Scuttlebutt: Single Stream, Dual Stream

          Heads-up everyone as we may eventually be transiting back to a dual-stream recycling system.  While that soaks in, here is a little background:

     Most recycling programs in the United States began as dual- or multi-stream collection systems in the 1970s and 1980s.  Some may recall when the drop-off at Arena Cove consisted of numerous bins to separate glass by color as well as keeping paper products separate.  The City of Point Arena was doing its own redemption in those days and prices were sufficiently high to make that a slightly profitable program.  The city switched to single stream when personnel changed and gave full responsibility for recycling to the waste hauler for which the waste hauler paid a flat annual fee.

     Much has changed since then.  In those days most of the world sent their recyclables to Asia (particularly China) for processing.  Little was done to promote the processing of recyclables in this country, leaving us once again dependent on foreign nations.  This “flush it and forget it” attitude permeated the minds of consumers and the halls of government.  Contamination of loads increased to at times 40% with much of the recoverable material spoiled as well.  China's exploding middle class was consuming plenty of goods to create their own recyclables and they made a decision in 2018 that they strangely called National Sword, which raised the standards of material they would accept above what U.S. shippers could provide.  This meant many thousands of tons of recyclables going to landfills in the U.S.  Like everything else, COVID only made things worse.  State governments have slowly begun to wake up to a problem that is plaguing local governments.

     In a time of reasonably high prices single stream made some sense in that it lowers the cost of collection and presumably  increases recycling rates by making it easier for consumers.    From 2005 to 2014, the percentage of municipalities that used single-stream as their recycling process rose from 29% to 80%.  However, U.S. recycling rates have stayed  stuck around 35% for almost a decade and contamination rates nationwide remain around 25%.

     One study showed that in a perfect world switching from dual- to single-stream recycling is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by 0.71 tons per ton of collected material; but we don't live in a perfect world full of responsible citizens.  We live in a society full of avaricious consumers who, it seems, care more about the Kardashians than a sustainable planet.

     In most cases, single stream just doesn't pencil out anymore.  One example of the change in economics comes from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.  The city was bringing in a profit of $6,000-$8,000 a month when it first began single-stream recycling a decade ago.   Following the National Sword change, the city had to PAY upward of $50 per ton for haulers to accept its recyclables.

     Palm Beach County, Florida went from receiving $10 per ton in 2008 to paying $80/ton in 2018 when they switched back to dual-stream.

     The Kingston, New York  local resource recovery agency raised its fee for accepting single-stream recycling to $80/ton until it decided to simply refuse any commingled loads.  After switching to dual-stream system the tipping fee dropped to zero.

     By switching to dual-stream Northumberland County, Ontario will realize an estimated $500,000 (Canadian dollars) savings in lower processing costs and higher recyclables revenue, as well as $350,000 in additional cost avoidance through landfill capacity savings because less material will be disposed.  They will use the savings to sponsor compost collection.

     Scrap from dual-stream programs is generally cleaner because residents may be more conscientious about keeping dirty or difficult-to-recycle materials out of their bins.  The contamination rate for recyclables from Lake Worth Beach, Fl. has improved considerably since making the switch.  In the last years of its single-stream program, the city was approaching a 40% rate of contamination in its incoming waste. Since reverting to dual-stream, the city quickly reduced that to the 7-8% contamination average, while matching the recycling tonnage being collected in its single-stream days.

     Hoboken, New Jersey will save $200,000 by switching as well as banning plastic carry-out bags and styrofoam.

     Other jurisdictions to switch include Brookhaven, New York, Long Beach, California, Windsor in Sonoma County, The Mill Valley Refuse Service—even a place in Missouri.

     Increasing number of manufacturers have committed to increasing the recycled content of their products, so there is an end market for processed material, but not enough places doing the processing.

     “The technology is there, and the markets are demanding clean materials,” Brent Dieleman, a senior project professional at SCS Engineers said. “Inertia is the problem.”

     California’s Assembly Bill 815  encourages — but doesn't mandate — that municipalities switch from single-stream to dual-stream recycling programs.  CalRecycles, the state recycling agency, will assist communities making the change as it will require economic, logistical and messaging hurdles involved with dual-stream conversion.  Economics, more than a government mandate, will likely drive communities to make the change.

     Most dual-systems will likely mean separating paper and cardboard from the rest of recyclables.  Fiber is easily recycled if it is clean, but single-stream loads often contaminate paper with embedded broken glass and spilled sodas and other liquid contaminates.

    I spoke with Celia Furber, Waste Zero Manager for Recology, which holds the hauling contract for Point Arena and she is unaware of any internal conversation regarding a change to dual-stream.  Same goes for Solid Waste of Willits which has a subcontract from Recology to do the actual hauling.  They have a materials recycling facility in Willits that actually processes the recycled material.  Aida Cleone, recycling coordinator for Solid Waste informs me that she, too, is unaware of any internal conversation regarding a switch.

     So it is my bad for giving you a heads up because it doesn't look like there will be a change any time soon.  In the meantime you can look at your own practices regarding recycling with an eye toward how you might clean up and increase your own recycling efforts.  Believe it or not, you can easily recycle 75% of your waste if you educate yourself, actually give it some thought, and be aware of your purchases as well.

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     To incentivize the switch CalRecycles will pay Quality Incentive Payments (QIP) beginning July 1, 2021 until June 30, 2022 for bales of PET plastic that do not exceed 2% contamination.  Manufacturers are clamoring to meet their commitments to increase the recycled content of their products and this ubiquitous material is a good place to start.  QIP has been used for some time now to prod materials recovery facilities to clean up their loads beginning with glass and now moving to PET.