Choosing among alternative recycling systems: An economic analysis
- Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (United States). Dept. of Agricultural and Applied Economics
- Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States). Dept. of Resource Economics and Development
Due to the increasing concern over the disposal of municipal solid waste, municipalities have begun searching for ways to recycle a larger percentage to their waste stream at a reasonable cost. This report examines bag-based recycling. This system, due to its efficient collection and separation method, and its convenience, should be able to capture a larger share of the waste stream at a lower cost per metric ton than conventional recycling programs. Using a case study approach, a bag-based program is compared with a curbside-sort program and a drop-off program. Using time/motion analysis, a garbage composition study, a household survey, and the recording of set-out rates of a sample of dwelling units, the efficiency of the three programs was defined and estimated. The efficiency of the bag-based system was also estimated for three areas with distinct household densities. Although the curbside-sort program was found to divert a larger percentage of the residential waste stream than the bag-based system, the cost per metric ton of the bag-based system is so much lower that it clearly is the most efficient of the three programs. The drop-off program had a very low cost per metric ton; however, if failed to divert the minimum acceptable level of the waste stream. The bag-based system proved to be more efficient in areas with higher household densities.
- OSTI ID:
- 7046732
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Professional; (United States), Vol. 16:1; ISSN 0191-5398
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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