Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality November 2013 State of Recycling in Arkansas A Tale of Two Facilities During the last five years, the recycling rate has generally cycled up one year and down the next a Yo Yo effect. This year s rate was down, at least on paper. The recycling rate was 35.02 percent, down from 40.62 percent in the 2012 report, but s ll above the 31.36 percent given in the 2011 report. But there s more to the story than the numbers. Only certain recycling facili es run mainly by municipali es are required to submit recycling amounts. Many that recycle the largest amounts such as for profit recycling or other businesses volunteer the informa on on a calendar year basis. Although one would think a decrease in recycling would mean an increase in material sent to landfills, that is not necessarily the case. The amount of material sent to landfills actually decreased this year. A look at one category of material plas cs in the chart on page 5 provides an example of the difference facility repor ng can make in the recycling rate for the year. As a whole, the amount of plas c reported as recycled increased by 54,552 tons (121%) this year. One subcate gory is poly pipe, made from low density polyethylene (LDPE), which is used for irriga ng agri cultural fields. The amount of poly pipe recycled this repor ng year increased by 67,351 tons (336%). This substan al increase is largely a ributed to one company that accounts for 99% of the poly pipe reported as recycled. On the other hand, LDPE is used to make other items such as plas c bags and stretch wrap, and is reported separately from poly pipe. The numbers for this material provide a different view of voluntary repor ng. Many facili es that reported recycling LDPE in calendar year 2011 saw an increase in calendar year 2012. Addi onally, thirteen facili Inside This Issue es that had not reported LDPE in 2011 reported recycling the Recycling Grants material in 2012. Unfortunately 17 facili es that reported Program Update... 2 recycling LDPE in 2011 did not in 2012. This included two Grant Sta s cs... 2 out of three facili es that accounted for 88% of the total 2012 Grant Round Summary... 3 reported in 2011, hence the amount of LDPE that was Recycling Pipe Dream?... 4 reported as recycled in 2012 decreased. So you can see, repor ng plays a significant role in the recycling rate calcula on. It s important to consider the examples provided when looking at fluctua ons in the rate from year to year. As more and more recyclers re port their results consistently, Arkansans will get a be er picture of recycling in our state. Nonprofits Recycle... 4 Materials Recycled 2013... 5 Electronics Recycling Grant Programs... 6 Private industry provides recycling amounts based on a calendar year while public programs report on fiscal year.
Recycling Grants Program Update Grant Statistics (Fiscal Years) Competitive Grants 1991 1993 Disbursed: $6,806,571 Recipients: 75 Projects: 93 En tlement Grants 1994 2003 Disbursed: $25,969,728 Recipients: 198 Projects: 997 En tlement Grants 2004 2012 Disbursed: $33,039,710.57 Recipients: 203 Projects: 1213 Grant Program Total 1991 2012 Disbursed: $65,816,009.57 Projects: 2303 ($3,523,048 was disbursed in the 2013 Distribution Program in August 2013.) 2 The Solid Waste Management and Recycling Fund was established in 1989 and is supported by fees paid on solid waste generated in the state. Since 1991, por ons of this fund have been distributed to ci es, coun es, regional solid waste management districts (RSWMDs) and other eligible en es through the Arkansas Recycling Grants Program. Begun as a compe ve grant program, it was turned into an en tlement grant program by Act 1030 of 1993. Nearly $4 million was awarded to 131 projects in the 2012 grant round (disbursed in fiscal year 2013). The Recycling Grants Program helped develop and enhance recycling programs in the state by providing funds for construc ng facili es, purchasing equipment, providing educa onal materials, and other ac vi es. While details of the program changed over the years, the basic requirements and funding formula did not. Beginning in 1994, the grant process included these steps: 1. Eligible en es submi ed requests for funding and applica ons to their RSWMD. 2. RSWMD Boards priori zed projects and submi ed applica ons to the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. 3. ADEQ staff reviewed the applica ons and approved those mee ng program requirements. 4. ADEQ disbursed funds for approved grants to the RSWMD, which distributed them to the grantee. 5. Grantees reported expenditures to the RSWMDs, who reported them to ADEQ. 6. ADEQ tracked expenditures and progress. A er distribu ng more than $58 million to recycling projects and programs throughout the state over the last 19 years, the Arkansas Recycling Grants Program is ending. Act 1333 of 2013 changed the grants program into a distribu on program. The distribu on program receives funds from the same source, and the funds are allocated using the same formula. RSWMD Boards s ll determine alloca on of funds within the district. However, ADEQ no longer receives paperwork explaining plans for the funds and detailing expenditures. Therefore, the only informa on ADEQ will be able to provide about funds disbursed in fiscal year 2014 or later is the amount distributed to each district. Informa on about the use of these funds will be available from individual districts. The last 19 years saw the establishment and growth of recycling infrastructure in the state, providing a multitude of benefits. RSWMDs will have the opportunity to continue this growth through the distribution program.
