Chapter 5 Recycling CONTENTS Page Introduction . .. 135 How Much Do We Recycle? . 135 Preparing Materials for Recycling . 136 Recycling: Technologies, Markets, Risks.... 140 Paper and Paperboard Products . .. ....0... 140 The Glass Industry . .... 150 The Aluminum Industry . 153 Batteries . .. .. ... .......+ . 156 Iron and Steel Scrap . .+ . .....”” 161 Tires . .......................... ..... 166 Used Gil . .. .......... ... 167 Plastics . ...............+.. ...............+.. .“ 168 Comporting . ........ ........ ........ 184 Pollution From Primary and Secondary Manufacturing Process, . 190 Barriers to Increased Recycling . 194 Appendix 5A: Calculating the Rate of Recycling in Japan . 203 Chapter 5 References . .. ...+.... 204 Boxes Box Page 5-A. Recycling in Japan . 136 5-B. Examples of Materials Recovery Facilities . 138 S-C. Household Battery Management in Europe and Japan . 158 S-D. Introduction to Plastics . .. .. .. ... ..+. 172 5-E. Degradable Plastics and MSW . 180 5-F. Anaerobic Systems . 185 5-G. Pollutants Generated in Secondary Manufacturing Processes . 192 Figures Figure Page 5-1. MSW Recycling Rates: Estimates by Franklin Associates and lndustry . 137 5-2. Producer Price Indexes: Waste Paper, Woodpulp, and Pulpwood . 141 5-3. Wastepaper Utilization Rate, By Paper product . 145 5-4. Wastepaper Utilization Rate, By Paperboard Product . 147 5-5. Waste Paper Use in Recycled Paperboard By Grade . 148 5-6. U.S. Exports of Waste Paper By Grade.. 149 5-7. Battery Recycling Rates and bad prices . 161 5-8. Plastics Markets, 1986 . 169 Table Table Page 5-1. Estimated Energy Used To Produce Paper and Paperboard Products . 144 5-2. Specifications for Furnace-Ready Culled . 151 5-3. Energy Consumption Associated With Manufacturing Glass . 152 5-4. Major U.S. Resin Market& 1986 . 170 5-5. Energy Requirements To Produce Selected Plastics . 177 5-6. Operational Mixed MSW Comporting Facilities in the United States . 189 5-7. Selected State Standards for Compost Products . 191 5-8. Overview of the Recycling System for Various Materials: Limiting Factors and Incentive Points . 196 5-9. Estimated Costs for Special Tax Treatment for Virgin Materials Production, Fiscal Years 1980 to 1989 . 198 5-10. Estimated Effects of Tax Subsidies on Virgin Materials Prices and Of Eliminating Virgin Materials Subsidies on Recycling of Secondary Materials . 202 A-1. Estimated Rates of Recycling in Japan . 203 Chapter 5 Recycling INTRODUCTION observers agree that waste from residential, com- mercial, and industrial sectors should be counted, Recycling is not a new phenomenon, at least not but what about junked automobiles, construction in concept. America’s early settlers recycled as a and demolition waste, and that portion of industrial matter of survival, turning corn husks into mat- waste that is disposed along with what is more tresses and old clothes into quilts. The materials commonly thought of as MSW? conservation efforts so critical during World War 11 are not so distant that we have forgotten a time when Experts also disagree about how to account for used aluminum foil was carefully saved. In fact, waste from manufacturing processes, such as alumi- most of us have recycled materials at some point in num scrap from can-making and paper scrap from our lives—typically paper, aluminum, or glass. box-making. The manufacturing sector typically considers this waste as post-consumer. However, But recycling is receiving increasing attention these portions of the scrap stream are not included in today as the Nation begins to grapple with the most accountings of MSW recycling—--most observ- problems caused by MSW. Increased recycling is a ers consider them to be pre-consumer. Actually, goal for many State and local governments, private manufacturing wastes are more appropriately di- companies, and public interest groups. The topic of vided into three categories: recycling is extremely complicated, and OTA be- lieves it would be a disservice to oversimplify the . “home scrap” produced and reused inside a facts. As a result, this chapter is long and detailed, production facility, but such detail is needed to understand the likely . “prompt industrial scrap*’ produced in an effectiveness of different recycling policy options. intermediate stage of processing and returned Recycling actually consists of three different to the basic production facility for reuse, and activities: collecting secondary materials, preparing ● ‘‘old scrap” (post-consumer) generated by the those materials for market, and the actual recycling product’s final consumer, of the materials by manufacturing new products. The first section of this chapter briefly overviews recy- This assessment considers the first two categories cling rates for different materials and