2019-allegheny-county-swmp-update.pdf

2019 MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE

MANAGEMENT PLAN

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

September 2018

Printed with 30% Post-Consumer Content

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

2019 Municipal Solid Waste Management Plan

September 2018

Prepared For:

Allegheny County Health Department 3901 Penn Avenue Building #5

Pittsburgh, PA 15224

Prepared By:

Barton & Loguidice 3901 Hartzdale Drive - Suite 101 Camp Hill, Pennsylvania 17011

Thanks to the people who volunteered their time and input during the preparation of the Allegheny County Municipal Solid Waste Management Plan.

Allegheny County Solid Waste Advisory Committee Members and PADEP Staff Members (in alphabetical order) Joseph Brunner Jr.

Michael Corcoran

Bradley Cunningham Scott Dellinger Cynde Harris Gabe Hudock

William Klimovich John McGoran Myrna Newman Ambrose Rocca Joy Smallwood Justin Stockdale

Rudy Sukal Sharon Svitek

And to Barton & Loguidice’s subconsultants for this project:

E. Holdings, Inc.

Stratecom Solutions

Special thanks to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection who provided Act 101, Section 901 grant funding for a significant portion of this project.

This Page Intentionally Left Blank

Municipal Waste Management Plan Table of Contents

Allegheny County, PA TOC-1 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY E-1

