Message in a Bottle: Broadening Views About Reuse

1. Message in a Bottle: Broadening Views About Reuse Geoffrey D. Glenn, Danielle L. Mecham City of Spokane Regional Waste System

2. Recycling • City of Spokane curbside collections • 65,000+ residential customers • Follow daily refuse collections • Regional Recycling Facilities • 3 fixed facilities • Serves Spokane County population • Self-service

3. Glass Collection • Average City curbside collections • 4,100 tons yearly • Average Regional Transfer Station collection • 458 tons yearly

4. Glass Collection

5. Glass as a Problem • Changing markets • 2008 • Processing/Disposition • Costs for processing • Limited alternatives • Recycling and disposal

6. Response • Transported to local facility • Aggregate • Additional alternatives • Recycling • Re-use • Pilots

7. Glass Production • Material tested: • Aggregate in road construction (~15%) • Identified other uses • Aggregate • 2009 • 3,000 tons aggregate (5/8 minus screened glass) • 2011 • 2,500 tons aggregate (5/8 minus screened glass) • 500 ton mulch (5/8 minus to 3/8 minus)

8. Alternatives • Alternatives • Dry Well Medium • Pipe Bedding • Fishery/Hatchery • Traction Sand • Decorative Sand • Landscaping Amendment • Concrete Additive • Fireplace Glass

9. Alternatives • Viable options • Landscape mulch • Fishtank bedding • Traction sand • Prohibitive • Costs • Interest • Production • Inputs

10. Issues • Culture • Engineer • Cost to amend existing base • Production prohibitive

11. Projects • Xeriscape Display Garden • On Track Academy

12. Problem Area – Waste to Energy • Area adjacent to HHW • Safety • Fire code • Maintenance costs • Water conservation • Aesthetics • Customer perception

13. WSU Xeriscape Project • Regional System glass pilot • Review technologies and methods • Safety issues • Problematic area • Washington State University Landscape Architecture Program • Landscape Architecture Interns

14. WSU Xeriscape Project

15. Xeriscape Ideology • Term coined in Colorado • Focuses on native plants • Dry regions • Water conservation • Use of recycled materials • Growing in popularity

16. Xeriscape Ideology • Native plants used • Adapted for region • Requires less maintenance and water

17. Xeriscape Ideology • Use of recycled materials • Glass • Shower doors • Concrete sidewalk & curbing • Brick • Man hole ring • Lower environmental impact • Extended life span • Diversion

18. Design Themes • Glass • End of life cycle • Sustainability • Problem becomes solution

19. On Track Academy • Alternative high school • Novel approaches to learning • Elective enrollment • Edible Schoolyard project • Environmental studies class • Student run • Goal: Farm-to-Table aims

20. On Track Academy • Need for glass • Garden space filler • Seeking local alternatives • Community involvement • Student tour and Q&A • Provide resources and expertise

21. On Track Academy

22. Project Successes • Community involvement • City government • University students and graduates • At-risk students • Local artists • Local contractors • Innovation • Re-use of materials

23. Where Do We Go From Here? • Good press • Educating the public • Established contracts with vendors • e-Cullet • Feed stock for local mulch production • Potential for use in highly visual city locations • Local interest • Aggregate producers, architects, and landscapers

24. Thank you!