Presentation at 2014 Massachusetts Sustainable Communities and Campuses Conference

1. RECYCLING!
Jared
Starr
University
of
Massachuse2s
Amherst
in!
1
Massachusetts!
Communities!

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4

5. 5

6. 6

7. Municipal Solid Waste!
Big
Picture
History
of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
7

8. 8

9. 9

10. 10

11. WASTE MANAGEMENT HIERARCY!
Source
ReducCons
&
Reuse
Recycling
/
ComposCng
Energy
Recovery
Treatment
&
Disposal
Big
Picture
History
of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
11
Source:
EPA
2011

12. WASTE MANAGEMENT HIERARCY!
Source
ReducCons
&
Reuse
1.3
%
Recycling
/
ComposCng
33.7%
Energy
Recovery
11.4%
Treatment
&
Disposal
53.6%
Big
Picture
History
of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
12
Source:
EPA
2011

13. 13
Source:
EPA
2009
and
MA
DEP
16.0%
25.7%
28.5%
31.4%
33.8%
10.0%
31.1%
33.8%
35.4%
34.4%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
1990
1995
2000
2005
2009
Recycling
Rate
(total
recycled
/
tons
trash
+
tons
recycled
Year
MSW
Recycling
Rates
(1990
to
2009)
NaConal
Recycling
Rate
Massachuse2s
Recycling
Rate

14.
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Picture
History
of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
Recycling!AS A!
Solution!
Recycling
Rate
=
tons
recycled/total
recycled
+
trashed
•
flexible
for
comparison
Benefits
of
using
rate:
•
easily
communicated
•
show
trends
14

15. What drives rates?!
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of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
RECYCLING
RATE
Social/
Economic
SpaCal
Program
Convenience
Program
Cost
15

16. METHODS!
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of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
16

17.
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of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
Exploratory Analysis!
17
R
StaCsCcal
CompuCng
So^ware,
Excel,
and
StatPlus
used
for
exploratory
analysis

18.
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Picture
History
of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
Multiple Linear Regression!
R
StaCsCcal
CompuCng
So^ware
used
for
analysis

19.
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History
of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
Stepwise Model Selection!
19
R
StaCsCcal
CompuCng
So^ware
used
for
analysis

20.
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Picture
History
of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
Interpreting Variables Effects!
20
R
StaCsCcal
CompuCng
So^ware
used
for
analysis

21. RESULTS!
Big
Picture
History
of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
21
VARIABLE
EFFECT
ON
RECYCLING
RATE
#
OF
YEARS
SIGNIFICANT
All
PosiPve
Effects
Pay
As
You
Throw
≈
10%
13
EducaCon
≈
0.4%
13
Age
≈
0.4%
7
Mandatory
≈
4%
2

22. RESULTS!
Big
Picture
History
of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
22
VARIABLE
EFFECT
ON
RECYCLING
RATE
#
OF
YEARS
SIGNIFICANT
All
NegaPve
Effects
PoliCcal
≈
1.5%
8
Region
(North)
≈
10%
8
Region
(South)
≈
6%
7
Persons/Household
≈
7%
7
Region
(Central)
≈
7%
5
SubscripCon
≈
9%
4

23. RESULTS!
Big
Picture
History
of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
23
VARIABLE
EFFECT
ON
RECYCLING
RATE
#
OF
YEARS
SIGNIFICANT
Mixed
PosiPve
Effects
Curbside
Pickup
≈
5%
6
Density
(log)
≈
0.02%
2
Unemployment
≈
0.9%
1
Mixed
NegaPve
Effects
Unemployment
≈
0.9%
3
Density
(log)
≈
0.02%
3
Curbside
Pickup
≈
6%
1

24. RESULTS!
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Picture
History
of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
24
0
1
2
3
0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75
Recycling Rate
Density
payt
NO PAYT
PAYT
Distribution of Recycling Rate by PAYT 2000 − 2008

25. RESULTS!
Big
Picture
History
of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
25
0
1
2
3
0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75
Recycling Rate
Density
region
Central
North East
South East
West
Distribution of Recycling Rate by Region 2000 − 2008

26. What
factors
do
NOT
seem
significant:
• Single
Stream
• Income
• Mandatory
Recycling
Big
Picture
History
of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
26
Policy Recommendations!

27.
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of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
Policy Recommendations!
27
?

28.
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History
of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
Policy Recommendations!
Commonwealth
of
MassachuseWs
Municipal
Solid
Waste
Master
Plan
2010:
“Increase
the
popula0on
served
by
Pay
As
You
Throw
to
50%
of
the
state’s
popula0on
by
2020
(currently
at
24%)”
(page
24)
28

29.
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of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
Next Steps!
29

30. Dr.
Craig
Nicolson
Department
of
Environmental
ProtecCon
University
of
Massachuse2s
Amherst
Acknowledgments!
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of
Waste
My
Study
RecommendaCons
30

31. QuesPons?
31