EREF releases analysis on national landfill tipping fees for 2020

The Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) released its “Analysis of MSW Landfill Tipping Fees: 2020” report Jan. 29. In the 2020 report, EREF obtained tipping fee information from 439 municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills across the U.S.

• 12 percent were large (i.e., accepting more than 390,000 tons per year);
• 46 percent were medium (i.e., accepting between 390,000 and 65,000 tons per year); and
• 42 percent were small (i.e., accepting less than 65,000 tons per year).

Of the landfills analyzed, the small landfills averaged 26,480 tons of incoming waste per year, medium landfills averaged 166,516 incoming tons per year, and large landfills averaged 809,455 incoming tons per year.

Small landfills accounted for the highest tipping fees for MSW ($55.72 per ton) compared with medium landfills ($50.87 per ton) and large landfills ($53.43 per ton). The average MSW tipping fee across the country was $53.72 per ton, which was a 3 percent decrease from 2019, when the average was $55.36 per ton.

Just as MSW tip fees fluctuated depending on the size of the landfill, they also fluctuated based on where the facility was located.

• The average fee in the Pacific region was $72.03. This included Alaska ($142.33), Arizona ($44.89), California ($58.48), Hawaii ($114.33), Idaho ($59.02), Nevada ($39.90), Oregon ($71.53) and Washington ($95.99).
• The average fee in the Northeast region was $68.69. This included Connecticut (no active landfills in state), Delaware ($85), Maine ($75.21), Maryland ($66.73), Massachusetts (not reported), New Hampshire ($74.34), New Jersey ($78.80), New York ($71.71), Pennsylvania ($73.45), Rhode Island ($115), Vermont ($101.95), Virginia ($53.43) and West Virginia ($54.66).
• The average fee in the Mountains/Plains region was $47.83. This included Colorado ($58.42), Montana ($32.06), North Dakota ($48), South Dakota ($51.22), Utah ($33.80) and Wyoming ($57.64).
• The average fee in the Midwest region was $47.85. This included Illinois ($51.71), Indiana ($36.27), Iowa ($47.07), Kansas ($42.79), Michigan ($42.77), Minnesota ($57.78), Missouri ($67.91), Nebraska ($41.47), Ohio ($45.39) and Wisconsin ($61).
• The average fee in the Southeast region was $46.26. This included Alabama ($32.93), Florida ($56.51), Georgia ($47.88), Kentucky ($36.32), Mississippi ($30.36), North Carolina ($45.97), South Carolina ($45.91) and Tennessee ($51.53).
• The average fee in the South Central region was $39.66. This included Arkansas ($30.53), Louisiana ($37.53), New Mexico ($38.20), Oklahoma ($44.76) and Texas ($42.22).

From 2019 to 2020, the average tip fee fell by $1 in the Pacific, increased by $2.16 in the Northeast, fell by $2.88 in the Mountains/Plains and by $1.02 in the Midwest, increased by $1.01 in the Southeast and fell by $1.26 in the South Central region.

Despite the mixed bag in increases and decreases year over year, fees clearly have been trending upward in recent years. From 2016 to 2020, average year-over-year fees have increased by 4.4 percent in both the Pacific and Northeast, 2.7 percent in the Mountains/Plains, 5.6 percent in the Midwest, 1.1 percent in the Southeast and 2.82 percent in the South Central region.

In addition to collecting MSW tip fee data, EREF also collected information relating to construction and demolition (C&D) wastes deposited at MSW landfills.

According to EREF, C&D waste is accepted at MSW landfills in 41 states and comprises roughly 12 percent of the landfilled stream. Of the 437 landfills surveyed, 277 had a specified gate rate for C&D materials, though the difference was largely negligible on average. The national average tip fee for C&D waste was $52.67. Fifty-eight percent of landfills set the same tip fees for MSW and C&D waste, C&D tip fees were lower than MSW at 23 percent of sites, and C&D tip fees were higher than MSW at 19 percent of the landfills.

In summarizing the entire subset of data, the report’s authors conclude regression analysis doesn’t show a correlation between higher population density and higher landfill tip fees.

“A regression analysis on all tip fees collected showed a limited relationship between tip fees and population density, suggesting that the wide variation in fees is not necessarily associated with population density,” the report states. “An additional regression analysis of tip fees based on population alone showed no relationship between tip fees and total population. These mixed results suggest that greater population density and the associated increase in waste generation has a minor impact on tip fees, and factors such as interstate transport, local regulations and policies, and public/private status of the landfill might have greater influence.”

Call2Recycle recycles 8.4M pounds of batteries in 2020

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To celebrate National Battery Day Feb. 18, Call2Recycle says it wants to celebrate the 8.4 million pounds of batteries that its collection partners, stewards and consumers recycled throughout the U.S. in 2020. This marks an 11 percent increase from what it recycled in 2019.

Call2Recycle is an Atlanta-based consumer battery stewardship and recycling program.

Call2Recycle reports that there was concern that battery recycling levels could decrease in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a recent Ipsos survey that Call2Recycle commissioned, consumer recycling trends remained robust in 2020, mirroring each other on the East and West Coast. Call2Recycle says more than half of respondents in Vermont and California reported they recycled all or some of their batteries in 2020, while more than 40 percent of respondents were storing all or some of their consumer batteries for a future recycling trip.

