1. How Much Food Waste is Really Available in the Waste Stream
Ted Siegler
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.
Windsor, Vermont

2. Organics – The Next Big Thing
It is common to hear that food waste and other organics represent as much as 40 percent of the residential and commercial waste stream and are the next logical materials available for diversion
While this might be the case in aggregate, as anyone who has been involved in diversion and management of food waste will tell you
Its not that simple!
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

3. Why Is It Not That Simple Not all waste disposed is mixed solid waste
Food wastes and organics are 40 percent of what?
2015 Rhode Island state-wide waste characterization
Only 50% of disposal at the RIRRC Landfill was mixed solid waste in 2015
Which means if you multiply 40% by 100% you will be off by 50%!
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

4. Why Is It Not That Simple Contamination
I want to say one word to you. Just one word
Yes sir
Are you listening?
Yes, I am
Plastics
Exactly how do you mean?
There’s a great future in plastics. Think about it. Will you think about it?*
*The Graduate, 1967
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

5. Delaware Solid Waste Authority, 2015 – 2016 Waste Characterization
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

6. Goals of DSWA Waste Characterization
How much recyclable material is being disposed at DSWA landfills?
Delaware has a Universal Recycling law requiring that all haulers provide parallel recyclables collection of single stream material with the cost embedded in the refuse collection charge
How much organics could be diverted from DSWA landfills?
DSWA is required to report to the Legislature this year on the potential to develop composting or anaerobic digestion facilities in Delaware to divert food waste and other organic materials from their landfills
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

7. DSM Environmental Services, Inc.
Waste Characterization Materials Categories The first of two seasonal sorts has been completed
Waste hand sorted into 54 materials categories
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

8. Summarized Into Nine Management Groups
Recyclable paper (accepted at the Single Stream MRF)
Recyclable metal and glass (accepted at the Single Stream MRF)
Recyclable plastic (accepted at the Single Stream MRF)
Vegetative food wastes, unpackaged
Protein food waste, unpackaged
Food waste in plastic packaging
Food waste in other packaging
Yard waste
Other waste
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

9. Results of First Season of State-Wide Characterization
The statistical reliability of the data will be enhanced by the second round of data collection in June, but the first round of sampling is sufficient for development of some preliminary conclusions
Data are probably accurate within +/- 20%
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

10. DSM Environmental Services, Inc.
Residential Waste
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

11. Commercial Waste (ICI Wastes)
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

12. DSM Environmental Services, Inc.
But Commercial Waste is Not Homogeneous There is much larger variation than for residential
We conducted targeted sampling of six commercial waste categories
Large Retail
Small Retail
Grocery
Office
Restaurant
Convenience Store
Anyone want to guess which category had the highest concentration of food waste?
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

13. DSM Environmental Services, Inc.
Large Retail
Material Category
Management Category
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

14. DSM Environmental Services, Inc.
Small Retail
Material Category
Management Category
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

15. DSM Environmental Services, Inc.
Grocery
Material Category
Management Category
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

16. DSM Environmental Services, Inc.
Office
Material Category
Management Category
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

17. DSM Environmental Services, Inc.
Restaurant
Material Category
Management Category
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

18. DSM Environmental Services, Inc.
Convenience Stores If you guessed convenience stores you were right! I doubt you did, but then again you may have never been to a Wawa Store
Material Category
Management Category
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

19. DSM Environmental Services, Inc.
Conclusions
While the statement that roughly 40 percent of mixed solid waste is organic is true
That may only represent 20 percent of what goes in a landfill
All organic wastes are not created equal
Only 8 percent of residential waste is unpackaged vegetative or protein food waste
Only 11 percent of commercial waste is unpackaged vegetative or protein food waste
There remains more recyclable materials in the residential and commercial waste stream – even with successful recycling programs, than clean food waste
17 percent of residential waste
23 percent of commercial waste
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

20. DSM Environmental Services, Inc.
Conclusions (cont.)
Food waste that remains after efforts to reduce and divert food waste to more valuable uses represents a significant potential energy and nutrient source
However, much of it is contaminated with packaging – especially plastic packaging
Plastic packaging and other contaminants increase the costs and complexities of recovering food waste
There is wide variation in the amount of organic material, and especially food waste in the commercial waste stream
But much of it is highly contaminated with plastic packaging especially
Grocery waste
14% unpackaged food waste
20% packaged (80% in plastic)
Convenience stores (43% of food spending in 2012 directed to food consumed away from home)
18% unpackaged food waste
30% packaged (80% in plastic)
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.

21. DSM Environmental Services, Inc.
Conclusions (cont.)
Waste characterization studies were developed to determine the energy value of the waste when combusted
The energy value of food waste packaged in plastic is higher than for unpackaged food waste when combusted
This is not the case when food waste is biologically converted to energy
We need to modernize our waste characterization studies to determine the availability for recovering organics for nutrient or energy value in composting and anaerobic digesters
Food waste packaged in plastics significantly increases costs of composting or anaerobic digestion
And other organics such as dirty paper or wood play a much different role in a composting or anaerobic digester than they do in a combustion facility and need to be accounted for differently
9/16/2018
DSM Environmental Services, Inc.