Reducing waste in Big D

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1994 · Waste Age; (United States)

OSTI ID:5057046

Woods, R

The city of Dallas is in a unique position among major metropolitan areas of the US. Despite boasting a population of more than 1 million, which grows by 1.3% each year, and a municipal solid waste (MSW) stream averaging 1.2 million tons per year, the city -- the eighth-largest in the country -- has another 50 years of landfill disposal capacity left. This fact is even more impressive when one considers that Dallas' only municipal facility, known as the McCommas Bluff Landfill, accepted 33% more MSW in 1993 than in 1992. The positive landfill situation, however, does not mean Dallas lacks ambition for recycling and waste reduction. Last, April, the city set an aggressive goal of reducing 40% of its MSW from the landfill by 1997. To help reach this mark over the next three years, the city has banned lead-acid batteries, grass clippings, and leaves from landfills, mandated news and office paper collection, and set up a composting operation at the landfill. At present, Dallas recycles about 13% of its waste. Surprisingly, most of the residential recycling effort has been based on voluntary participation through dozens of drop-off sites scattered around the city, rather than on curbside service. The only curbside program the city is conducting is a once-per-week, blue bag pilot program involving 2,000 Dallas homes.

• OSTI ID: 5057046
• Journal Information: Waste Age; (United States), Vol. 25:3; ISSN 0043-1001
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
LEAD-ACID BATTERIES
RECYCLING
MUNICIPAL WASTES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
PAPER
SOLID WASTES
TEXAS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
MANAGEMENT
NORTH AMERICA
USA
WASTES
320604* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Municipalities & Community Systems- Municipal Waste Management- (1980-)