2012 Grant Round Summary (Fiscal Year 2013, July 1, 2012-June 30, 2013) 3 RSWMD (NUMBER OF COUNTIES) DISTRICT POPULATION (2010 CENSUS) NUMBER OF GRANT PROJECTS TOTAL COST OF PROJECTS GRANT AMOUNT RECEIVED GRANT AMOUNT REMAINING MATERIAL COLLECTED (TONS)* REVENUE FROM SALE OF MATERIALS* Benton County (1) 221,339 10 $963,835.17 $245,769.00 $120,943.78 9,724.01 $653,716.03 Boston Mountain (2) 218,782 10 $514,733.00 $242,929.00 $228,735.98 11,800.01 $698,840.80 Central Arkansas (3) 85,220 6 $172,183 $88,829.00 $88,829.00 242.96 $17,072.90 Craighead County (1) 96,443 5 $154,561.01 $127,107.00 $87,848.92 2,190.68 $52,566.48 East Arkansas (6) 153,794 8 $532,909.01 $202,692.00 $176,596.00 3,563.22 $202,286.91 Faulkner County (1) 113,237 2 $140,000.00 $118,033.00 $58,271.89 6,134.87 $141,387.62 Mississippi County (1) 46,480 6 $86,883.00 $61,258.00 $24,667.30 1,276.49 $6,000.00 Northeast Arkansas (4) 93,557 3 $193,942.00 $123,303.00 $72,541.01 224.00 $6,649.00 Ozark Mountain (6) 139,040 10 $627,143.00 $154,386.00 $71,560.48 5,859.80 $311,977.90 Pulaski County (1) 382,748 5 $535,959.00 $398,959.00 $131,339.09 65,235.98 $933,214.48 Saline County (1) 107,118 5 $223,600.00 $111,655.00 $20,415.08 1,547.97 $56,130.64 Sebas an County (1) 125,744 4 $302,943.00 $205,794.00 $176,273.07 11,425.99 $337,353.35 Southeast Arkansas (10) 213,808 15 $740,004.57 $394,101.00 $184,193.59 10,418.94 $389,263.61 Southwest Arkansas (6) 149,257 8 $264,108.12 $261,159.00 $205,622.33 44,912.35 $329,135.01 Southwest Central (3) 151,942 2 $287,812.00 $223,774.00 $121,073.11 21,398.59 $998,567.97 Upper Southwest (9) 124,709 7 $1,866,867.92 $210,115.00 $74,448.59 4,261.13 $413,929.57 West River Valley (9) 254,856 4 $1,196,020.00 $393,964.00 $121,353.58 8,345.26 $604,183.68 White River (10) 237,844 21 $477,017.17 $410,481.00 $270,003.28 23,047.68 $592,309.85 Total for State (75) 2,915,918 131 $9,280,520.97 $3,974,308.00 $2,234,716.08 231,609.93 $6,744,585.80 *Tonnage and revenue figures are for all facili es that have received grants, not just those that received grants in the 2012 grant round.
