A commonly encountered scene at many recycling dropoffs is a pile of material around holding containers. Besides being an eyesore, carelessly strewn recyclables pose a safety problem, increasing program costs and liability issues.

By Moe Chowdhury

People leave recyclables outside when they find containers full or when they see materials already on the ground. Strong winds easily blow away small containers, bottles, cans, and newspaper to nearby roads and properties contributing to littering, road hazards and bringing complaints. Recycling programs like to see people bring in only those materials accepted by their processors. But typically they get more than just recyclables and end up with significant amounts of unsolicited items. Some people transport to dropoffs hard-to-dispose materials like mattresses, box springs, and sofas too big to fit container openings. Programs incur cost for disposing of such unwanted materials.

This article will focus on the problems associated with overrun and unacceptable materials, and illegal dumping at dropoffs, tracing their roots and providing practical tips. The primary objective is to provide insights explaining what causes such tribulations and discussing dos and don’ts for managing either single or multiple dropoffs. While there is no silver bullet for eliminating dropoff problems, programs can take measures to control overspill and dumping.

Three major groups of factors have been identified: pre-setup, ongoing and managerial, and time-seasonal. Pre-setup factors including site selection, container choice and deciding upon concrete floor and fence, can be addressed before a dropoff is established. Ongoing and management factors, such as site monitoring and scheduling, signs and labels, participant responsibility, education and awareness, and law enforcement issues are the ones programs will be dealing with on a daily basis. Time-seasonal factors like good weather, transitional season, and weekends are often least considered in dropoff management but could play a very critical role in restraining unpleasant scenes. A clear understanding of these interrelated issues, their dynamics and causes helps provide better dropoff services.

Usually high volume dropoffs experience frequent overrun because of difficulties in their monitoring and pull scheduling. A small delay in replacing a full container at a busy site could easily lead to a messy situation on the ground. Anticipating container pulls is sometimes difficult because of temporal factors such as weather and weekends affecting the intensity of use.

All types of materials are thrown into recycling containers making them full sooner than they should be. Some people may find dropoffs a convenient repository for materials that are difficult to dispose, such as furniture, appliances, electronics and even hazardous waste. These materials are also brought by those who miss collection events for such special wastes. Unexpected items like dead animals and deer carcasses have been found inside containers.

During late spring and early summer, a large quantity of empty plant and flower pots and trays end up inside containers. Program participants drop window glasses, windshields, wrong-color glass bottles, plastic buckets, pesticide and other plastic containers, assuming they will be recycled. Anywhere from 10% to 20% of all materials in a recycling container are characteristically unwanted and eventually get thrown into landfills. Some sites may find as much as 30% to 40% of their volume unacceptable by their processors. Unfortunately, the poorer the community the greater the problem tends to be. The costs for processing and disposing of unsolicited items are absorbed by the processors and eventually passed on to programs responsible for collection.

Programs with multiple dropoffs will find that some sites are easier to take care than others. Very often the root cause of illegal dumping at a troublesome dropoff can be traced to its location. An investigation of illegal dumps will quickly reveal that they are ideal for attracting dumpers because of their isolation and distance from public eye.

Reducing unpleasant scenes at a dropoff begins before it is established. Site location has a lot to do with how people will use it. Well-lit, accessible sites close to nearby traffic will assist in cutting down on illegal dumping and the amount of recyclables left outside. People tend to behave when they are under watch. Often such sites could be hard to find, but care should be taken in choosing a desirable site that is not isolated and remote from human activity.

An ideal site is not only good for public access, but one that provides ample space for parking and vehicle maneuvering. The type of transportation used for hauling recycling containers will determine the amount of parking space. Rolloff trucks require more room than pickups. The placement area must be large enough for participants’ access to both sides of a container. Leaving inadequate room on one side will encourage people to use the other side leading to overrun.

One rule of thumb is to leave at least 5 feet of equally accessible and inviting room on both sides of a container. For example, a 30-cubic-yard rolloff will require an area with a minimum width of at least 31-foot-by-25-foot assuming the container is 8 feet wide and 20 feet long. This will allow hauler to drop the switch rolloff in the same placement area. Using two rolloffs simultaneously will require additional 13 feet of width. More space is needed between two containers if maintenance truck or participant vehicles are allowed to park there. Smaller placement area can be used provided nearby space is available for replacement rolloff.

