-Investigating the Bottom Line The Diaper Dilemma -Investigating the Bottom Line Mike Ritchie

Where should nappies go? Wkly Food and Green Fortnightly residual Fortnightly recycling Problematic streams such as nappies.

The problem Fortnightly collected nappies = complaints Odour Hygiene Arose out of LMCC 3 bin discussions Study support from: LMCC OEH Kimberly Clark Research is needed to determine the reason why recyclables end up in garbage bin. E.g.: Bin constrains Don’t care to recycle Etc During audits, need to record whether recycling bin was full and cross check to see if the corresponding garbage bin contained recyclables.

The options Garbage weekly Garbage fortnightly Garbage optional weekly collection Green bin weekly loose (composted; see trial) Green bin weekly Red bag Dedicated nappy collection bin Research is needed to determine the reason why recyclables end up in garbage bin. E.g.: Bin constrains Don’t care to recycle Etc During audits, need to record whether recycling bin was full and cross check to see if the corresponding garbage bin contained recyclables.

Nappies… Comprise 3-5% of MSW Are highly engineered, comprising up to 15 different layers Contain a super absorbent polymer (SAP) Excellent moisture holding properties (Kimberly-Clark send waste SAP from manufacturing plant to a local composter) Research is needed to determine the reason why recyclables end up in garbage bin. E.g.: Bin constrains Don’t care to recycle Etc During audits, need to record whether recycling bin was full and cross check to see if the corresponding garbage bin contained recyclables.

Nappies… Are 37% fluff (wood pulp) 63% plastic Research is needed to determine the reason why recyclables end up in garbage bin. E.g.: Bin constrains Don’t care to recycle Etc During audits, need to record whether recycling bin was full and cross check to see if the corresponding garbage bin contained recyclables.

Option 4 required a Composting trial Aim: Determine whether Composting regular disposable nappies with food and green waste is possible, and if so The cost premium (on top of regular organics processing) Whether composters would be prepared to do it Partners Trial Soilco Shoalhaven City Council’s Nowra Waste Depot with nappies provided by GRL Methodology approved by EPA Research is needed to determine the reason why recyclables end up in garbage bin. E.g.: Bin constrains Don’t care to recycle Etc During audits, need to record whether recycling bin was full and cross check to see if the corresponding garbage bin contained recyclables.

Trial methodology Commercial scale trial Open windrow Composition of LMCC organics bin 40 t of green waste, 17 t of food waste and 2.3 t of nappies Shredded through a slow speed shredder Blended Composted, turned weekly Final product: Screened to 4 fractions: <8mm, 8-15mm, 15-30mm, >30mm Tested against new AS4454 standards Research is needed to determine the reason why recyclables end up in garbage bin. E.g.: Bin constrains Don’t care to recycle Etc During audits, need to record whether recycling bin was full and cross check to see if the corresponding garbage bin contained recyclables.

Before 2.3 tonnes of nappies Research is needed to determine the reason why recyclables end up in garbage bin. E.g.: Bin constrains Don’t care to recycle Etc During audits, need to record whether recycling bin was full and cross check to see if the corresponding garbage bin contained recyclables.

Immediately after shredding Research is needed to determine the reason why recyclables end up in garbage bin. E.g.: Bin constrains Don’t care to recycle Etc During audits, need to record whether recycling bin was full and cross check to see if the corresponding garbage bin contained recyclables. Nappies opened, exposing plastics, wood pulp and powder like SAP

Two weeks into the trial Research is needed to determine the reason why recyclables end up in garbage bin. E.g.: Bin constrains Don’t care to recycle Etc During audits, need to record whether recycling bin was full and cross check to see if the corresponding garbage bin contained recyclables.

Screening (after 12 weeks) Fraction Weight of fraction Tonnes % <8mm 30.9 71% 8-15mm 6.35 14% 15-30mm 4.65 11% >30mm 1.7 4% Total 43.6 100% Research is needed to determine the reason why recyclables end up in garbage bin. E.g.: Bin constrains Don’t care to recycle Etc During audits, need to record whether recycling bin was full and cross check to see if the corresponding garbage bin contained recyclables.

Results Pathogens AS4454 standards achieved for pathogens (E. coli, faecal coliforms and salmonella) Physical contamination <8mm (71%) fraction met AS4454 standards for plastic content Problematic streams such as nappies.

