Town of Plymouth Solid Waste Management Town of Plymouth Department of Public Works November 26, 2012

Solid Waste Management Town Management’s Goals Are To: Reduce Tonnage Increase Recycling Provide Superior Customer Service to Users Sustain the Environment Greatest Net Effect on users

Historical Perspective - Evolution The ‘old days’ - Incinerated trash in your barrel(s) in your backyard Installation of designated dump sites Mandatory ‘capping’ of dumpsite(s) Conversion of dump sites to transfer station facilities

Historical Perspective - Evolution {Continued …} Expansion of transfer station services - Addition of Cedarville to serve residents, affording three (3) waste disposal destinations-Go where you want to go! Fast Forward to  Introduction / Acceptance / Rescinding a Pay-As-You- Throw (PAYT) Initiative - “Kicking the proverbial can down the street”

Today - Existing Program Logistics - Physical Plant The Town owns and operates three (3) residential transfer stations (sticker required): – South Street/Long Pond Road *(90 Tons/day) – Manomet/Beaver Dam Road *(50 Tons/day) – Cedarville/Hedges Pond Road *(49 Tons/day) NOTE: The Town operates all recycling. Southeastern Massachusetts Resource Recovery Facility (SEMASS) operates South Street trash.

Today - Existing Program Service - Fee Base Users Transfer Stations – Sticker Fees - Trending Down (see Financials) – Recycling - Minimal Effectiveness – Capital Improvements/Environmental Needs

Today - Existing Program Waste Disposal - Tonnage Transfer Stations - Aggregate Trash Tonnage Calendar Year 2011= 10, Tons ($228,000) 2015= 10, Tons ($657,000) Recycling - Current Levels … Future Efforts

Why Now? South Street Landfill/Transfer Station Disposition  MADEP - ‘Capping’  County - Lease Expiration Tipping Fees – SEMASS Contract Expiration Service Provision - Inadequate Environmental/Financial Goals  Reduce Tonnage  Increase Recycling

Why Now? {Continued …} Changing Solid Waste Climate  Regulatory Constraints  Rapid Technology Advancement Reduction in Total Usage  Declining Number(s) of Users - Fewer Stickers Sold

Options for Managing Solid Waste & Recycling Option 1: Curbside Pickup Option 2: Three Transfer Stations – Status Quo Option 3: Three Transfer Stations – with PAYT Option 4: One Combined Transfer Station – with PAYT Option 5: Curbside Pickup Private Subscription - Plymouth gets out of solid waste business Note: For purposes of this presentation we are not demonstrating the cost / revenues of the Difficult to Manage Facility and / or keeping one site open for recycling only.

Options for Managing Solid Waste & Recycling – Assumptions & Estimates Curbside: – # Households Serviced – 10,000 gradually increasing to 18,000 in year 7 of a 10 year contract – New Tipping Fee – Starting at $65 per ton in 2015 and increasing every year by $5 to a max of $100 per ton – Disposal Tons decreasing 10% annually from 1.29 to.79 per household due to single stream recycling – a 40% overall decrease – Curbside Contract Escalator 3% – Budget Multiplier 2.5% for Costs to Provide Program

Options for Managing Solid Waste & Recycling – Assumptions & Estimates Three Transfer Stations – Status Quo: – Replace South Street with new Transfer Station for $1 million in 2015 amortized over a 10 year period – Budget Increase for Labor and Equipment due to SEMASS Contract Expiring – # Households – Decreasing based on historical trends from 9,166 to 7,138 over the 10 year period – New Tipping Fee – Starting at $65 per ton in 2015 and increasing every year by $5 to a max of $100 per ton – Disposal Tonnage will remain consistent – Recycling Revenues will remain consistent – Budget Multiplier 2.5%

Options for Managing Solid Waste & Recycling – Assumptions & Estimates – Three Transfer Stations - PAYT: – Replace South Street with new Transfer Station for $1 million in 2015 amortized over a 10 year period – Budget Increase for Labor and Equipment due to SEMASS Contract Expiring – # Households – Decreasing based on historical trends from 9,166 to 7,138 over the 10 year period – New Tipping Fee – Starting at $65 per ton in 2015 and increasing every year by $5 to a max of $100 per ton – Disposal Tons decreasing 10% annually from 1.29 to.79 per household due to recycling – a 40% overall decrease – Average User – Recycling Revenues will increase based on Increased Recycling – Budget Multiplier 2.5% – PAYT Bags – Price is designed to cover the cost of the bag and the tipping fee; therefore starts out at $1.25 per 30 gallon bag with 2 incremental increases in the 10 year period up to $1.75 per bag.

Status of South St. Landfill South Street Transfer Station accepts 60% of Town’s municipal solid waste. South Street is centrally located, traffic and safety (corner lot no longer option) January 1, 2015 – County negotiations/SEMASS DEP-Draft Administrative Consent Order Conclusion – temporary or permanent – closing is imminent

Environmental Goals Waste prevention Increasing recycling rates Reducing illegal dumping Litter cleanup Protecting our natural resources through environmental stewardship Carbon Footprint

Coming to a Recommendation Find a Solution with no Preconceived Notion Staff research leans to Curbside Independent opinion is Curbside Selectmen, Town Meeting, users Town Manager’s Advisory Group “Convey a message so people can make an informed decision” Full understanding of all assumptions, data, and costs to compare and contrast options, convey information Educational Outreach – looking for feedback

Curbside Pickup Question & Answer Sheet (long driveway, icy conditions, rural roads) Brochure Further outreach (group or individual) Ancillary Benefits – Estimated savings to each resident of $125-$252/year* in costs for transportation to the transfer stations. – Provide solution to problem of South St transfer station closure due to landfill capping and expiring lease – Staff from closed transfer stations will be reassigned within DPW. – *based on 5 – 10 miles round trip and 48.5 cents/mile

Final Goal – Provide You with the Best Option that Most Closely Meets Goals Reduction in what goes into the solid waste stream Increase in recycling Customer Service and Satisfaction Sustain the Environment Provide service to the greatest number of residents