment Town of Plymouth – City of Franklin
Town of Shelton Carroll County St. Mary’s County ERRCO (Epping)
Town of Southbury Audubon, Crawford, and Shelby McCormick and Company NEW JERSEY
Town of Windsor Counties Prince George’s County Ocean County
City of Norwalk Marshall County Landfill Commission Office Paper Systems, Inc. Pollution Control Financing Authority
CT Resources Recovery Authority Marshall County Maryland Environmental Service of Warren County
Southeastern Connecticut Regional Ottumwa-Wapello Counties Maryland Reclamation Salem County
Resources Recovery Authority Sioux City Legg Mason Wood Essex County
DELAWARE Calhoun County Walker, Inc. Cape May Municipal Utilities
Delaware Solid Waste Authority Upper Explorerland Region MASSACHUSETTS Authority
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Iowa Energy Policy Council City of Pittsfield New Jersey Department of
U.S. Postal Service Headquarters Artistic Waste Services City of Springfield Environmental Protection and Energy
St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Phoenix C&D Recycling City of Fitchburg Atlantic County Utilities Authority
Eagle Maintenance KANSAS North Andover City of Sayreville
District of Columbia Gov. Kansas Department of Corrections Massachusetts Department of Pennsauken Solid Waste
Harper County Environmental Management Management Authority
FLORIDA MICHIGAN New Jersey Clean Communities
KENTUCKY Michigan Department of Natural Council
Palm Beach County Lexington-Fayette Urban County Resources
FL Dept. of Environmental Government Lapeer County 3
Resources LOUISIANA Livingston County
Broward County City of Marquette
Lee County Shreveport Chamber of Commerce Muskegon County
Miami-Dade County Jefferson Parish City of Alpena
City of Kissimmee City of New Orleans
City of Baton Rouge-Parish of East
Baton Rouge

NEW YORK PENNSYLVANIA (cont.) TEXAS (cont.) WISCONSIN
New York State Energy and Research Mifflin County Solid Waste Authority City of Frisco
Development Authority (NYSERDA) City of New Castle City of Denton Adams County
Town of Babylon Boroughs of Newtown and Yardley City of San Antonio
City of New York Department of Potter County Town of Addison West Central Wisconsin Regional
Sanitation Schuykill County UTAH
Seven Towns in Westchester County Susquehanna-Wyoming Counties Salt Lake County Planning Commission
St. Lawrence County Pike County VERMONT
Private Developer in Onondaga Westmoreland County Northeastern VT Development Association Waukesha County
County City of Erie Northeast Kingdom
Town of North Hempstead Clinton County Solid Waste Authority VIRGINIA City of Richland Center
Urban Harvest Corporation Indiana County Municipal Services City of Chesapeake
Montgomery-Otsego-Schoharie Solid Authority City of Norfolk Dane County
Waste Management Authority Monroe County Municipal/Waste City of Richmond
NORTH CAROLINA Management Authority City of Alexandria Winnebago County
Mecklenburg County Lawrence County U.S. Army Engineer District,
New Hanover County Lancaster County Fort Lee Outagamie County
Town of Chapel Hill Carbon County Prince William County
Container Corporation of the Blair County Stafford County Brown County
Carolinas Exeter Township Chesterfield County
Department of Transportation City of Altoona Virginia Recycling Association City of Janesville
Materials Reclamation (Raleigh) City of Johnstown Central Virginia Waste Management
Patriot Waste (Burlington) Wayne County Authority Wisconsin Department of Natural
City of Charlotte Lycoming County Fairfax County
Wake County Greene County Appalachian Regional Recycling Resources
Montgomery County Bedford, Fulton, Huntingdon Counties Consortium, Commonwealth of Virginia
City of Wilmington SWA Southeastern Public Service Authority of Eau Claire County
North Carolina Turnpike Authority City of Harrisburg Virginia
(Mid-Currituck) Northern Tier Solid Waste Authority City of Manassas La Crosse County
Orange County RHODE ISLAND Arlington County
OHIO Rhode Island Solid Waste James City County Manitowoc County
Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio Management Corporation Culpeper County
(SWACO) Town of South Kingstown Virginia Dept of Environmental Quality City of Milwaukee
City of Cincinnati Town of Narragansett Virginia Power
OKLAHOMA Rhode Island Resource Recovery Rivanna Solid Waste Authority Southeast Wisconsin
City of Edmond Corporation City of Harrisonburg
City of Stillwater SOUTH CAROLINA Henrico County City of Prairie du Chien
OREGON City of North Myrtle Beach City of Suffolk
Metropolitan Government of Portland Lexington County Fauquier County City of Madison
Deschutes County South Carolina DHEC University of Virginia
Marion County SOUTH DAKOTA City of Falls Church City of Wauwatosa
PENNSYLVANIA State of South Dakota Rockbridge County
City of Allentown TENNESSEE WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL
City of Pittsburgh City of Bartlett King County
Borough of State College City of Chattanooga Clean Washington Center, Seattle Cayman Islands Government
City of Uniontown City of Collierville City of Seattle
Fayette County City of Franklin City of Spokane Greater Toronto Area
City of Philadelphia Water Department City of Memphis Snohomish County
City of Philadelphia Streets Johnson City Washington Department of Ecology Government of Hong Kong
Department Metropolitan Government of WEST VIRGINIA
Pennsylvania Department of Nashville/Davidson County City of St. Albans U.S. Virgin Islands
Environmental Resources Container Corporation of America South Charleston
National Association of Demolition City of Gallatin West Virginia Solid Waste Management U.S. District Court of Guam
Contractors, Doylestown TEXAS Board
Union and Snyder Counties City of Arlington Jefferson County Golder Associates – Australia
Centre County City of Houston Kanawha County Solid Waste Authority,
Clarion, Crawford, Forest and City of Plano Charleston Santiago, Chile
Venango Counties City of Corpus Christi Morgantown and Huntington
Dauphin County City of Carrollton West Virginia Resource Recovery Solid OTHERS
McKean County Solid Waste City of Fort Worth Waste Disposal Authority
Authority, Mt. Jewett City of Lewisville Aerojet Corporation

