DIA Waste Composition Study

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DIA Waste Composition Study

• Dick Sprague
• Laurie Batchelder Adams
• October 15, 2008

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Introduction

• Provide Context
• Describe Waste Composition Study and Results
• Value to Colorado Airport Operators

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Context

• Greenprint Denver Goal 5 reduction in pounds
  per passenger/year landfilled
• Solid Waste Management Planning
• Denver Solid Waste Management
• DIA Environmental Programs
• 1288 Grant
• CDPHE Funding
• Denver Green Waste and Food Waste
• DIA Food Waste and AOB/Terminal Wastes

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Waste Sort Goals

• Observe effectiveness of current recycling
  program
• Identify areas for improvement (e.g., diverting
  more recyclables organics)
• Provide information supporting trash and
  recycling Request for Bids

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Waste Sources Samples
RELATIVE WASTE CONTRIBUTION BY EACH AREA (2007
data)
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Materials Sorted

• Glass, Plastic Metals Category
• Glass Food/Bev Containers
• Plastic Bottles Plastic Cups
• Plastic Service Ware
• Plastic Film
• Alum/Steel/Tin Containers
• All Other Glass/Plastics/Metal

• Paper Category
• Cardboard
• Newspaper
• Mixed Paper
• Magazines/Catalogues
• Other Paper

• Miscellaneous Residue Category
• Any material requiring special handling
• Residue

• Organics Category
• Food Waste
• Lavatory Paper Waste
• All Other Organics

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How Sort Was Accomplished(ASTM D-5231-92)

• Pre-targeted trash compactor roll-off
  containers
• Containers hauled from DIA to sorting site
• Representative samples taken from each container
• Samples manually sorted under tent covering
• 5-7 DIA staff sorters - 1 sort supervisor
• 26 samples sorted sample weight of 5,310 lbs
• Samples represented 130 tons of targeted
  container weight - or 1 of total annual waste
  generation

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Overall Results
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• AOB/Main Terminal
• 42 plastic bottles, food mixed paper
• Primary TSA screening area
• Heavily used concessionaire areas
• Majority of city office space
• Main ticketing areas

• Concourse A
• 36 newspaper, lavatory paper food
• Concessionaires
• Gate activities (Frontier commuter)
• Secondary TSA
• Offices

• Concourse C
• 40 food, newspaper other plastic
• Gate activities for commuter airlines
• Small concessionaires offices

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UAL roll-off
Core
sub-core
sub-core
sub-core
Commuter
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Concourse B Results (4 areas)

• Core - large concessionaires
• Subcores - concessionaires
• Commuter gates
• United Airlines roll-offs
• Overall 43 food, newspaper lavatory
• Core Subcores food, plastic service ware
  glass
• Commuter gates Roll-offs newspaper, plastic
  bottles/cups, magazines

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Concourse B Results
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Key Conclusions

• 875 tons of materials recycled directly from
  DIAs existing diversion program (2007)
• 4,525 tons of additional recyclables in trash
  that could have gone into DIAs existing
  diversion program (mostly paper)
• Another 4,160 tons of materials with diversion
  potential (mostly food lavatory)

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Conclusions (continued)

• These missed opportunity tons could have
• Raised DIAs recycling rate from 7 to 82
• Saved landfill disposal costs of 252,000
• Earned recyclable revenues of 119,000
• Netted 271,000
• (compost costs may have been 100k)

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Waste Study Recommendations

• Improve recycling education and signage
• Improve consistency of recycling containers
• Expand the existing recycling program
• Evaluate feasibility of diverting organics

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Waste Study Recommendations

• Improve recycling education and signage
• Improve consistency of recycling containers
• Expand the existing recycling program
• Evaluate feasibility of diverting organics

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DIA Waste Composition Study

• Dick Sprague
• dick.sprague _at_hdrinc.com
• Laurie Batchelder Adams
• lbaassoc_at_qwest.net
• October 15, 2008

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