GLOSSARY OF TERMS GOT-1

ACRONYM LIST A-10

INTRODUCTION I-1

1.0 Introduction I-1

CHAPTER 1 - DESCRIPTION OF WASTE 1-1

1.1 Purpose 1-1

1.2 Characteristics of Allegheny County 1-1

1.3 Residential, Commercial, and Institutional Fraction of the Municipal Waste Stream 1-5

1.4 Construction and Demolition Waste 1-6

1.5 Biosolids and Septage Waste 1-6

1.6 Yard Waste and Recycling 1-8

1.7 Regulated Medical and Chemotherapeutic Waste 1-10

1.8 Household Hazardous Waste 1-11

1.9 Covered Devices (Electronics) Recycling 1-12

1.10 Residual Waste 1-13

1.11 Bulky Waste 1-14

1.12 Pharmaceutical Waste 1-14

1.13 Home Health Care Waste 1-15

CHAPTER 2 - DESCRIPTION OF FACILITIES 2-1

2.1 Existing Waste Disposal Facilities 2-1

2.2 Existing Waste Transfer Stations 2-2

2.3 Sites for Agricultural Utilization of Biosolids 2-5

2.4 Consideration of Existing Facilities 2-5

CHAPTER 3 - ESTIMATED FUTURE CAPACITY 3-1

3.1 Future County Population Projections 3-3

3.2 Waste and Recyclables Projections 3-4

3.3 Per Capita Waste Disposal Rates 3-5

3.4 Future County Municipal Waste Generation for Disposal Projections 3-8

3.5 Possible Variations in Future Waste Generation for Disposal Projections 3-9

3.6 Total Contracted Disposal Capacity Needs and Solicitation 3-14

CHAPTER 4 -DESCRIPTION OF RECYCLING PROGRAM 4-1

4.1 The Materials Addressed by Act 101 4-1

4.2 Amount of Materials Recycled 4-8

4.3 Existing Material Recovery and Reuse Operations 4-14

4.3.1 Recyclables Processing Facilities 4-14

4.3.2 Organics Management Facilities in Allegheny County 4-15

4.3.3 Recyclables Drop-off Sites 4-17

Allegheny County, PA TOC-2 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

4.3.4 Other Private Regional Facilities 4-22

4.3.5 Reuse 4-22

4.4 Summary of Municipal Recycling Programs 4-22

4.5 Changes in Act 101 and Impact of These Changes on the County 4-24

4.6 Environmental Benefits of Recycling 4-25

4.7 Allegheny County Recycling in Relation to PA Recycling Goals 4-26

4.8 Athletic and Collegiate Recycling Programs 4-38

CHAPTER 5 – SELECTION AND JUSTIFICATION 5-42

5.1 Securing Waste Disposal Capacity for Allegheny County 5-1

5.1.1 Waste Disposal Capacity Assurance in Allegheny County 5-2

5.2 Overview of Current Municipal Waste Management System 5-4

5.3 Waste and Recyclables Management – Alternatives 5-5

5.3.1 Waste and Recyclables Collection 5-5

5.3.1.1 MSW Collection 5-5

5.3.1.2 Recyclables 5-7

5.3.1.3 Hauler Licensing or Oversight 5-9

5.3.2 Waste and Recyclables Transportation and Disposal 5-10

5.3.2.1 Transportation of MSW to Disposal Sites 5-10

5.3.2.2 Transportation of Recyclables to Collection/ Processing Site 5-10

5.4 New Program Recycling Goals and Opportunities 5-11

5.5 Waste and Recycling System Recommendations 5-12

5.5.1 Waste and Recyclables Collection Recommendations 5-12

5.5.1.2 Recommendation C1 Contracted Waste/Recycling Collection 5-12

5.5.1.3 Recommendation C2 Voluntary Residential Curbside Recycling Collection 5-13

5.5.1.4 Recommendation C3 Standardization of Recyclable Materials 5-13

5.5.2 Waste and Recyclables Transportation 5-14

5.5.2.1 Recommendation T1 Transfer of Waste 5-14

5.5.2.2 Recommendation T2 Transfer of Recyclables 5-14

5.5.3 Waste Disposal 5-14

5.5.3.1 Recommendation D1 Waste Disposal Capacity 5-14

5.5.4 Management and Sustainability of Programs 5-15

5.5.4.1 Recommendation MS1 Responsibilities of Allegheny County 5-15

5.5.4.2 Recommendation MS2 Program Support and Funding Options 5-15

5.5.5 Recyclables Drop-offs 5-18

5.5.5.1 Recommendation DO1 Drop-off Recycling 5-18

5.5.6 Illegal Dumping 5-18

5.5.6.1 Recommendation ID1 Illegal Dumping 5-18

5.5.7 Yard and Food Waste/ Organics Composting 5-19

5.5.7.1 Recommendation OC1 Curbside Organics Collection 5-19

Allegheny County, PA TOC-3 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

5.5.7.2 Recommendation OC2 Operation of Compost Facilities 5-19

5.5.7.3 Recommendation OC3 Food Waste Composting 5-20

5.5.8 Increasing Recycling 5-20

5.5.8.1 Recommendation R1 Corrugated Cardboard and Paper Recycling 5-20

5.5.8.2 Recommendation R2 Electronics Recycling 5-20

5.5.8.3 Recommendation R3 HHW Collections 5-23

5.5.8.4 Feasibility Study Results and Recommendations - 5-25

5.5.8.5 Recommendation R4 C&D Waste and Recycling 5-26

5.5.8.6 Recommendation R5 Education 5-27

5.5.8.7 Recommendation R6 Big Event Recycling 5-28

5.5.9 Biosolids and Septage 5-28

5.5.9.1 Recommendation B&S1 Biosolids 5-28

5.5.9.2 Recommendation B&S2 Septage 5-28

5.5.10 Regulated Medical and Chemotherapeutic Waste and Home Health Waste 5-29

5.5.10.1 Recommendation MW1 Regulated Medical and Chemotherapeutic Waste 5-29

5.5.10.2 Recommendation MW2 Pharmaceutical Waste 5-29

5.5.10.3 Recommendation MW3 Home Health Waste – 5-29

5.5.11 Ash and Asbestos 5-29

5.5.11.1 Recommendation AA1 Ash and Asbestos – 5-29

CHAPTER 6 - LOCATION OF FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS 6-1

