HomeMy WebLinkAboutWWR_Meeting_2_1_14_08.pdfWaste Water Treatment Sub‐Group Meeting
Date, Time: 14 January 2008, 6:00‐9:00pm
Location: County Court House
Present: Colin Moore, Scott Bischke, Hattie Baker, Nick Bengston (citizen)
Questions for Steve Johnson (sanitation superintendant)
1. Can he provide the projected mass and % of solid waste that we expect to be diverted from landfill by the new
curbside program?
2. Can he provide the same estimate for just the municipal buildings, since that will be the focus of the May08
recommendations?
3. Can he provide the diesel (is it?) savings associated with not going to Logan with the diverted waste stream? Number
of miles, miles per gallon, pounds per load, etc. Better yet, is there any chance that he has done a carbon balance on
the ramifications of adding curbside recycling?
4. Similarly, where does the recycled materials (each type) get shipped to so that we can recognize that transportation
cost in our analysis?
5. What is the status of composting? Have we considered a city wide composting push (e.g., supplying residents with
free composters)? If we could compost it all, what % of solid waste could the city divert? Has he ever seen a carbon
balance on composting?
6. What is the status of methane collection at the landfill? Could we capture it for electricity or as fuel supply? Does the
City have any control over this possibility once we are fully at Logan?
7. What is the status of all solid waste and recycling vehicles with respect to conversion to biofuels? Is this under
consideration or possibly in progress?
8. If our goals are to increase recycling rates, increase composting, stop the venting of CH4 from the landfill(s), connect
with MSU to capture their recyclable wastes, and likely more, does Steve have any ideas that we might consider to
achieve these efforts? Can he think of any other worthwhile efforts for either the City itself or including the citizenry
and businesses that we should be considering in our efforts to reduce CO2, CH4, and other greenhouse gas release to
the atmosphere?
9. Have they ever looked into matching problems to create solutions? A perfect example is that Trident needs fuel and
the landfill, as I understand it, has excess/scrap pallets. Why not sell them to Trident to displace their need for
natural gas or diesel or whatever?
10. Also, why not grind up all the collected glass for use by JTL? Yes I am sure it is expensive and I know JTL uses way
more than Bozeman creates *but* has anyone asked JTL? Maybe they would fund the crusher or maybe they would
be open to the idea if we found grant money to purchase the grinder…
Task Force attended the city commission meeting to listen on the curbside recycling program. Due to time constraints, the task
force decided to send the list of questions to Steve Johnson and meet at a later date if needed.
Identified Goals
• Increase composting program
• Increase recycling participation (Includes city?)
• Use methane from landfill for generation
• Co‐operate with MSU efforts
Next Meeting: Water & Conservation. February 21, 2008 City Hall.
Participants: Rick Moroney, Water Treatment Plant Superintendant; Brian Heaston, Project Engineer, John Alston, Water Sewer
Superintendent
RE: Task Force Recommendations
Steve Johnson Mon 1/28/2008 9:08 AM
Hello all, lots of thoughts here. Let me answer with the information that I have.
1. Nine lbs. of recyclables per household per week. 9 x 4.33 = 39 lbs. month x 12 = 468 lbs. per
year x 1,000 HH = 468,000 / 2,000 = 234 tons.
2. No clue. D. Leverett is the best source.
3. The curbside program would save about ½ refuse truck per week about 4 ton; Logan is 56 miles
round trip, 5 mpg = 11.2 gallons. 234 tons = 28 loads to Logan x $27.00 per ton tipping fee =
$6,318.00, 28 trips x 2 hours = 56 hrs x $110.00 haul cost= $6160.00. The carbon balance is out
of my league but if it is done it should include the costs associated the users of the Binnie’s.
4. Fiber goes to Portland Or., Plastics go the Seattle, Wa., tin to Plymouth, Ut., Aluminum to Fort
Lepton, Co.
5. We run a composting program for in-house use only because of the herbicides in the grass
clippings. If this direction a good green waste can reduce the waste stream by about 30% this is
the largest bang for the buck in waste management. The back yard composter do not work in this
climate very well due to the lack of moisture. Many cities’ run a green waste curbside program
coupled with a sophisticated commercial type composting operation. The closing of our landfill will
add $500,000 a year to our haul costs to Logan so looking at waste reduction has real
measurable benefits.
6. The city would maintain the landfill. And the methane generated is too small for cost effective use.
Burning the methane is not the same as venting.
7. The recycling vehicle will be able to use biodiesel when there is fuel station supplying it.
8. A major green waste effort including the university would have the greatest impact. That a $6.00
a gallon gas.
9. We have separated the compostables from the wood waste and are selling it as hog fuel.
10. JTL has been contacted and has run two pilot projects that I know of and are not interested if a
consistent grade of material cannot be made. That cost is about $250,000.