Pollution Engineering - April 2009 - (Page 38) Putting the trash out by the curb and dumping it in a y pg landfill might not be the most cost-effective process. process Is it possible there is money for communities sitting there? By GARY C. YOUNG, PH.D., P y .E., AND KAREN J. LUMSDEN, B.A., M.A. J LUMSDEN B A M A N 38 early every community in the United States generates municipal solid wastes (MSW). Better known to the public as household garbage or trash, this MSW is typically picked up curbside by garbage trucks and hauled to one or several local landfills for disposal. This process of garbage collection is typically referred to as “from curbside to landfill.” This article will present the preliminary cash flow associated with the process. The public should be aware of the cash flow and economics associated with garbage collection from curbside to landfill and how this money can benefit the community as a resource for further downstream processing of MSW, and possible elimination of the downstream landfill with new technology. The process is pretty straightforward. MSW is placed at the curbside by residential customers for pickup by the garbage truck or trash hauler. A fee is charged to each customer for this curbside pickup. Once the truck is filled, the driver delivers the trash directly to a landfill for disposal at a cost known as the “tipping fee.” Finally, the empty truck returns and continues garbage collection by repeating these steps until the days scheduled route has been completed. Quantifying the cash flows associated with the process of garbage collection is slightly less direct. Predictive cash flows can be quantified by use of parameters for revenues and expenditures. This predictive cash flow analysis can be understood by following Pollution Engineering APRIL2009 an example completed for the cities of Marion and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which are associated with the landfill of the Cedar Rapids Linn County Solid Waste Agency in Marion (see Figure 1). Cash flows computed for this example regarding the two Iowa cities was $3.8 million net from residential curbside pickup, for 85.41 tons per day of waste delivered to the landfill. This provided a net income of $170.81 per ton of waste collected at curbside. REVENUES: Number residences, solid waste service Solid waste fee per residence Billings Number residences, recycling service Recycling fee Billings Cedar Rapids Marion A. BILLINGS FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP 45,000 $0.3541/day 365 days/year 45,000 $0.1013/day 365/year 9,475 $5.50/month 12 months/year 9,475 $5.50/month 12 months/year B. ADDITIONAL COLLECTION, GARBAGE TAGS Number tags sold Selling price of tags Figure 1 257,000/year $1.25/tag 80,000/year $1.25/tag
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