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Evaluation of Lexington-Fayette Urban County Recycling. A Sloan Industry Center Project. Dr. Subodh Das, Executive Director Jason Liew, Research Associate. Center for a Sustainable Aluminum Industry. May 25, 2005. Aluminum Can Council Washington D.C . University of Kentucky.
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Evaluation of Lexington-Fayette Urban County Recycling A Sloan Industry Center Project Dr. Subodh Das, Executive DirectorJason Liew, Research Associate Center for a Sustainable Aluminum Industry May 25, 2005 Aluminum Can CouncilWashington D.C University of Kentucky
Sloan Foundation Industry Centers • TheAlfred P. Sloan Foundation • Established in 1934 by Alfred P. Sloan, Jr. • A Sampling of Sloan Industry Centers: • Harvard • Textile and Apparel Research • MIT • International Motor Vehicle • Georgia Tech • Paper Business • Carnegie Mellon • Steel
Center for a Sustainable Aluminum Industry (CSAI) • Founded in Jan. 2005 • Funded by several sources: • Sloan Foundation Industry Centers Program • A consortium of Aluminum Producers • The Commonwealth of Kentucky • The University of Kentucky • Have about $800,000 in funding for research over the next three years. • Faculty in Economics, Business and Engineering are members of CSAI
CSAI Research Area • Finding ways to enhance recycling rates is one of the major focus areas. • The project will study the aluminum recycling trends in Fayette County, KY.
Kentucky supplies the most aluminum to US markets Aluminum Companies Located within 600 miles of Kentucky (Brent Lackey, Division of Research, Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, “The Aluminum Industry in Kentucky”, September 2002)
Where is Fayette County? Area: 285 square miles Fayette County Total Population (2003): 266,798 Number of Households in Fayette County (2002): 108,288 Map and Data from US Bureau of Census
Commodities Shipped from LFUCG Recycling Center (06/01/04 to 04/15/05, 10 months) (Source: James Carter, Manager LFUCG Recycling Center)
1% change in recycling rate has an economic impact of approximately $12 million National Aluminum Beverage Can Recycling Rate Trends. (Source Aluminum Association)
Bottle Bills in the works Bottle Bills State Kentucky Curbside Access (X1000 people) More access results in more recycling Aluminum Recovered (X 10 tons) Bottle Bills pending Bottle Bills State No Legislation Data compiled from 14th Annual Nationwide Survey of Solid Waste Management in the US, The State of Garbage in America
Observations at Fayette County Recycling Center (06/01/04 to 04/15/05) • Paper based commodities represent the largest group of recyclables based on weight shipped. • Aluminum beverage cans contributed 21% of total revenues (second highest) despite being tenth in terms of weight shipped. • Aluminum beverage can is the present “cash cow” for the center and its contribution is likely to grow with increasing recycling rate.
Path Forward • Monitor monthly sales and collections of beverage cans and percent recovered at various facilities. • Conduct waste composition studies of selected demographics. • Expand efforts to increase aluminum beverage can recycling rate working in conjunction with Fayette County, University of Kentucky, Baker Iron & Metals Co., Wise Alloys and Anheuser Bush. • Identify ways to quantify and increase the sorting, shipping efficiency and profitability of the Fayette County Recycling Center.