According to a news release from Call2Recycle on these latest figures, the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders affected the organization's rechargeable battery collections, which declined 10 percent from 2019. However, Call2Recycle says its total volume of batteries collected led to higher numbers, surpassing its record collections set in 2017. The program reports that the increased usage and handling of batteries in 2020 places “an even greater need for consumers to understand the safety and environmental risks associated with improperly managing batteries at their end of life.”

In 2020, Call2Recycle says it noticed a surge in its partners’ commitment to recycle primary batteries, with 3.2 million pounds of primary batteries collected, a growth of 77 percent compared with 2019.

BTS Biogas expands to bring anaerobic digestion projects to North America

BTS Biogas announced on Feb. 19 that the Italy-based company is expanding into North America. As a wholly owned subsidiary of BTS Biogas, the newly formed BTS North America (BTS NA) will serve as the official technology provider to Bioenergy Devco (BDC). Together, the companies will facilitate the finance, design, engineering, construction and operations of anaerobic digestion projects across the United States.

With more than 20 years of experience in the design, construction and operation of more than 230 anaerobic digestion facilities worldwide, BTS Biogas leverages its proprietary technology globally. According to the company, this technology includes plant-wide, real-time telemetry and modular design within an enclosed environment. BTS says this technology ensures anaerobic digestion projects efficiently divert excess organics headed for incineration and landfill disposal while generating carbon-negative renewable energy and healthy soil amendments.

The company's new North American division will be headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, and will be overseen by BTS Managing Director Christine McKiernan. While the headquarters will remain unoccupied until public health concerns around COVID-19 subside, the space is expected to host employees by the end of 2021.

"We are incredibly proud to bring the BTS Biogas team to North America," BTS Biogas CEO Franco Lusuriello says. "America's Mid-Atlantic region has been an important incubator for innovative, utility-grade anaerobic digestion technology. As the technology provider for Bioenergy Devco's flagship facilities in Maryland and Delaware, we will continue our critical work of delivering innovative solutions that advance both clean energy and zero waste agendas for the country's food industry, municipalities and waste management system. We look forward to working hand-in-hand with BDC as they extend their reach throughout the U.S. to meet the growing demand for carbon-negative renewable energy for local homeowners and businesses."

McKiernan, who has more than 30 years of experience in the renewable energy and anaerobic digestion industries, will manage the subsidiary's operations and oversee services provided to Bioenergy Devco's Maryland Food Center facility and Bioenergy Innovation Center, including engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracting, as well as technology and maintenance. Prior to joining BTS NA, she led project development efforts around organics recovery facilities in the United States for Suez North America.

"BTS Biogas' longstanding expertise pairs well with Christine's extraordinary engineering talents in optimizing sustainable anaerobic digestion technology. BTS North America, working together with Bioenergy Devco, is proving invaluable to our ongoing construction of large-scale anaerobic digestion operations here in the United States," Shawn Kreloff, CEO of Bioenergy Devco, says. "With several utility-grade facilities in development and a robust pipeline of projects across the country, the combination of both companies reflects the extraordinary demand, growth and momentum for combined renewable energy and organics recycling solutions. These solutions help combat the climate crisis, facilitate sustainable agriculture and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels."

Waste Pro program boosts truck driving workforce

Longwood, Florida-based Waste Pro USA Inc. says its Co-Heart program has reached a milestone in the form of its 300th commercial driver’s license (CDL) graduate.

The program, created in 2015, gives Waste Pro employees of all levels—including drivers, helpers, supervisors and managers—an opportunity to receive one-on-one training and earn a CDL. The program was created and is led by Corporate Operations Trainer Robert Bourcheau, a state-approved examiner and instructor in Florida.

In the course, students work with Bourcheau on advanced backing and driving skills, rollover prevention and other truck driving aspects in preparation for the CDL exam. The tests are conducted at Waste Pro’s Regional Operations Center in Sanford, Florida, a state-approved CDL testing site. Waste Pro says it is only one of two solid waste companies in the state that work with the Florida Department of Transportation to offer such a program.

The 300th graduate of the program, who earned his CDL in February 2021, is Willy Previl, who started at Waste Pro’s Ft. Myers, Florida, division as a helper in 2020 and has since been promoted to driver. He is the cousin of Ft. Myers driver Ickson Pierre, who also is a graduate of the program, and recently earned his first $10,000 Safety Award for three years of safe driving.

“Being a Waste Pro runs in the family here in Ft. Myers,” says Division Manager Bill Jones.

Previl said Pierre’s accomplishment inspired him to participate in the Co-Heart program and earn his CDL. Ft. Myers helper Anthony Jones also earned his CDL in February.

Sanford Police Officer Sean Hill attended a ceremony honoring Willy and other recent graduates of the program and spoke about the importance of being vigilant behind the wheel and looking out for aggressive driving, major traffic violations and other topics.

Waste Pro, which operates in 10 southeastern states, serves more than 2 million residential and 40,000 commercial customers while earning revenue exceeding $760 million per year.