EPICURE: Expanding Plastic Incentives and Composting to Uphold Recycling Efforts Opportunities and Threats to Organics Management in New Hampshire and Vermont
EPICURE • 2016/2017 USDA RD Solid Waste Grant • Expand markets, regulatory common ground, collection efficiency, diversion • Just over half way complete • Progress Report and Next Steps
Moving the Needle MSW
True Trash
Recycled
33%
34%
Divertible in Landfills 33%
Diverted
Landfill- Divertable
True Trash
Why Organics
New Hampshire Current Generation 1,334,000 People
350 Lbs./person/year* 233,450 tons/ year* *currently in MSW- additional is already diverted
New Hampshire Current Regulation • Lawn and Leaf currently banned • No A/D programs permitted • 5 permitted small food and yard waste composting facilities – 2 are inactive, 1 on an island
• No facilities permitted to accept Meat and Dairy
New Hampshire Current Regulation • 3-Tiered System of Certification – Permit Exemptions • No “solid waste” • No Meat and Dairy • On-Site, closed to public facilities
– Permit By Notification • <30 Tons/ Day • 20% cap on Food Scraps • No Meat or Dairy
New Hampshire Current Regulation • 3-Tiered System of Certification – Standard Permit • >30 Tons/day • Meat and Dairy Allowed • Public Hearings, Operating and Closure Plans, etc.
• 3 existing facilities are PbN facilities, • Others, Exempt, do exist • No Standard Permit facilities
New Hampshire Current Management • 3 facilities operating – 1 on an island
• Permitted Capacity = 32,850 tons/annually • Limited by permit to 6,570 tons of food waste- no meat/dairy
New Hampshire Current Management
New Hampshire Current Management
Vermont Current Generation 626,042 People 350 Lbs./person/year* 109,350 tons/ year* *currently in MSW- additional is already diverted
Vermont Current Regulation • • • •
Act 148: Universal Recycling Law (2012) Lawn, Leaf, Clean Wood banned Food Scraps phased in by 2020 July 1: – Generators >18 tons/ year must divert food scrap if a PERMITTED facility is within 20 MILES – Haulers must offer parallel collection
• 2020: All Food Scrap Diverted, regardless of distance
Vermont Current Management
Vermont Current Management
Vermont Current Management
Vermont Current Management
Vermont Capacity Gap Vermont Organics Capacity Gap by County 30000
25000
ANNUAL TONS
20000 15000 10000 5000 0 -5000 -10000
COUNTY 2017
2020
2030
2020 Capacity Gap: 91,000 – 115,000 tons annually
Vermont Capacity Gap
New Hampshire Capacity Gap
Vermont Regulatory Gap Animal Feed
20 Mile Rule • Until 2020, 20 mile rule in effect • After 2020, all must be diverted • Composters can refuse materials and loads
New Hampshire Regulatory Gap Meat and Dairy
Incentives • • • • • • •
Little incentive to divert Small volumes Little market demand Little investment potential Little infrastructure Little ability to divert Small volumes
Changes in public policy and financial support could have huge impact.
Issues • Funding/capital – No state funding. – VC and investment funding limited: long-term contracts – $29.7 Million needed in VT alone
• Flow Control – How can/should it be used?
• Carbon Sourcing
Issues • Finding End-users – Who will use all the compost? – Where will digestate go?
• Methane production – Windrows and Static Aerated Piles
• Regulation: who is responsible? – Haulers or generators?
• Inconsistency
Other Factors
NH Recommendations • Simplify the permit process • Consider Rule Changes at each tier • Incentivize higher and best uses over landfills and incineration • Consider adopting same standards at VT to create a larger market/regulatory collaboration
Vermont Recommendations • 2020: What happens to the material with no place to go? • Invest in infrastructure • Close the animal feed loop hole • Clarify the point of responsibility for compliance • Greater consistency in what is accepted at facilities
Cross-Border Potential
Cross-Border Potential
8 3
180
Vermont Video
8 3
180
