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Material Disposal Bans North Carolina’s Experience Virginia Recycling Association May 15, 2012

Material Disposal Bans North Carolina’s Experience Virginia Recycling Association May 15, 2012. Will Sagar ExecutiveDirector. Just Say No. Legislative Steps Implementation Results. SERDC Sponsor members. 1989 North Carolina Bans. Tires White Goods Automotive Batteries Yard Waste

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Material Disposal Bans North Carolina’s Experience Virginia Recycling Association May 15, 2012

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  1. Material Disposal Bans North Carolina’s Experience Virginia Recycling Association May 15, 2012 • Will Sagar • ExecutiveDirector

  2. Just Say No Legislative Steps Implementation Results

  3. SERDC Sponsor members

  4. 1989 North Carolina Bans • Tires • White Goods • Automotive Batteries • Yard Waste • Motor Oil

  5. Later Bans • Aluminum Cans 1993 • Antifreeze 1993 • Plastic Bottles 2005 • Oil Filters 2005 • Pallets 2005 • Electronics 2010

  6. Disposal Bans Across the SERDC Region

  7. Observations on NC’s Disposal Bans • Early bans focused on problematic materials. • Main concerns of solid waste policy were landfill capacity and disposal safety. • Markets/infrastructure a secondary concern. • More recent bans have been “commodity” based. • Response to material demand and the need for collection infrastructure and activity.

  8. Plastic Bottles The ban was passed in 2005 and went into effect October 2009.

  9. The “Commodity” case– Plastic Bottles • Plastic bottle demand rising worldwide. • Broad range of product applications. • Domestic capacity fighting with China for supply. • Long-term rise in petroleum/natural gas costs will keep driving reliance on PCR (post-consumer resin). • Southeast particularly rich in bottle plastic processing and end-use: 1.439 billion lbs/year.

  10. Implementation Regulatory view Local Government planning Significant Media Coverage

  11. Critical Support • Technical Assistance • Training • Education Materials Development • Contact with Generators • Outreach to Media • Grants • NC recycling grant funds split between public and private sectors • Specialized grant cycles and bonus points in traditional cycles aimed at banned materials

  12. Market Development Effects of Early Bans • 12 million tons of material from disposal. • New markets and processing Infrastructure • Increase in supply to existing markets: e.g., oil, white goods, and batteries • Yard waste ban spurred mostly local government infrastructure, but now helping build private sector

  13. NC Curbside CollectionPrograms

  14. NC Plastic Bottle Recovery (tons)

  15. NC Plastic Bottle Recycling Rate

  16. ABC Permit Holders

  17. NC Recycling Employment

  18. Lessons from NC Bans • Bans are an effective way to declare the commodity status of materials. • Enforcement can be an issue and bans by themselves are not a “magic bullet.” • Successful bans require both presence and development of infrastructure. • May need lead time built in to law for infrastructure to mature. • Success can be encouraged with program and grant support.

  19. Summary • Bans increase recovery • Recycling creates jobs

  20. Will Sagar • Executive Director • will.sagar@serdc.org

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