2010-03-23_PWETC_AgendaPacket - Laserfiche WebLink

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In order to monitor the changes in composition, Eureka Recycling completes an annual study of the types and percentages of materials collected. The annual composition study is conducted early in the year and the numbers reported in the chart below reflect a snapshot of the composition taken at that time. As 2009 progressed, this shift accelerated and each day as trucks returned to Eureka Recycling's processing facility the percentage of the weight of the papers versus containers continued to shift. By the end of 2009 the overall composition or our facility has gone from 74% papers and 26% containers to 70% papers and 30% containers. While this percent change may seem small, it has an enormous impact on the operational side of the recycling program. Containers are much less dense than papers. This means that while the trucks fill up just as fast, they are much lighter. On the processing side, the bottle and cans stream is more expensive to sort than the paper stream. Annual Composition Study Eureka Recycling and Roseville both share a value that there should be a composition analysis done each year for only the material collected in the City of Roseville and not a larger facility average for all the materials processed in an entire MRF. This information on the specific composition of the material being collected in the Ciry of Roseville is an essential element that helps the city better manage the recycling program. In the recycling collection and processing contract Roseville and Eureka Recycling agree that the composition analysis should be specific to the city's material. Many cities receive composition information from their recycling provider that is an amalgam of all of the tons being processed in their facility from all sources, residential, commercial and industrial. Each city is different, and if a change in the composition of materials occurs because of a specific education initiative undertaken by the city, or because of changes in the purchasing and recycling habits of the residents, this information would not be seen in a composition report that is not city specific in its scope. In this year's composition analysis, conducted in February of 2009, Eureka Recycling collected 87,586 pounds of material from routes in each day of collection in the city. This material was run through Eureka Recycling's sorting facility separate from all other materials to breakdown Roseville's recycling into different types (see chart below). In 2009 the City of Roseville had an impressive 0.23% of residual rate, meaning only .23 of a percent of all the total materials collected in Roseville are not recycled. This is the lowest residual rate of any city that Eureka Recycling services and is down one whole percent from 2008. The fact that Roseville's residual rate has decreased (especially in the economic downturn) and remains one of the lowest residual rates in the state of Minnesota is truly astounding and something to be very proud of! 4