TDEC C & D Debris Workshop Presentation “The Hidden Opportunity” Presented By Dennis M. Wheeler, COO Earth First C & D Recycling, Inc.

What Exactly is C & D Debris? Wood Kiln-Dried -Pallets, Stock Lumber, Painted Lumber, Plywood, Pressboard Natural –Trees From Lot Clearing or Storm Damage Plastic, Vinyl Painters Pails, Strapping, Banding, Vinyl Siding

What Exactly is C & D Debris? Wallboard Clean and Unpainted, Painted Wallboard Concrete Building Foundations, Driveways, Sidewalks, Street Repairs Fiber Carpeting

What Exactly is C & D Debris? Inert Dirt, Fines Old Corrugated Cardboard Cardboard Based Packaging Materials, Boxes Metal Ferrous, Non Ferrous Steel, Copper, Aluminum, Exotic Metals Stainless Steel, Nickel, Brass, Bronze

What % Can Be Recycled? The answer varies market to market based on available outlets for recycled materials. Typically in a range of 60% -85% of the C & D waste stream based on the sophistication of the means and methods employed.

Why isn’t more material recycled? Lack of Education Lack of Legislation and Regulation Availability of Inexpensive Land for Landfills Environmental Malaise Underserved Areas

The Georgia Waste Characterization Study C & D makes up 6% of all waste statewide The population of Tennessee is 2/3 the size of Georgia, so it is logical that Tennessee would have 2/3 of the waste stream. “TSU confirmed that the waste characterization of Georgia is representative of that found in Tennessee.” you can find this at See links box, select Waste Reduction Task Force Archive.

C & D Debris Estimate in Tennessee Based on the Georgia characterization study previously mentioned combined with an adjustment for state population, and statistics supplied by TDEC the annual estimate for C & D Debris in Tennessee is 4,068,842 tons

Deficiency in Tennessee Reporting Only Class I landfills are currently required to report volume statistics to TDEC. Class III/IV landfills are not under the same mandated reporting guidelines creating an unknown in the accurate reporting of C & D debris in Tennessee.

Tennessee C & D Waste Stream Projected

The Hidden Opportunity Local and state regulations and or laws requiring C & D recycling would create jobs and generate revenues Based 46 tons per employee per day,using the data approximately 391 direct jobs would be created statewide and another 293 indirect jobs, based on a 1996 Michigan study on job creation. The economic impact of the direct payroll of $9,759,360 annually would have a trickle down economic effect on the state economy of just shy of $13,663,104 annually based on a New Mexico State study.

Landfill Avoidance Cost Opportunity Based on the TDEC Municipal Solid Waste Planning Regions Annual Progress Reports 2000 through 2009 and the Recycling Marketing Cooperative of Tennessee, the landfill avoidance cost is $37 per ton. Based on a 60% recycling rate the annual cost avoidance would be approximately $90,328,292 to landfills statewide. Source: Solid Waste Origin report, TDEC

Summary Its time to take a stand Tennessee To commit to a plan of legislative action To prohibit recyclable C & D Debris from landfills statewide by Thus creating approximately 389 jobs statewide while avoiding approximately $90+Million Dollars of annual cost to landfills statewide.

Presenter Contact Information Dennis M Wheeler COO Earth First C & D Recycling, Inc Eugenia Avenue Nashville, Tennessee Cell