Explaining Dramatic Changes in the Price and Service of the Public Waste Collection Scheme to the Public

Transcription

1 Explaining Dramatic Changes in the Price and Service of the Public Waste Collection Scheme to the Public Contact Dr. Jan Buysse, executive manager INTERZA Dr. Jan Buysse, Interza, Hoogstraat 185, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium. T: F: Executive summary. INTERZA is the public company responsible for the waste management of the suburban region of Zaventem, near Brussels (Belgium). The region contains about households and inhabitants collection and disposal of recyclable waste streams lead in the past to huge streams of waste. Enormous costs for INTERZA and the municipalities belonging to it were the consequence. Especially the amounts of organic waste (collected door-to-door) and of construction waste at the waste transfer stations proved to be unreasonably high. Therefore, it was decided to start a new waste strategy in 2005, accompanied with a thorough communication campaign in order to increase acceptance of the changes. The campaign included direct mail, subsequent newsletters, a hot line, hearings and briefings to decision makers. The results of the campaign and changed waste strategy proved to be very successful. Waste prevention strategies were easily adapted by a large number of inhabitants. Waste quantities fell back with 7 to 55 %. Overall, a cost reduction of 10,8 euro per inhabitant was achieved. Introduction. INTERZA is the public company responsible for the waste management of the suburban region of Zaventem, near Brussels (Belgium). In the 1990 s, a waste strategy was developed aiming at the stimulation of separate collection and recycling. Therefore, apart from residual waste, four recyclable waste streams were collected doorto-door at no cost for citizens. Additionally, citizens were allowed to make use of waste transfer stations in their village, where they could deliver for free additional waste streams such as construction waste, garden waste, electrical equipment, (table 1). Table 1. INTERZA waste service level, quantities, prices and costs up to Costs include collection, treatment and taxes. Overhead costs and refunds by packaging companies are not included. Frequency Price Collection method Curbside collection Residual waste Weekly 1 euro per waste bag Organic waste Weekly 240 liter Plastic packaging, Two weeks 0.25 euro per bag Quantities collected (per year and inhabitant) Waste bags 111 kg 24,9 205 kg 26,9 bins Waste bags 9 kg 3,35 Total cost for INTERZA (in Euro per year and inhabitant)

2 metal bins Paper and cardboard Four weeks Bins or Waste glass Four weeks Bins or (bigger dimensions) 58 kg 3,6 23 kg 2,5 Ten weeks 7.5 kg 3,38 Disposal at waste transfer station Construction 0/5/10 euro 115 kg 4.5 waste 5/20/40 euro 21 kg 4.7 Garden waste 0/5/10 euro 26 kg 2.2 Other (packaging, paper, glass, ) 39 kg 4.5 Total 615 kg 80,53 The results of this strategy were very successful with regard to the amount of residual, non recyclable waste. Only 132 kilograms of residual waste (per year and inhabitant), had to be sent to waste incineration. collection and disposal of recyclable waste streams, created on the other hand huge streams with enormous costs for INTERZA and the municipalities belonging to it. Especially the amounts of organic waste (collected door-to-door) and construction waste at the waste transfer stations proved to be unreasonably high. Biodegradable waste collected in INTERZA, for example, was more than four times higher than the average in the Northern part of Belgium. As a result, during this period one third of the expenses of INTERZA was related to the door-to-door collection of organic waste. In 2004 an analysis was made with regard to the causes of the abnormally high quantities of waste. With regard to organic waste, the analysis was made that the free collection became victim of its own success. Households had taken the habit of putting garden waste up to the last gram into their waste bin, neglecting all other possibilities of managing their garden waste from home-composting up to bringing the garden waste to the waste transfer station. As to the construction waste in waste transfer station, it was suspected that (as a result of the low threshold and free entrance) a lot of small companies and citizens of neighbouring municipalities, made use of the waste transfer stations of INTERZA. The strategy initially meant to promote waste recycling therefore lead to situations of largespread misuse and neglection of all possibilities of waste prevention. A new strategy in the waste collection scheme. As an answer to the financial problems resulting from the high service level and the high quantities of waste, the board of INTERZA decided on a new waste strategy based on the following principles:

3 Citizens appreciate the high service level in the waste management. The high service level must therefore be maintained. As for other services, it is logical that expensive services are paid for. Door-to-door collection of organic waste will therefore be charged. At the waste transfer station, non-recyclable waste will always be charged. Recyclable waste will only be charged in the case of large quantities (lorries, trailers) Strong promotion of garde waste prevention. Compost bins are sold at 5 euro. The purchase of grass mulchers, wood chippers and slow growing turf seeds is subsidized. Intensive communication. Citizens must be informed in time about the reasons of these changes and the choices they can make. The communication campaign. The new waste strategy started on 1 st January The communication campaign started six weeks earlier. Each household received a direct letter through ordinary mail with an announcement of the new waste prevention strategy. Information on the amounts of waste and the cost of it, compared to other regions, was included. Emphasis was also laid on the misuse of the actual waste system by some actors, at the expense of all tax payers. It was announced that from the 1 st January 2006 on, every bin for organic waste would have to display a green sticker, to be bought at the price of 50 euro. In the mail envelope nevertheless, a provisional free orange sticker was included, permitting a household to participate on the organic waste collection until 31 st May. In this way, citizens were offered a 5 months reflection period in which they could decide whether or not they wanted to keep their waste bin to make use of the organic waste collection scheme. As to the waste transfer stations, a charge of 5 euro was introduced for every supply of nonrecyclable waste (20 to 40 euro for trailers and lorries). The supply of recyclable waste in lorries and trailers was charged at 5-10 euro. With the mailing, every household received a free voucher, worth 20 euro, to be used during the first year at the waste transfer station. In February, the direct mail letter was backed by a newsletter, giving detailed information on all alternatives for organic waste collection: home composting, mulching, chipping, It was announced that everybody that handing in his organic waste bin, would profit from a refund of 10 euro cash. Alternatively, an organic waste bin could be exchanged with two compost bins. At the end of April, all households received a second newsletter reminder, putting attention on the limit date of 31 st May for putting the green sticker on the organic waste bin. The newsletter contains also answers to the frequently asked questions of the previous months. Citizens were also invited to home composting demonstrations organised by master composters from the region. Apart from the newsletters, FAQ-sheets were also sent to local officials and stakeholders, in order to give them background information and arguments to answer questions by citizens. Hearings and open discussions were organized with the public or the local environmental committee. A hot-line received about 1000 calls for more explanation or additional information. From July 2005 onwards, the number of calls and complaints decreased rapidly. The public acceptance of the increased waste charges was high. The decreased frequencies of waste collection led to more resistance. The cost of the communication campaign amounted to euro, which is 1.22 euro per inhabitant. The sale of compost bins at reduced price, and subventions for grass mulchers and wood chippers lead to expenses by INTERZA of Euro, of which about 80 % was co-financed by regional authorities (region of Flanders and the province Flemish Brabant).

4 The total extra cost for INTERZA was therefore easily recovered by the spectacular decrease in waste quantities (see below). Results of the new strategy. The impact of the new waste strategy was immediate and spectacular. The quantities of organic waste collected door-to-door fell by 25 %, and continued to decrease in 2006 (fig 1). The alternatives of waste prevention offered to the public proved to be very successful Tons collected per month jan feb mrt apr may jun jul aug sep oct nov dec Figure 1. Amounts of organic waste collected door-to-door between January 2004 and May During 2005 and 2006, compost bins were sold or exchanged for organic waste bins organic waste containers were returned to INTERZA, 285 inhabitants received grants for the purchase of wood chippers, grass mulchers or low maintenance grass seed. Table 2. INTERZA waste service level, quantities, prices and costs in Costs include collection, treatment and taxes. Refunds by packaging companies (FOST PLUS) and overhead costs are not included. Between brackets, differences in weight or cost compared to 2004 are indicated. Frequency Price Collection method Curbside collection Residual waste Weekly 1,5 euro per waste bag Organic waste Weekly/Twoweekly 25/50 euro per year Quantities collected (per year and inhabitant) Total cost for INTERZA (in Euro per year and inhabitant) Waste bags 115 kg (+4 kg) 25,9 (+ 1 Euro) 240-liter 145 kg 17,9 bins (- 60 kg) (-7 euro) Plastic Two weeks 0.25 euro per Waste bags 11 kg 3,8

5 packaging, bag (+ 2 kg) (+0.5) metal bins Paper and cardboard Four weeks Bins or 61 kg (+3 kg) 4.2 (+0.6) Waste glass Four weeks Bins or 25 kg (+ 2 kg) 2,5 (-) Ten weeks 9 kg (+ 1,5 kg) 3,8 (+0.4) (bigger dimensions) Disposal at waste transfer station Construction waste 45 kg (- 70 kg) 1.9 (-2.6) 14 kg (- 7 kg) 3.5 (-1.2) Garden waste 24 kg 2.7 Other (packaging, paper, glass, ) (- 2 kg) 44 kg (+ 4 kg) (+0.5) 5.3 (+0.8) Total 493 kg (-122 kg) 71,5 (- 9 euro) The amounts of waste collected at the waste transfer stations fell back with 37 %. The decrease in amounts construction waste and non-recyclable amounted to 55 and 33 %, respectively. Overall, there was a decrease of 122 kg of waste per inhabitant and per year as a result of the new waste strategy. Consequently, INTERZA could profit from a cost reduction of 10,8 euro per inhabitant per year, resulting in euro total savings. In 2006, these savings were already partly masked by normal increases of waste due to growth of population and consumption, and by price increases due to inflation. Apart from the cost savings, INTERZA and its municipalities also received an extra of euro of additional incomes per year (11.3 euro per inhabitant) as a result of the increased waste charges. Acknowledgements Interza acknowledges the financial support of the region of Flanders and of the province Flemish Brabant with regard to the waste prevention measures taken. The author thanks F. Dahdouh-Guebas for helpful comments and rereading.