Container Choice
The type and number of containers used for collection has a lot to do with overflow problem. Rolloffs, dumpsters and trailers are used for collecting recyclables, each requiring a different transportation mode. The most widely used are the 20-, 30-, or 40-cubic-yard rolloffs. Because of width restriction, the larger 40 cubic yard rolloffs may need to have a higher opening, making it difficult for some people to use them. Smaller 6- or 8-cubic-yard dumpster-type containers, each dedicated to a particular recyclable, are getting popular. High-volume recycling sites choose them to save transportation cost, as they can be emptied into packer trucks and compacted. Trailers are easy to transport with pickups.

Large rolloffs and trailers are generally divided into compartments to create source separated materials and reduce sorting cost. Two compartments are a popular choice, one for paper products such as newspapers, magazines, phonebooks, and catalogs, and the other for plastics, glass, steel, and tin containers. However, four compartments for paper, glass, plastics, and metal cans are not uncommon. The containers are divided based upon expected volumes of different recyclables. No matter how carefully the containers are divided, chances are one or more of the compartments will fill up before others, forcing people to leave recyclables outside. People may have easier time putting used newspaper into the designated compartment but have to leave plastics outside finding there is no room for them.

Whether big or small, rolloffs or dumpsters, the key to controlling overrun is to have two sets of containers. One set in use and the other one kept locked and made available only after the one in use is completely full. This will not only ensure there is always room for overflow materials, but also keeps transportation cost down by hauling containers that are full to their maximum. Extra containers, however, increase program cost, but can be justifiable to reduce overspill and in the long run programs will save money.

To increase aesthetics and contain overspill, fences can be erected around concrete floors. Many site sponsors require programs to include such site-preparation costs as part of an agreement for dropoff set up. Concrete floors should be large enough for containers and there must be adequate room around them for participants to maneuver with their recyclables. Containers placed too close to fence will leave little room for participants discouraging them to use that side leading to empty space inside containers. The hard surfaces of concrete floors allow easier rolloff placement without any ruts and they are easier to sweep and clean. Fence and gates restrict the use of dropoff to certain hours or days. Sites with recurrent problems of illegal dumping can limit dropoff use only during daylight hours.

Fences, concrete floors and their maintenance increase program cost and may not be an adequate solution to control overflow and illegal dumping. If not dropped properly, rolloffs can hit and break the fence, although guard rails can prevent the container from reaching the fence. People may decide to leave recyclables outside the gate during the closed hours. Unlike a chain-link fence, a wooden fence blocks views allowing privacy for illegal dumpers.

Proper placement of containers, particularly large rolloffs, cannot be overemphasized for reducing overflow. Recycling programs usually work with the management staff of hauling companies who may not communicate to the truck drivers the exact locations of the container placement areas. Programs can reduce such communication gaps by marking the container areas with paint and taking their pictures for truck drivers.

Monitoring And Scheduling
Regular visitation and site maintenance will keep an uncluttered situation from getting out of control. People bringing recyclables may leave them outside if they see materials on the ground. A spick-and-span site earns respect and discourages participants from contributing to an untidy situation. A junkyard-looking site with rusting containers, peeling paints, crooked signs, and broken fences will be treated like a junkyard. Adopting the philosophy of cleanliness-next-to-godliness will assist in alleviating the overflow problems.

Site monitoring involves two-prong checking: A.) regular visits on a weekly basis, and B.) conducting a comprehensive seasonal cleaning at least twice annually. Programs with multiple dropoffs check sites two to three times a week or more, often depending on the intensity of use. The purpose of regular monitoring is to schedule pulls and keep sites clean of any overflow or unwanted materials. Comprehensive cleaning is carried out to take care of any overgrown vegetation, litter, and also to fix problems with containers, lids, fence or signs.

Although site monitoring may sound like a mundane job, it requires conscientious efforts. A sincere monitor is not only a person of good judgment, but one who develops an intuitive knowledge of dropoffs and their use on weekdays, weekends, and during summer, fall, and inclement weather. A three-layer backup may make the job of monitoring easier in a situation when the main monitor is on vacation and the backup is sick or unavailable. In fact, the person in charge of dropoff should work closely with the monitor and check sites on his own. Any expectations, problems, or issues should be conveyed to the main monitor and backup.

Although programs responsible for managing multiple dropoffs assign someone for site monitoring, other sources of help should not be ignored. When it comes to keeping an eye on a dropoff, probably the best-kept secret is the host community where the site is located. Programs will have an easier time managing dropoffs if they can convince the host communities to take joint responsibility for site monitoring and cleaning. Local nonprofit organizations like Lions International, Masonic Temples, Kiwanis, Boy and Girl Scouts, and Science and Key Clubs at local high schools may adopt dropoffs. County, township, or municipal governments and private businesses may be willing to participate in checking and cleaning the site and communicating with the program. Most of these organizations provide community service free of charge or at a minimal cost.