Recycling Pipe Dream? Nonprofits That Provide Recycling Opportunities Abili es Unlimited Crawford County Abili es Unlimited Magnolia Abili es Unlimited of Jonesboro Ac on Services Arkadelphia Human Development Ctr Ashley County Skilled Work Center Baxter Day Service Center Bella Vista AARP Boone County Special Services Booneville Human Development Center Conway County Community Center Cross County Special Workshop Easter Seals Arkansas Goodwill Industries of Arkansas Howard County Children s Center Jonesboro Human Development Center MARVA Workshop Inc. Nevada County Recycling & Work Ctr Ouachita Industries Inc. Polk County Development Center Rainbow of Challenges Southeast AR Human Development Ctr South Montgomery Cnty Development Stepping Stone 4 What makes a recycling program successful? Is it the volume of material recycled, a low cost of opera on, or the number of jobs created? What about a program that has all these things? Is it a pipe dream? Not for more than 24 organiza ons sca ered throughout Arkansas. Nonprofit organizations provide recycling opportunities in 33 counties, or 44 percent of the state. The groups create jobs, train workers and offer low cost recycling programs. In some counties, these nonprofits partner with government entities to offer the sole opportunity for citizens to recycle. There is no argument that nonprofits help drive community recycling in Arkansas. Frequently offering services where none can be found, these entities provide work for Arkansans and a service to their cities and counties. Developmental centers, human development centers and organizations such as Easter Seals, Goodwill Industries and Abilities Unlimited are helping to boost the power of recycling in Arkansas. One of the oldest nonprofit recycling programs, Abilities Unlimited of Magnolia, started its recycling program in April 1980 and has expanded numerous times most recently moving into a 21,000 square foot facility. Not only does the program recycle electronic waste, paper products and plastics, but also recycled its newest building. Housed in the former Columbia Sewing building, the new/reused facility allows materials to be stored inside until marketed. Its former location will be used as a furniture refurbishing and resale store. With 44 full time employees, the center recycled more than 550 tons of material in FY 2013. While these nonprofits provide traditional recycling, many also draw work from area industry to give individuals more employment and earning opportunities. Labor intensive tasks such as preparing information packages for state agencies, document shredding, reupholstering furniture, creating shoe inserts from scrap leather and other such jobs generate work for eager individuals, improving their lives and providing affordable assistance to industries and government agencies. The use of nonprofit organizations to operate recycling programs is neither unique to Arkansas nor a new concept. Throughout the nation, leaders have found the value in these partnerships to provide honest working wages to an eager labor force. As leaders consider the economics of recycling, they cannot overlook the value of
Materials Recycled Material Weight in Tons Ba eries 8,393 Electronic Waste 3,917 Glass 3,513 Household Hazardous Waste 914 Metals 1,246,734 Aluminum Cans/Non ferrous Aluminum, Brass, Copper 57,568 Ferrous Steel and Iron 1,025,854 White Goods (Ferrous) 125,890 Other (combined metals, steel slag, mixed metals, etc.) 37,422 Oil (Motor, Cooking) 61,450 Paper 189,078 Cardboard 123,929 Magazines/Mixed 24,929 Newsprint 11,957 Sorted Office Paper 13,464 Sorted White Ledger 935 Other (rolls of paper, consumer board, paper board, etc.) 13,864 Plas c 99,694 HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) 3,486 LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) 3,673 PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) 1,674 Poly Pipe (Low Density Polyethylene) 87,397 Other (poly logs, electronics plas cs, chemical jugs, barrels, etc.) 3,464 Tex les & Leather 4,427 Tires & Rubber 10,915 Yard Wastes 214,772 Total 1,843,807 Arkansas also reclaimed 133,303 tons of road material; 104,319 tons of asphalt; 19,950 tons of shingles; 38,812 tons of re derived fuel; and 349,784 tons of wood waste for fuel which was not included in the above totals. Landfilled = 3,421,046 (during the calendar year) Recycled = 1,843,807 (as reported in the respec ve 12 month repor ng periods for public and private en es) Total Waste Stream = 5,264,853 Recycling Rate = Recycled/Waste Stream*100 = 35.02% 5
Electronics Recycling Grant Programs The Arkansas Recycling Grants Program is the oldest and most inclusive grants program dealing with recycling administered by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. However, the department also manages two grant programs dealing with recycling of a spe cific, fast growing category of waste unwanted electronics. The first of these is the Computer and Electronic Equipment Recycling Grants Program (aka E Waste Grants Program ). The E Waste Grants Program is a compe ve grant program open to private industry, nonprofit organiza ons, and educa onal facili es as well as state and local government agencies. Funds for this grant program are generated by the sale of electronic equipment no longer needed by state agencies and must be used for recovery, recycling and/or demanufacturing of scrap computers and electronics. Applica ons are accepted from July to September of each year, and funds are disbursed in December. Six grants were funded in 2012 disbursing $243,184.89. Applica ons for the 2013 grant round are currently in the review/ approval process. The second grants program dealing with the recycling of unwanted electronics is the Arkansas Computer and Electronic Waste Recycling Grants Program. Funds for this program come from fees on waste generated in the state which are collected when the Landfill Post Closure Trust Fund reaches its cap of $25 million and are no longer collected when the trust fund total falls below $15 million. The Arkansas Computer and Electronic Waste Recycling Grants Program is an entitlement grant program similar to the Arkansas Recycling Grants Program. However, eligible projects are limited to those that help increase or improve recycling of unwanted electronic equipment in the state. In addition, this grant program provides no funding for administrative functions. In calendar year 2013, the ADEQ approved 95 grants distribu ng $2.5 million through the eighteen regional solid waste management districts. Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality 5301 Northshore Drive North Li le Rock, AR 72118 5317 www.adeq.state.ar.us Director Teresa Marks Chief Deputy Director Karen Basse Solid Waste Management Benjamin T. Jones Division Chief Recycling/Market Devel opment Branch Manager Robert Hunter