Cost drivers of the compost output Screening : wind sifter may reduce non conforming product from 29% to 15% (i.e. reducing contamination of 8-15mm fraction to AS4454 standards) Worst case scenario (for green waste processing): Average process cost: $60 / t Additional disposal costs: 30% of incoming material landfilled @ $200 / t 10,000 t received = $600,000 3,000 t landfilled = $600,000 Price premium = $60 New gate fee applied to all incoming organics = $120 This is supported by industry feedback as a $60/t premium to receive nappies. Applied on ALL input tonnes. Problematic streams such as nappies.

Option 5 - Composters removing red bags For a 20,000 tpa facility: 2 pickers = $160,000 Premium = $8 per tonne + disposal Problematic streams such as nappies.

What does the compost industry think? Before Both composting and red bag very unpopular Contamination Devaluing product Pathogens After Still very unpopular More interest in red bag option although concerns around contamination sending the wrong signal to residents – if nappies are accepted, what else? processors sensitive to contamination disposal costs Problematic streams such as nappies.

Scenario 1 – windrow composting Assumptions Weekly garbage – double the collection (only) costs Fortnightly garbage – no change Optional weekly garbage = $5.20 /hh/lift Windrow composting With nappies: = $120/t, conformance = 70% Red bag: gate fee = $68/t, conformance = 100% Dedicated collection = $5.20 /hh Research is needed to determine the reason why recyclables end up in garbage bin. E.g.: Bin constrains Don’t care to recycle Etc During audits, need to record whether recycling bin was full and cross check to see if the corresponding garbage bin contained recyclables.

Scenario 2 – tunnel composting Assumptions Weekly garbage – double the collection (only) costs Fortnightly garbage – no change Optional weekly garbage = $5.20 /hh Tunnel composting with nappies: = $110/t, conformance = 90% Red bag: gate fee = $68/t, conformance = 100% Dedicated collection = $5.20 /hh Research is needed to determine the reason why recyclables end up in garbage bin. E.g.: Bin constrains Don’t care to recycle Etc During audits, need to record whether recycling bin was full and cross check to see if the corresponding garbage bin contained recyclables.

Conclusions so far 360 L 240 L Weekly garbage - everywhere Expensive and unnecessary Fortnightly garbage – base case Not always the cheapest option. Does not solve political problem Optional Weekly garbage Always more expensive than red bag and is more expensive than tunnels Loose in Green bin Complicated for current windrow composters; $60 premium If use EfW on residuals that would save big $ Red Bag in Green bin Always the cheapest option – avoiding landfill costs and no new collection costs AS4454 Creates options for further reprocessing But difficult to educate on Composters don’t like it – what if the bag splits open? Dedicated nappy service Generally more expensive than options 4 and 5 Possibly unpopular due to drawing attention to houses with incontinence waste 240 L 360 L

Conclusion 360 L Red Bag in weekly service Cheapest If you have tunnels the Red Bag doesn’t save money BUT it does give you options for reprocessing as compost or something else Solves the politics of odour Delivers the best resource recovery outcomes Next best Optional weekly garbage Next cheapest but more expensive than base case and Red Bag Current system and infrastructure Fixes composters concerns No stigma of putting out an incontinence bin But doesn’t provide resource recovery options 240 L 360 L

MRA Consulting 0408 663 942 mike@mraconsulting.com.au

Options assessment 1 Cost (x$10m) Option 1 2 3 4 5 6 Collection   1 2 3 4 5 6 Collection Nappies $0.0 $0.4 Organics $3.4 Garbage $6.0 $3.0 Total $9.4 $6.4 $6.7 Processing $0.2 $1.4 $3.1 $1.5 $7.6 $7.3 $9.0 $10.4 $8.8 $9.2 Combined $0.5 $4.8 $6.5 $4.9 $13.6 $10.6 $10.9 $10.3 $18.4 $15.4 $15.7 $16.7 $15.2 $15.9 Research is needed to determine the reason why recyclables end up in garbage bin. E.g.: Bin constrains Don’t care to recycle Etc During audits, need to record whether recycling bin was full and cross check to see if the corresponding garbage bin contained recyclables.

Options assessment 2 Cost (x$10m) Option 1 2 3 4 5 6 Collection   1 2 3 4 5 6 Collection Nappies $0.0 $0.4 Organics $3.4 Garbage $6.0 $3.0 Total $9.4 $6.4 $6.7 Processing $0.2 $3.1 $3.3 $7.6 $7.3 $10.7 $10.6 $10.9 Combined $0.5 $6.5 $13.6 $10.3 $20.1 $17.1 $17.4 $16.9 $17.0 $17.6 Research is needed to determine the reason why recyclables end up in garbage bin. E.g.: Bin constrains Don’t care to recycle Etc During audits, need to record whether recycling bin was full and cross check to see if the corresponding garbage bin contained recyclables.