To avoid seeing heaps of recyclables, a full container needs to be pulled immediately. A number of factors, including equipment breakdown, manpower problem, inclement weather, and error in anticipating when the container will be full, can be attributed to schedule failure. A reliable transportation contractor with adequate manpower and backup equipment goes a long way in reducing overrun problems. Before hiring a contractor or signing a contract with a hauling company, it is imperative to check or ask questions concerning how the company handles equipment malfunction or unexpected manpower problem including labor strike. Such questions can be included in the request for proposal. Unsatisfactory answers or any doubts in response should be a red flag for quality service. Even programs using their own equipment and truck should have a policy for handling unforeseen situations and may want to hire a private hauler on a need basis.

A well-managed and uncluttered dropoff starts with a good Operation and safety manual incorporating guidelines for equipment inspection and maintenance, winter operation and site checking and cleaning. The manual should have requirements for conducting regular site monitoring, a list of tools and equipment to be carried in the pickup, and additional gears needed for comprehensive cleaning. The manual should be revised and updated reflecting changes in dropoff operation. Employees associated with site monitoring, particularly persons assigned for this job should be thoroughly familiar with the content of the manual.

Participant Responsibility
Most dropoff users are very good about putting recyclables where they belong. However, participants do not constitute a monolithic group, varying by age, income, educational and cultural background. When it comes to recycling, some people may go as far as bringing recyclables and not placing them inside containers.

Physical limitations may not allow some participants to lift bags of recyclables or open container lids. A user-friendly container with low openings and light but sturdy lids may alleviate such problems. Container lids sometimes get frozen and cling to the opening borders. Hollow lids may become heavier from water collecting inside through cracks. Rolloff containers have either sliding doors which move along a metal rod, or independent lids attached with hinges. A latching system keeps lids from opening during strong winds or at the time of container transportation. Experience suggests that sliding doors create problems and programs have to replace them after a short period of use.

People leave furniture, appliances, and other bulky materials at dropoffs because they are not usually picked up at the curb by garbage haulers. Their disposal may require special arrangement and additional cost. In many rural areas as much as 25% of households do not have any garbage pickup. State laws against illegal dumping and barrel burning of garbage, brush, and yard waste are loosely enforced. Illegal dumping by hillsides and remote isolated areas are common throughout the United States. Communities providing free spring cleanups and collection events for large items and difficult-to-dispose materials may experience reduced illegal dumping.

Signs And Labels
While there are illegal dumpers who knowingly transport unacceptable materials, not all participants are aware of the various types of recyclables honored at the dropoffs. They bring windshields, window glasses, chip boards, and carton boxes, assuming they are made of glass or paper and therefore recyclables. People may not distinguish between No. 1 and No. 2 plastic containers and other plastic bottles with No. 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 underneath.

Recycling programs collect materials that have market demand as determined by their processors and end users, like steel and newspaper mills. Dropoff programs typically accept newspapers including inserts, cardboard, office paper, No. 1 and No. 2 plastic bottles, steel and aluminum cans, and green, brown and clear glass containers. Some programs go beyond typical recyclables and advertise for catalogs, phonebooks, magazines and soft-cover books.

The standards set by a processor and its marketing strategy for deciding what is acceptable could be mind-boggling, even for program managers. For example not all No. 1 and No. 2 plastic bottles are accepted by processors. Motor oil containers are No. 2 plastic bottles but considered contaminants. Large-mouth No. 1 and No. 2 plastic bottles may not be marketed. Processors avoid plastic containers and products such as margarine and butter tubs, vinyl siding, furniture and toys, swimming pools, laundry baskets or buckets, egg cartons, Styrofoam peanuts, and disposable utensils.

It is challenging for participants to keep track of materials that are acceptable at the dropoffs and the ones rejected. One approach of reducing confusion is to educate people by displaying decals showing samples of glass and plastic containers and paper products that people should recycle. Pictures of items not solicited will teach people what materials to bring and which ones to discard.

Decals and signs are wonderful tools for educating participants about various recyclables. Decals for acceptable and unwanted materials are placed near container openings. Warning signs are displayed on fences or free-standing posts. Signs can also be attached to containers especially large rolloffs. They should have unobtrusive views away from large tree branches or other large objects. They must be large enough to grab the immediate attention of participants as soon as they arrive at dropoffs. Signs indicating the presence of a surveillance camera at the site will send warning to potential dumpers.

