City of Baltimore RECYCLING AND SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT MASTER PLAN Task 5 Report Prepared for: Baltimore City Potential Improvements to the Current Department of Diversion/Recycling System Public Works 15 April 2020 Prepared by: Columbia, Maryland This page intentionally left blank Less Waste, Better Baltimore | Rethinking our waste management future Table of Contents ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ....................................................................................................... 11 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 13 1.1 Overview and Approach ......................................................................................................................................... 13 1.2 Scope and Purpose ................................................................................................................................................. 14 1.3 Basis and Guidance for Analysis in Task 5 ............................................................................................................... 14 Reports Prepared to Date for the LWBB Plan .................................................................................................................................................................. 15 Baltimore Sustainability Plan (BSP) .................................................................................................................................................................................. 16 Baltimore Food Waste and Recovery Strategy (BFWRS) ................................................................................................................................................. 17 Waste to Wealth Initiative ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Climate Action Plan (CAP) ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 18 Disaster Preparedness and Planning Project (DP3) ......................................................................................................................................................... 18 1.4 Other Relevant Legislation and Key Resources ....................................................................................................... 18 Baltimore City Legislation and Resolutions ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Maryland State Legislation ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Federal Legislation ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 21 Key Resources ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 2. METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................................... 25 1 Potential Improvements to the Current Diversion/Recycling System 2.1 Stakeholder Input ................................................................................................................................................... 25 2.2 Metrics for Objective Assessment .......................................................................................................................... 26 Reduction/Diversion Potential ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Costs .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 26 Benefits ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 26 Challenges to Implementation ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 27 Experience ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 27 Timeline ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 27 2.3 Establishing the Baseline for Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 28 Existing Waste Streams .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Composition of the Disposal Waste Stream .................................................................................................................................................................... 31 2.4 Summary of Reduction and Diversion Goals .......................................................................................................... 32 2.5 Assessment of Options ........................................................................................................................................... 33 3. FOOD SCRAPS AND ORGANIC WASTE ........................................................................................... 34 3.1 Reducing Food Wastage ......................................................................................................................................... 34 Food Wastage in Baltimore .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 34 Reduction Targets ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 36 Characterization of Relevant Waste Streams .................................................................................................................................................................. 36 Reduction Potential .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 37 Options and Strategies ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 37 2 Less Waste, Better Baltimore | Rethinking our waste management future Estimated Costs ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 40 Estimated Benefits ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 41 Challenges to Implementation ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 42 Experience ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 42 Timeline ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 42 3.2 Residential Organics Diversion ............................................................................................................................... 43 Current State of Organics Diversion and Processing ....................................................................................................................................................... 43 Diversion Targets .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 45 Characterization of Relevant Waste Streams .................................................................................................................................................................