6.1 Location of Disposal/Processing Facilities 6-1

6.2 Location of Drop-Off Recycling Centers 6-5

6.3 Yard Waste/Composting Program Locations 6-5

6.4 Material Recovery Facility (MRF) Locations 6-5

6.5 Petition Information for Non-Designated Facilities 6-9

CHAPTER 7 - IMPLEMENTING ENTITY IDENTIFICATION 7-1

CHAPTER 8 - PUBLIC FUNCTION 8-1

8.1 Public Function 8-1

8.2 County Ownership 8-1

8.3 Revenues and Expenses 8-2

CHAPTER 9 -COPIES OF ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS, AND IMPLEMENTING

DOCUMENTS 9-1

CHAPTER 10 - ORDERLY EXTENSION 10-1

CHAPTER 11 - OTHER INFORMATION 11-1

11.1 Marcellus Shale 11-1

11.2 Illegal Dumping 11-2

11.2.1 Issues and Causes 11-2

11.2.2 Statewide Dump Surveys 11-3

11.2.3 Causes of Illegal Dumpsites 11-4

Allegheny County, PA TOC-4 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

11.2.4 Dump Survey Study for Allegheny County 11-5

11.3 Funding for Allegheny County Programs 11-6

11.4 Future Challenges of Waste Management in Allegheny County 11-6

CHAPTER 12 - NON-INTERFERENCE 12-1

CHAPTER 13 - PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 13-1

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1-1 Allegheny County Municipalities Figure 6-1 Allegheny County Designated Disposal Facilities Figure 6-2 Allegheny County Material Recovery Facilities

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1-1 Allegheny County Municipalities Table 1-2 Allegheny County Population Projections Table 1-3 Allegheny County Residential, Commercial, and Institutional Waste and

Recyclables Quantities for 2010-2016 Table 1-4 SOI Respondents Guaranteed Minimum Tonnage for Sewage Sludge Table 1-5 Estimated Yard Waste Generated, Disposed, Recycling and Composted Table 1-6 Allegheny County Residual Waste Tonnages for 2011-2016 Table 2-1 MSW Accepted at Landfills with Executed Contracts with Allegheny County Table 2-2 Allegheny County Contracted Disposal Facilities Table 2-3 Existing Permitted Transfer Stations in Allegheny County Table 2-4 Existing Permitted Transfer Stations Located in Contiguous Counties Table 3-1 Allegheny County MSW and C&D Accepted at Disposal Facilities Table 3-2 Historic and Projected Populations for Allegheny County Table 3-3 Allegheny County Waste (By Waste Type) and Recyclables/Organics

Disposed/Diverted 2010-2016 Table 3-4 Waste and Recycling Projections 2015-2030 Table 3-5 Waste Disposal Capacity Assurance Table 4-1 Residential and Commercial E-Waste Recycling Tonnage for 2011-2016 Table 4-2 MRFs Located in Allegheny County Table 4-3 Allegheny County Yard Waste Composting Sites Table 4-4 Materials Accepted by Drop-Off Facilities in the Area Table 4-5 Allegheny County Materials Recycled Table 4-6 Municipal Recycling Programs Table 4-7 CMU Campus Recycling Totals Table 5-1 Donated Disposal Tonnage for Non-Profit and/or Public Cleanup Events Table 6-1 Regional Landfill and Transfer Station Locations Table 6-2 Location of Drop Off Recycling Centers Table 6-3 Yard Waste Composting Facilities Operated by Municipalities

Allegheny County, PA TOC-5 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

Table 6-4 Yard Waste Composting and General Permit Facilities Privately Operated Table 6-5 Permitted Material Recovery Facilities

LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX A SOLICITATION OF INTEREST FOR WASTE DISPOSAL CAPACITY

ASSURANCE

v SOI AND SAMPLE DISPOSAL AGREEMENTS v SOI PROOF OF PUBLICATION v TABLE 1 - COMPLETENESS REVIEWS v TABLE 2 - CEILING TIPPING FEES v TABLE 3 - BACK UP DISPOSAL FACILITIES v RECOMMENDATIONS MEMORANDUM v PACKET FOR PETITIONING