Aluminum Association

American Forest & Paper Association

American Paper Institute

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Construction Materials Recycling

Association

Council for Solid Waste Solutions

Empire Wrecking

Financial Guaranty Insurance Company

Johns Hopkins Health System

Lorman Education Services

Marathon Equipment

Marriott Corporation

Mobil Chemical Company

National Demolition Association

National Soft Drink Association

Novelis Inc.

Office of Technology Assessment

OREG Site Work Services, LLC

Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica

Sherbrooke O.E.M. LTD

SWANA

U.S. Air Force

U.S. Conference of Mayors

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service

U.S. Department of Energy

U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban

Development

U.S. Postal Service, Northeast Region

Great River Energy 4
Various Confidential Clients

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. 2

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

Religious Facility Overview

Congregation Beth El –
Bethesda, Maryland

• 60,000 square feet of space
• Many diverse religious and event functions
• Over 1,000 family members

– (some 2,500 people)

• Three clergy
• 14 office staff
• 60 part-time teachers
• 400 religious school students
• 130 nursery school children
• Equivalent of five full time janitorial staff
• ‘Green Tikkun’ committee involvement

5

Divine Motivations 3

• Jewish Traditions

– Mitzvah ~ ‘Commandment to do Good
Deeds’

– “Bal Tashchit” ~ Not to waste

• Recycle More, Spend Less

– Increase of recyclables and addition of
organics collection

– Offset by reduced trash service

• County Goals

– Businesses to recycle 50%

6

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc.

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

Existing Services

• One 8 yd3 Trash Container

– 2x/week collection

• One 6 yd3 Cardboard Container

– 1x/week collection

• One 96 gallon Recycle Cart
(commingled bottles/cans)

– 1x/week collection

• One collection contractor for all

(Note: County required dual-stream collection, although 7
single-stream processing facilities existed in area.)

In-house Custodial 4
Services

• Daily Waste services

– Staff empty bags from small
interior waste containers into large
bags and transport to exterior
dumpsters

• Weekly Recyclables service

– Material from inside containers
consolidated into large bag and
brought to outside recycling
container(s)

8

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc.

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

Recycling Bins in
Offices/Classrooms

9

Kitchen Well Equipped for
Re-usable Dishware

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. 10

5

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

2008 Waste Sort

11

2008 Waste Sort (cont’d)

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. 12

6

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

Potential Compostables

13

2008 Waste Sort Results
As Disposed

38% Trash Container

Recycling Containers

Compost Containers

(No organics containers
present initially)

62% 14

(by weight)

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. 7

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

2008 Waste Sort Results
Trash Contents

2%
31%

Trash
Recyclables
Compostable Items
Other ‐ Reusables

52% 15%

(by weight) 15

What is in the recyclables and 8
waste (by weight)?

• Waste:

– 52 % food scraps/compostable
– 14.5 % recyclable materials

• bottles/cans, mixed paper, aluminum foil; food packaging

– 2.2 % reusable items

• a couple of good white candle sticks, a metal spoon, partial roll
of trash can liners

– 25.7% waste of various types

• mostly non-recyclable plastic containers food packaging

– 5.6 % disposable plates/cups/utensils

• Recyclables:

– 72.4% paper of various kinds
– 20.2 % bottles and cans
– 7.4% non-recyclable waste

16

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc.

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

2008 Waste Sort Results
Materials Generated

33% 22%

Trash
Recycling
Organics

45% 17

(by weight)

Waste Analysis Results 9

• Total waste and recyclables
generation for 2008

– 28.5 tons (estimated)

• Recycling at 2008 levels

– 8.5 tons, or 28.7% (estimated)

• Well below the County’s
standard and goal of 50%

/

18

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc.

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

Items of Note

• Food Scraps

– 52% of trash contents (by weight)
– 33% of all materials generated

• Disposables (foam plastic)

– plates, cups, utensils

• Single-serve/packaged items
• Additional recyclables in trash
• Trash contaminating recyclables
• Reusable items discarded

19

Program Upgrade Plan 10

¾ Divert food scrap organics, including
soiled paper products

¾ Provide containers, signage, contractor

¾ Reduce use of disposables
¾ Add more interior containers for

bottles/cans/paper

¾ Improve signage

¾ Explore purchase of fresh or bulk
packaged items

¾ Provide Custodial training

20

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc.