Law Enforcement
Support from the local police departments, prosecutors and judges is an absolute necessity in the fight against dumping. It will take a lot of cajoling to convince the law enforcement agencies to keep vigilance at the dropoffs. Illegal dumping does not fall in the category of high crime and is often ignored in communities with inadequate funding for law enforcement.

Some programs have been forced to install surveillance cameras to take pictures of perpetrators in action, their vehicles, and license plates. Such quality evidence convinces local judges and prosecutors to fine or sentence dumpers according to the laws. Again installing a high-quality camera capable of generating good images, along with equipment maintenance, will raise the cost of dropoff management. However, such costs may be justified if the illegal dumping becomes a chronic problem and cannot be alleviated without going to such an extreme measure. The choices for recycling programs are difficult and costly if illegal dumpers are not deterred by warning signs.

Education And Awareness
Many programs have education specialists whose job is to teach adults and school children the virtues of recycling and waste reduction. Their curricula can incorporate information about proper way to prepare materials for recycling. Flyers can be sent home with children for educating parents.

Increasingly Web sites are being used to make people aware of local dropoff locations. Such Web sites educate people about recycling and advise against bringing unwanted materials. Posting information on Web sites about local scrap-metal dealers, Goodwill and Salvation Army stores, and recycling opportunities for appliances, computers, and other electronics, provides outlets for their disposal. Web site information on one-day collection programs for special wastes will encourage people to save them.

Weather
It is hard to believe how good weather can contribute to an untidy situation. A new recycling program will show quickly that people get their recyclables out when the weather is cooperative. The phrase good weather has a special meaning for recycling programs as it is used in a relative sense and not meant to indicate only summer or spring. Good weather can occur during the middle of a winter following a cold spell. When the sun is out and the temperature is mild for the season, dropoffs can expect more recyclables to show up. A relatively warm day during winter will encourage people to get out of the house for errands and get rid of recyclables. Participation tends to be lower during winter months, especially on snowy or colder days. Consideration of day-to-day weather conditions assists a great deal in projecting when a container needs to be pulled. A few days of continuously good weather will require pulls earlier than the norm for the season.

Recycling volumes tend to drop during the winter months. As outside activities are limited, particularly in colder climate regions, recyclables accumulate in garages, sheds, and basements. Participation starts to pick up during transition seasons when weather begins to warm and people feel like working outside or getting out. The change in recycling volume is especially noticeable in spring and continues through summer and fall. The transition periods are significant for monitoring dropoffs, as chances for making an error in scheduling pulls are high.

Container pulls pose a real challenge for high-volume dropoffs during weekends when they are busier. Pulls are scheduled around Sundays when most processing facilities are not open. Many high-volume sites are pulled on Fridays or Saturdays to avoid overflow during the weekend. If weekend pulls are not necessary, containers are pulled on Mondays to accommodate users during weekdays.

The pull schedule gets complicated when a holiday, observed by the processing facility or hauler, falls on a Friday or Monday. If a hauler does not observe a particular holiday, it may pull a container to its location and take it to the processing facility next day. Programs may be forced to schedule pulls ahead to make room for a holiday crowd. A list of holidays observed by the program, hauling contractors, and processing facilities becomes a handy tool for monitoring and scheduling pulls.

The strategy for controlling overflow and dumping is the most important part of the dropoff operation, as it affects the program costs and participation. A well-managed and clean dropoff will not only reduce costs for the program, but increase participation and recycling volume. The work for restraining overrun at a new site starts before it is actually established, by taking into consideration factors like location, site improvement, and selection of containers. These factors lay the ground work for dropoff management. Ignoring pre-setup considerations may prove to be costly, as any future problems with a dropoff rooted in these factors will force a program to seek for an alternative location. Effective management of a dropoff program is the most significant aspect of reducing overspill and dumping. It requires a culture of dedication and sincerity instilled in everyone associated with dropoff management and not just the person responsible for site monitoring. A close supervision of the site monitors and communication between them and management staff directly reflect a dropoff site’s appearance. However, the final test for a well-managed dropoff comes during the periods of transitional weather and weekends when the challenges for keeping sites clean are even tougher.   

Moe Chowdhury, Ph.D.  teaches at the University of Akron, Ohio. He can be reached at moechowdhury@earthlink.net

MSW - May/June 2006