Waste contamination is an increasingly challenging barrier to effective recycling and composting efforts. Green waste contaminants, such as grass clippings and leaves, can release significant amounts of methane and other greenhouse gasses when disposed of in landfills. Greenwaste is any organic material that can be broken down into compost. Compost is converted into soil, mulch, or natural fertilizer product. Instead of composting green waste, the City of Peoria, Arizona, currently sends green waste to landfills mixed with residential and municipal solid waste. Organic material is degrading in landfills and emitting methane into the atmosphere. The City of Peoria is considering creating a more sustainable solid waste management alternative for green waste through a recycling program.
Master of Science in Environmental and Resource Management graduate student Annie Grimshaw from Al Brown’sERM 593: Applied Project conducted research to gauge the feasibility of a scaled-up green waste collection program. The research explores possible disposal options for the City of Peoria and the processes and costs associated with a municipal green waste recycling program. The report provides an overview of the benefits and challenges of green waste composting, followed by three case studies of peer community green waste programs. The case studies emphasize the importance of public-private partnerships when implementing a green waste program, largely due to its cost-saving benefits.
Following the case studies, the report details the process of converting green waste into the soil to demonstrate to Peoria the composting services companies can provide. A cost-benefit analysis details the net saving of diverting green waste from landfills. While private companies will likely charge more than expected for green waste, there are long-term savings in reducing transportation costs for a municipal collection program. Recommendations are provided to highlight how Peoria can successfully scale a green waste collection program. The goal of this report is for Peoria to use the information provided to identify a trustworthy partnership. The names and information about private green waste processing vendors are provided to the City of Peoria to consider in its green waste efforts. A City-wide green waste recycling program should increase community involvement and create a more sustainable city.