PCR Credit: Material Recovery & Per Capita Disposal Optimization 

(1-3 Points, Reciprocal)

Credit Summary

This credit aims to broaden the horizons of what materials can be collected and later reintroduced into the market as a recycled material. It serves as a baseline standard for per capita disposal. 

Impact Summary

This credit will help serve as a roadmap for material recovery and disposal. 

Submittal Summary

To meet this requirement, Local Governments and Industry Partners will have to provide the reports they received using the SWEEP calculation methodology. This will be able to be done in a timely manner through the RE-TRAC forms. 

Case Study and Benefits

Intent and Requirements

Intent

To encourage the acceptance of a wide range of materials and to promote the production of marketable commodities with the highest percentage of captured product and lowest percentage of residue.

Local Government and Industry Requirements

C&D Diversion Facilities must be CORR certified.

For each material processing technology owned, operated, or utilized by the Local Government: 

Maintain facility uptime of 90 percent or better 

And

SMMP Performance Compliance Path

Using the SWEEP calculation methodology, demonstrate achievement in per capita waste disposal (lb./person/day)24:

Tier 1: (1 point)

6.0 lbs./person/day

Tier 2: (+1 point)

5.85 lbs./person/day

Tier 3: (+1 point)

5.7 lbs./person/day

SMMP Prescriptive Compliance Path

C&D Recycling numbers must utilize measured, verified data or certify to a program that verifies data. Applies to the following credits: WGP Prerequisite 1, WGP Credit 3, SWC Credit 2, PCR

Credit 1, PCR Credit 2.

Potential Strategies:

• The facility has and uses the following processing/sorting technology:

• Inspection and potential presort occurs on the Tip Floor.
• Shredding and sizing of materials.
• Positive pick belt sort – A conveyor belt is used to present material to laborers in an effort to recover recyclable materials. Conveyor belts should move at a rate that optimizes sorting effectiveness and worker safety.
• Negative pick belt sort – A conveyor is used to present material and laborers remove contaminants, such as organics, from the belt prior to recycling. Conveyor belts should move at a rate that optimizes sorting effectiveness and worker safety.
• Mechanical Screening.
• Optical Sorting.
  • Magnetic (ferrous metal)
  • Eddy Current (non-ferrous metal)
  • Air classification
  • Robotic
  • Quality Assurance/Quality Control

• The facility has and uses a daily maintenance program to maintain the effectiveness of the sorting process.

• The facility has and uses best practices for the bale storage area.

Why We Care

Diverting materials within the waste stream from ending up in landfills saves resources, energy, and

money. Waste materials that are managed and sorted properly retain their value and can be reused and

made into new products. Diverting materials such as metals, organic waste, e-waste, and hazardous

waste from landfills reduces the production and occurrence of toxic leachate, which has the potential to

pollute soil and municipal water systems. Diverting organic waste reduces methane production, a potent

greenhouse gas.

How to Meet the Requirements

To meet this requirement, Local Governments and Industry Partners will have to provide the reports they received using the SWEEP calculation methodology. This will be able to be done in a timely manner through the RE-TRAC forms. 

Required Documentation

A document verifying that the your facility uses listed processing/sorting technology, that the facility has and uses a daily maintenance program to maintain the effectiveness of the sorting process, and that the facility has and uses best practice for the bale storage area. 

Case Studies & In-Depth Information

Referenced Standards

N/A

Definitions

Bale

PRM Waste Systems Definition: Baling is a process that compresses material into a block (bale) which is secured by plastic or wire strapping. The process reduces the volume of the material which:

• Reduces loose waste on site
• Reduces transportation/waste disposal costs
• Turns waste into a revenue generating product

C&D Diversion Facilities

DEC Definition: Registered C&D debris processing facilities receive and process uncontaminated and unadulterated wood, recognizable uncontaminated concrete and other masonry waste (including steel or fiberglass reinforcing embedded in concrete), asphalt pavement, brick, soil or rock that has not been in contact with a spill from petroleum product, hazardous waste, or industrial waste, and that is not commingled with other solid waste.

C&D Recycling 

McLanahan Definition: C&D recycling is the practice of salvaging, recycling and reusing materials and debris generated during construction, renovation and demolition of roads, bridges and buildings. 

CORR Certification

CORR Protocol and Certification of Real Rates– A protocol used to provide a statistically reliable and transparent method for measuring the recovery of mixed construction and demolition (C&D) materials at combined C&D/MSW processing facilities. To become Recycling Certification Institute (RCI) certified, combined C&D/MSW facilities must calculate a combined facility C&D recovery rate for mixed C&D materials using this protocol. 

Dual Stream Recycling 

CRI Definition: Under the dual stream system, residents usually combine all their food and beverage containers (aluminum and steel cans, glass jars and bottles, and some or all plastic bottles) in one bin, and they put their newspapers and/or mixed paper (such as junk mail, cereal boxes, and home office paper) in another bin, or in a brown paper grocery bag.  The two material streams are picked up and placed in separate compartments on the recycling truck, and taken to a processing center (a materials recovery facility, or MRF).

Eddy Current

Walker Magnet Definition: Eddy current separation is based on the use of a magnetic rotor with alternating polarity, spinning rapidly inside a non-metallic drum driven by a conveyor belt. As non-ferrous metals pass over the drum, the alternating magnetic field creates eddy currents in the non-ferrous metal particles repelling the material away from the conveyor. While other materials drop off at the end of the conveyor, the non-ferrous metals are propelled forward over a splitter for separation.

Fiber Stream 

EPA Definition for “Recovered Fiber”: 

Post consumer fiber such as:

• Paper, paperboard, and fibrous materials from retail stores, office buildings, homes, and so forth, after they have passed through their end-usage as a consumer item, including: used corrugated boxes; old newspapers; old magazines; mixed waste paper; tabulating cards; and used cordage; and
• All paper, paperboard, and fibrous materials that enter and are collected from municipal solid waste, and
  • Manufacturing wastes such as:
• Dry paper and paperboard waste generated after completion of the papermaking process (that is, those manufacturing operations up to and including the cutting and trimming of the paper machine reel into smaller rolls or rough sheets) including: envelope cuttings, bindery trimmings, and other paper and paperboard waste resulting from printing, cutting, forming, and other converting operations; bag, box, and carton manufacturing wastes; and butt rolls, mill wrappers, and rejected unused stock; and
• Repulped finished paper and paperboard from obsolete inventories of paper and paperboard manufacturers, merchants, wholesalers, dealers, printers, converters, or others.

Mechanical Screening

Wikipedia Definition: Mechanical screening, often just called screening, is the practice of taking granulated ore material and separating it into multiple grades by particle size.

Mixed Waste MRF

EPA Definition: Refers to a facility where recyclables are sorted into specific categories and processed, or transported to processors, for remanufacturing

Non-fiber Stream

Post consumer fiber such as:

• Metal
• Glass
• Plastics

Optical Sorting

Waste360 Definition: optical sorting examines the properties of light waves that are being reflected from the different materials.

Single Stream Recycling

CRI Definition: Under the single stream system, residents combine paper and containers in a single bin or bag. The bins or bags are collected and placed in a truck.  When the bins or bags arrive at the MRF, the recyclables are sorted. 

Tip Floor

GDRC Definition: Unloading area for vehicles that are delivering MSW to a transfer station or incinerator.