presents of scrap to be pre-consumer waste; almost all of this information on collection and preparation. The waste is recycled as common practice in manufactur- second section discusses technologies and markets ing as a way to reduce materials procurement and for individual secondary materials. The third section disposal costs. The significant issue from an MSW discusses pollutants associated with manufacturing perspective, then, is old scrap. Unfortunate y, availa- processes that use virgin or secondary materials. The ble statistics on recycled materials do not always final section discusses general characteristics of provide information on all three categories of scrap. commodity markets and barriers inhibiting the use These problems are not confined to the United States of secondary materials. (See box 5-A). The most frequently reported estimate for a How Much Do We Recycle? national MSW recycling rate is 10 percent (81). This It is difficult to provide accurate estimates of the does not include home and prompt industrial scrap. amount of materials recycled in the United States material recycled at the industrial and manufactur- because existing data for most materials are unreli- ing level. This figure also does not include what able, especially in the MSW category. The lack of a modest recycling may take place at home, such as consistent definition for MSW is a problem. Most reuse of plastic containers or yard and food waste –135- 136 ● Facing America’s Trash: What Next for Municipal Solid Waste? waste paper (this is higher than the Franklin estimate Box 5-A—Recycling in Japan of 22.6 percent because it includes pre-consumer waste). Aluminum recycling has also increased; Japan is known as a nation that recycles. Indeed, recycling has been practiced within the private according to the Aluminum Association, recovery of sector for hundreds of years. However, the amount aluminum from MSW is now around 43 percent. of MSW in Japan that is recycled is difficult to estimate for several reasons. First, neither the Increases in recovery of ferrous metals, plastics, national government nor the private sector maintain and yard waste also have been occurring as more aggregate recycling data or estimate an overall communities and businesses implement recycling recycling rate. Second, the Japanese do not include programs and build processing facilities. Changes materials that are recovered and recycled in their are occurring so quickly that information may be definition of MSW; instead they only include waste outdated even as it is reported. materials sent to landfills and incinerators ( 108,2 13). 1 This differs significantly from the definitions of MSW commonly used in the United States. Preparing Materials for Recycling Some experts estimate that the recycling rate in Japan is around 50 percent (108,213). In contrast, MSW can be collected in a variety of ways: as OTA estimates that the rate may be as low as 26 to mixed wastes, with commingled recyclable, or with 39 percent, at least for materials for which data are separated recyclable. How materials are collected available. Japanese officials also express varied affects the kind of preparation needed before recov- estimates of the rate (108,180). Appendix A ex- ered materials can be manufactured into new recy- plains OTA’s calculations and why its estimates cled products. A variety of technologies and meth- differ from the estimate of 50 percent. The calcula- ods are used to sort recyclable materials, remove tions indicate the great difficulties involved in estimating recycling rates. contaminants, and prepare materials for marketing. Sometimes, this preparation takes place at central- Whether Japan recycles at a rate of 30 or 50 percent, it still sends a clear message that the United ized facilities, commonly referred to as Materials States could improve its current recycling rate of 10 Recovery Facilities (MRFs). A MRF can help percent dramatically. However, if the lower esti- reduce separation demands on waste generators and mate proves correct it would indicate that high can respond relatively quickly to changing demands national recycling rates can be difficult to achieve, of materials markets. About 12 MRFs were in even in a country noted for its dependence on operation in the United States in mid-1989, and more imports of raw materials, its homogeneous culture, are planned (100). and its propensity for citizen cooperation in com- munity activities. The choices of equipment and design for a MRF depend on the types of materials being recovered, IMOSt Jap~ese municipalities require citizens to SOrt MSW itl10 two the type and degree of contamination of incoming categones-<ombustibles for incineration (e.g., paper. food waste, and material, the requirements of the