APPENDIX B WASTE AND RECYCLING TONNAGES

v RE-TRAC REPORTS 2010-2016 v WASTE DESTINATION REPORTS 2010-2016

APPENDIX C SURVEY RESPONSES

v MUNICIPAL SURVEY RESULTS v RMW GENERATORS SURVEY RESULTS v RMW HAULERS SURVEY RESULTS v SEWAGE SLUDGE SURVEY RESULTS v WWTP SURVEY RESULTS v SURVEY SUMMARIES

APPENDIX D RECYCLING RECOMMENDATIONS/GOALS

v HHW AND E-WASTE FEASIBILITY STUDY v KEY CARD PROGRAM INFORMATION

APPENDIX E CDRA INFORMATION

v HOUSE BILL 708 v CDRA DEFINITION v CDRA OVERVIEW v PADEP ELECTRONICS RECYCLING INFORMATION

APPENDIX F COMPOSTING

v BACKYARD COMPOSTING v GRASSCYCLING

APPENDIX G RECYCLING BENEFITS

v WASTE COMPOSITION TABLES

· STATE WASTE COMPOSITION TABLE

· NATIONAL WASTE COMPOSITION TABLE

Municipal Waste Management Plan Executive Summary

Allegheny County, PA TOC-6 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

v EPA WARM MODEL ALLEGHENY COUNTY

APPENDIX H INITIATIVES

v RECOMMENDED INITIATIVES AND RANKINGS

APPENDIX I SAMPLE BID DOCUMENTS, ORDINANCES AND FORMS

v SAMPLE HAULER LETTER FOR BUSINESSES AND HAULERS

FOR RECYCLING REPORTING

v PROP FORMS FM-11, FORM FM-12 AND FORM FM-13 v SAMPLE RECYCLING MUNICIPAL BID DOCUMENT v SAMPLE WASTE AND RECYCLING MUNICIPAL BID DOCUMENT v SAMPLE RECYCLING ORDINANCE v SAMPLE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLABLES DROP OFF

ORDINANCE

v SAMPLE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING ORDINANCE

APPENDIX J ORDINANCES AND REGULATIONS

v ARTICLE VIII SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING RULES AND

REGULATIONS

v ALLEGHENY COUNTY OPEN BURN ORDINANCE

APPENDIX K PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

v SWAC MEETING #1 v SWAC MEETING #2 v SWAC MEETING #3 v SWAC MEETING #4

APPENDIX L ATHLETIC AND COLLEGIATE RECYCLING PROGRAM INFORMATION

v PITTSBURGH PIRATES RECYCLING PROGRAM INFORMATION v CMU RECYCLING PROGRAM INFORMATION

APPENDIX M PLAN FINALIZATION

v ACHD MUNICIPAL NOTIFICATION OF SWMP v 30 DAY REVIEW PERIOD NOTIFICATION v ALLEGHENY COUNTY FINAL ADOPTION RESOLUTION v EXECUTED AGREEMENTS

APPENDIX N RESERVED

Allegheny County, PA E-1 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Background The Municipal Waste Management Plan for Allegheny County is being undertaken in response to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (PADEP) mandate that County Municipal Waste Management Plans must normally be updated every 10-years. The existing Municipal Waste Management Plan for Allegheny County was ratified and adopted by the County Executive in December 2008 and approved by PADEP in June 2009. The disposal capacity agreements that were executed between Allegheny County and multiple waste disposal facilities in accordance with the 2006 SWMP expire on December 31, 2018.

The major goals of this update were:

· Securing sufficient capacity for Allegheny County for the disposal of municipal waste generated from within its boundaries by residents, businesses and institutions of the County for at least a 10-year period.

· Showing how the County intends to continue to provide recycling opportunities for residents and businesses in an effort to move toward the 35% State recycling goal.

· Developing a Feasibility Study to evaluate the development of a centrally located, year-round, HHW and e-waste drop-off facility.

The Municipal Waste Management Plan Update for Allegheny County includes a term of 10-years, from 2019 through 2028. The plan combines waste reduction, recycling of materials and the transport of the remaining municipal waste to multiple disposal facilities contracted to accept Allegheny County's municipal waste.

