RECYCLING TRAILERS

Revision Date: 5/00
Process Code: Navy/Marines: SR-99-99; Air Force: FA01; Army: N/A
Usage: Navy: High; Marines: High;Army: Medium; Air Force: Low
Compliance Impact: Low
Alternative for: Landfilling or Incineration
Applicable EPCRA Targeted Constituents: N/A
Overview: Compartmentalized trailers are used to separate plastics, glass, paper, aluminum and steel cans, and compostables at the source, from residential and commercial trash. This eliminates/reduces the need to sort the materials at the recycling center, which results in lower processing costs. The trailers may be placed at exterior locations around the residential areas or office buildings, allowing the residents or personnel to place each type of material in its own bin. The trailers are usually located in centralized, easily accessible locations.

Trailers are made in a wide range of sizes and types, suitable for a large variety of applications. Trailers may be up to 20 yards long, with compartments for segregated waste disposal. These compartments range between two and twenty, depending on the type and amount of waste being collected. Some trailers may be stationary; however, they are intended to be mobile with the use of a truck. The recyclables can either be emptied from the compartments or the whole trailer when full. When the trailer is full, it may be towed to a recycling center to be emptied. In addition, the compartments should be locked to prevent scavenging.

Source separation of recyclables by the waste generators requires personnel education and program support to prevent the recyclables from becoming contaminated with other materials. All recycling compartments should be clearly labeled with the types of material that are acceptable, as well as listing a point of contact (name and phone number) for additional information. A trash container should be placed next to all recycling stations to reduce contamination. Publicizing the availability and location of the containers regularly will bring in new users as well as serve existing users.

The use of recycling trailers is a simple and effective pollution prevention opportunity. Normal office and household wastes are recycled without producing any new waste streams. Recycling also helps to foster pollution prevention awareness in the office or residential areas where they are used.
Compliance Benefit: Recycling trailers are used for separating waste for recycling and composting. Recycling and composting will help facilities decrease the amount of solid waste going to landfills and therefore help address provisions of Executive Order 13101 requiring executive agencies (e.g., DOD) to incorporate waste prevention and recycling in their daily operations.

The compliance benefits listed here are only meant to be used as a general guideline and are not meant to be strictly interpreted. Actual compliance benefits will vary depending on the factors involved, e.g. the amount of workload involved.
Materials Compatibility:
No materials compatibility issues were identified


Safety and Health: The establishment of a good housekeeping program to prevent odors, visual nuisances, and pest (e.g., rodents, insects) propagation is required when implementing this technology. Consult your local industrial health specialist, your local health and safety personnel, and the appropriate MSDS prior to implementing this technology.


Benefits:
  • Reduction of landfilled waste through recycling and composting.
  • Lower processing costs for materials.
  • Separating recyclables and/or compostables at the generation source reduces the need for a materials recovery facility.
  • Trailers are mobile so they can be placed in different locations and can be hauled away when full.


Disadvantages:
  • Mixing of material types often occurs and the materials may require further sorting.
  • Some participants who do not understand which materials belong in which category or find the materials too difficult to separate may interfere with separation efforts.
  • May take up valuable space.


Economic Analysis: Recycling trailers come in a variety of styles and sizes including simple bin style, removable multiple bins, and hydraulic compaction trailers. The costs for trailers range from approximately $5,000 to $25,000. The cost elements for the collection and storage of recyclables using trailers are compared to the collection and storage of recyclables without using trailers. Trailer use can enhance labor efficiency as compared to manual handling of bags and bundles of recyclables. For the following economic analysis, the cost of recycling trailers is based on information provided by vendors:

Assumptions:

  • Adding recycling trailers to existing recycling operation.
  • Purchasing five trailers at $7,000 each.
  • Existing collection and storage requires five days of labor per week.
  • Recycling trailers reduce the collection and storage labor requirements to three days per week.
  • Labor rate: $30/hr.
  • Minimal change in recycling quantities.

Annual Operating Cost Comparison for a Recycling Operation with Recycling Trailers and a Recycling Operation Alone

 
Recycling Operation with Recycling Trailers
Recycling Operation Alone
Operational Costs:    
Labor: $37,400 $62,400
Total Operational Costs: $37,400 $62,400
Total Recovered Income: $0 $0
Net Annual Cost/Benefit: -$37,400 -$62,400

Economic Analysis Summary

    Annual Savings for Use of Recycling Trailers: $25,000
    Capital Cost for Diversion Equipment/Process: $35,000
    Payback Period for Investment in Equipment/Process: < 2 years

Click Here to view an Active Spreadsheet for this Economic Analysis and Enter Your Own Values.
Approving Authority: Approval is controlled locally and should be implemented only after engineering approval has been granted. Major claimant approval is not required.


NSN/MSDS:
Product NSN Unit Size Cost MSDS*
None Identified $  

*There are multiple MSDSs for most NSNs.
The MSDS (if shown above) is only meant to serve as an example.

Points of Contact: Air Force:
Mr. Steve Brockman
509 Civil Engineering Squadron
660 10th Street
Suite 211
Whiteman AFB, MO 65305-5074
Phone: (660) 687-6243
DSN: 975-6243
FAX: (660) 687-5164

Mr. Donald Hopson
U.S. Air Force Academy, 510 CES/CEV
8120 Edgerton Drive
Suite 40
Colorado Springs, CO 80840-2400
Phone: (719) 333-8393

Vendors: FIBREX, Inc.
3734 Cook Blvd.
Chesapeake,  VA   23323
Phone: (800) 346-4458 
or (757) 487-5744
FAX: (757) 487-5876
  Protainer, Inc.
P.O. Box 427
4941 Highway 27 East
Alexandria,  MN   56308
Phone: (800) 248-7761 
FAX: (612) 763-7667
  National Manufacturing Company
675 12th Avenue, SE
Valley City,  ND   58072
Phone: (701) 845-1017 

Sources: Mr. Steve Brockman, Whiteman AFB, April 1999.
Ms. Be, Protainer, Inc., July 1996.


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