The Status of Single Stream Recycling in the PioneerValley
By Eric Weiss, Chair, MRF Advisory Board
Springfield MRF
communities may be wondering what is going on with single stream recycling in
western MA. The Springfield MRF currently operates as a dual stream facility
processing mixed paper in one building and mixed containers in the other.Converting the facility to single stream
processing has been considered for several years now.
The City of Springfield has already
completed a successful pilot single stream recycling program and recently
expanded single stream collection to the entire City.Their single stream material is being
processed by Waste Management Recycle America (WMRA) at their Avon,
MA MRF.
Waste Management
Recycle America and the MRF Advisory Board have begun discussions about options
for single stream processing in our region.One possibility is for WMRA to install a single stream processing line
at their privately owned facility in eastern Springfieldwhile
continuing to process dual stream material at the existing Birnie Avenue
MRF.
Happy Holidays! Thank you for your recycling efforts over the past year. Following are some guidelines for recycling during the holidays and winter months.
DO Recycle:
-gift-wrap (except those with foil, metallic ink, or glitter)
-greeting cards (except those with foil, glitter, or wire)
-corrugated cardboard boxes
-paperboard gift boxes
-catalogs
DO NOT Recycle:
-ribbons, bows, and tinsel
-packing peanuts, bubble wrap, styrofoam
If you have any questions about recycling, please contact the recycling hotline at 888-888-0784, ext. 2293.
MRF Reimbursement Checks Issued to 78 Participating Communities
Seventy-eight communities in western Massachusetts received approximately $1.5 million from Waste Management Recycle America (WMRA) in fiscal year 2007 for delivering 44,278 tons of recyclables to the Springfield Materials Recycling Facility (MRF).
The Springfield Materials Recycling Facility (MRF), a public-private partnership between Waste Management Recycle America, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and 78 western Mass municipalities, is partnering with western Massachusetts libraries to highlight the local connection between paper recycling and the final book of the Harry Potter series to be released on July 21, 2007.The hardcover bookboard in this new book will contain western Mass recycled paper.
Each year western Massachusetts residents recycle 32,000 tons of paper through the MRF.The paper is sold to a Massachusetts paper mill, owned by the Newark Group, who recycles the paper into hardcover bookboard.The Newark Group is a supplier of the hardcover bookboard that will be used in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.Scholastic Books, the publisher of the series, has also committed to printing the book on recycled paper.
Members of the
MRF Advisory Board (MAB) and I, as the Chair, feel it is important to explain
what is going on in the world of recycling in light of recent press articles
regarding recycling markets.We also
want to remind communities about the importance of recycling in western Massachusetts.Even though we are in a market downturn,
there are still economic benefits from your local recycling program.
It is important
to remember that the recycling market is like all other commodity markets, in
that there are fluctuations and adjustments. During the last several years, MRF
communities have enjoyed a sustained period of high market conditions, which
have allowed municipalities to share in the significant recycling revenues made
by the MRF operator, Waste Management Recycle America (WMRA).However, in November 2008, worldwide
recycling markets experienced an unprecedented and precipitous downward decline
in pricing. MRF recycling revenue fell from over $50.00 per ton down to its
current contracted level of $15.67 per ton. This is due to many factors,
including decreased demand from Asian markets and a slow down in production due
to poor economic conditions.
Western Mass. Municipalities Paid $1.5 Million for Recycling Efforts,
Save $3.3 Million in Disposal Costs
In fiscal year 2007, MRF communities received approximately $1.5 million from Waste Management Recycle America (WMRA) for delivering 44,278 tons of recyclables to the Springfield Materials Recycling Facility (MRF). Communities are paid a flat rate of $15.67/ton in addition to a revenue share when markets are good. These communities have also saved an estimated $3.3 million in solid waste disposal fees by recycling their newspaper, magazines, junk mail, cardboard, plastic, glass and metal containers at the Springfield MRF.
The MRF, owned by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and operated by WMRA, issues revenue payments every six months. The most recent payments for the period of January to June 2007 totaled $830,000, which ranged from $705.79 for the Town of Rowe to $83,047.76 for the City of Springfield.
Incoming tonnage has been on the decline since 2001, when the annual tonnage was approximately 48,000 tons. While some of the decline can be attributed to lighter and less packaging and newspapers, and a decreasing population in western Massachusetts, there are still recyclables being unnecessarily disposed of. It is estimated that 1.5 million tons of paper and paper products are still being thrown away in Massachusetts. In response, a statewide paper campaign will be launched this month with a series of initiatives to increase awareness and participation. The Springfield MRF and WMRA are sponsors of the Mass Recycles Paper! campaign and will implement some local initiatives over the next year.
For more information contact Justine Fallon at 413-755-2286 or
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The Springfield Materials Recycling Facility and its municipal partners had another great year in 2006. The total tonnage recycled in calendar year 2006 was 44,641 tons, which is approximately a 600-ton increase from calendar year 2005. This is impressive given the fact that newspaper circulation is declining and manufacturers are continually decreasing their container weights. Even more impressive is the 535,000 trees that were saved because of residents in western Massachusetts.
For the tonnage received from June to December 2006, municipalities were paid a total of $651,000. That brings the total payout since the inception of the new MRF contract in April 2005 to $2.2 million. The markets continue to thrive for recyclable paper and containers due to increased demand internationally. The payout under the new contract is already larger than total revenue payouts during the period from July 1996 to April 2005. One of the greatest accomplishments of last year was that the recyclables processed at the MRF were diverted from landfills and incinerators and municipalities avoided $3 million in solid waste tipping fees by providing infrastructure and programs that allow their residents to separate out recyclables.