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

Internal Services Upgrade

• Offices

– Revise labeling of Paper recycling bins

• Change from “Paper Only”; to say “Mixed Paper”

• Kitchen

– Implement Food Scrap diversion/collection
– Better labeling of existing bottle/can recycling bins

• Function Rooms

– Recycling bins for bottles and cans needed
– In addition to existing paper recycling bins

• Sanctuary/Chapel

– Needed recycling bins for Mixed Paper near door for
pamphlets discarded after services

(Note: County requires dual-stream collection, although 21
single-stream collection services exist in the area.)

New Exterior Waste/Recycling
Container Set

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. 22

11

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

Food Scrap and Plate Return
Stations for Events/Users

“Place Dirty Plates on this Cart” 23

Signage Challenges

For Composting – If it grows, it goes!

•All leftover food
•Paper cups, paper napkins, wood
•White paper is ok, but better to recycle

•Plastic
•Styrofoam
•Coffee stirrers

Please recycle paper, bottles & cans

24

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. 12

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

Kitchen Barrels for
Food Scrap Diversion

“For Biodegradable and Regular Food Only”
25

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. 26

13

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

Food Scrap Collection
Contractor

www.EnviRelation.com 27

Composter Accepts
Material in Plastic Bags

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. 28

14

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

Material Ground and Composted,
Plastic Screened Out After

29 15

Green Tikkun Messaging

• Custodial staff given
logoed polos

• Logo also populates
announcements both
in hard copy and
electronic

• The institution’s
culture is being
converted to
reduce/reuse/recycle
much, much more

• And: This is “not that
hard” to do!

30

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc.

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

2009 Waste Sort Results –
Program Adjustments Needed

31

2009 Sort Findings

• Still food scraps in waste container

– Additional kitchen cans
– Signage improvement

• Soiled paper available also

– Consider diversion for compost

• Recyclables in trash – apparently separated
inside and discarded during collection

– Additional custodial training
– Implement clear vs. black bags

• Some reusables

– Need to establish donation outlet

• Some small-scale disposables still used

– Consider use of paper products for compost

32

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. 16

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

2009 Waste Sort Results
As Disposed

47% 33%

Trash Container
Recycling Containers
Organics Containers

20% 33

(by weight)

2009 Waste Sort Results
Trash Contents

5% 20%

Trash
Recyclable Materials
Compostable Items
Other ‐ Reusables

23%

52%

(by weight) 34

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. 17

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

2009 Waste Sort Results

Materials Generated

9%
66%

25%

(by weight) Trash
Recyclable Materials
Compostable Items

35

Pounds Food Scraps Collected
First year
18
• 22,796 net lbs food collected (over 11 Tons/year)

– 82 lbs food average per collected cart

• 275 Total Carts serviced

– 23 carts/month average

• No Carts tagged as problem/contamination

3,500
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000

500
0

36

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc.

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

Recycling Rate

• Total Waste Generation estimate in 2008:

– 28.5 tons/year (57,000 lbs)
– 4,750 lbs/month

• Recycling Recovery estimate in 2008:

– 8.5 tons/year
– 1,417 lbs/mo (0.71 tons/month)
– 30% of wastes recycled

• Food Scraps recovery in 2009:

– 11.4 tons/year (22,796 lbs)
– 1,900 lbs per month (average)
– 40% of wastes composted

• Facility achieving estimated 70% recycling rate –
Well above County’s goal of 50% recovery!

37

Waste Box Downsized

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. 38

19

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

Additional Program
Adjustments Recommended

‰ Continue custodial training and
involvement

‰ Clear bag for recyclables
¾ Visual key to custodial staff

‰ Spot-checking of trash bags to assure
materials going in the right stream

‰ Right-size trash/recycling
services/containers to match reduction in
waste and increase in recycling

39

Revised Service Set 20

• Reduce Trash Container
from 8 to 6 yd3

– Keep 2x/week collection

• Increase Recycling
Collection to 8 yd3 Single-
Stream Recycling Container
from 6 yd3 paper & 96 gallon
commingled

– Keep 1x/week collection

• Add 2 more (total to 8) 35
gallon Organics Carts

– Collect 3x/week

• Explore ‘single stream’
collection for mixed paper
and containers

40

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc.

Green-ness is Next to Godliness – VRA May 18, 2010

Conclusions

• Food Scrap and other compostable
materials are a large portion of waste
generation at a variety of locations

• If there are meals where you pray, there is
a lot of food waste to take away!

• Facilities with commercial kitchens can be
targeted for significant organics diversion,
adding to local recycling efforts & targets

– Local collection contractors and food
composters required

– Facility education needed to maximize
diversion program performance

41

Thank you!

Harvey W. Gershman

President
[email protected]

And

Michelle G. Minstrell

Project Manager
[email protected]
Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc.

www.gbbinc.com

1-800-573-5801

42

Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. 21