It is with the aforementioned three primary (3) goals, along with the PADEP planning mandate, that this update of the Municipal Waste Management Plan for Allegheny County was conducted.

Benefits of the Plan The Municipal Waste Management Plan Update will provide the following benefits to Allegheny County, its 130 constituent municipalities, its citizens and its businesses:

· Promote public health through the reduction of water and land pollution by proper waste disposal.

· Reduce air pollution and other environmental forms of environmental pollution through recycling efforts (as demonstrated through the EPA WARM Model).

· Reduce the amount (volume and weight) of municipal solid waste (MSW) to be disposed of in landfills through waste reduction and the recycling of materials and organics in the waste stream, i.e. household hazardous waste (HHW) and yard waste materials.

· Utilize best available, practical, cost-effective waste management technologies.

· Foster better communications on integrated waste management opportunities among the County, municipalities, residents and businesses, and the solid waste and recycling industry.

Allegheny County, PA E-2 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

· Utilize the capabilities of private enterprise in accomplishing the desired objectives of an effective, comprehensive solid waste management system.

Major Features of the Plan

· Ninety-nine (99) out of the 130 municipalities currently have residential access to

(both public and private) recyclables collection (both curbside and drop-off).

· Seventeen (17) municipalities operate yard waste composting facilities in Allegheny

County.

· Twelve private entities operate yard waste composting facilities in Allegheny

County.

· Thirty-four (34) municipalities with drop-off recycling centers sponsored by a combination of Allegheny County, various municipalities, and waste haulers to offer recycling to residents in rural areas and areas that don’t otherwise have access to recycling;

· The availability of waste and recyclables transfer stations and disposal sites (landfills) to accept all municipal waste generated in Allegheny County, transported by waste haulers or individuals, to one (1) or more of the facilities designated as approved to accept Allegheny County's municipal waste;

· Waste reduction through backyard composting and recycling education efforts on reducing the generation of waste.

· HHW and e-waste recycling offered through a combination of Pennsylvania Resource Council/County sponsored drop-off events, ECS&R sponsored drop-off events, and curbside collection by local waste haulers.

Goals of the Plan The following summarizes the priority goals of the plan to be encouraged, explored or maintained over the ten-year planning period:

· Assure waste disposal capacity over the ten year planning period through long term contracts

· Assure the proper reporting of Allegheny County generated waste disposal through contracts

· Encourage contracted collection of waste and/or recyclables

· Encourage optional curbside recycling via municipal ordinance

· Consider the standardization of recyclable materials collected in the County as a joint effort with local material recovery facilities, haulers, processing facilities, municipalities, and the County

· Explore program support and funding options

· Maintain the current recyclables drop-off locations throughout the County

· Explore the feasibility of expanding the materials collected at the existing drop-off locations

· Maintain the existing yard waste composting sites located throughout the County

· Explore the opportunities to increase corrugated cardboard recycling in the County

· Encourage curbside collection of e-waste and HHW material through an optional bid item in the municipal contract/bid document

Allegheny County, PA E-3 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

· Explore the development of a year-round permanent e-waste and HHW facility, dependent on funding opportunities

· Maintain support of HHW and e-waste collection events held in Allegheny County

· Encourage construction and demolition waste diversion and source reduction

· Maintain support of continuing education

Waste Disposal Capacity Assurance As stated previously, Allegheny County is required to secure sufficient capacity for the disposal of municipal waste generated from within its boundaries by residents, businesses and institutions for at least a 10-year period. A Solicitation of Interest (SOI) was developed to solicit interest from waste disposal and transfer station facilities and the execution of waste disposal agreements will secure disposal capacity over the ten-year planning period. The following facilities responded to the SOI and are anticipated to execute agreements with Allegheny County:

Designated Disposal Facilities

Arden Landfill (WM) Washington, PA Washington County

Carbon Limestone Landfill (Republic) Poland Township, Ohio Mahoning County

Chestnut Valley Landfill (AD) McClellandtown, PA Fayette County

Evergreen Landfill (WM) Blairsville, PA Indiana County

Greenridge Landfill (Republic) Scottdale, PA Westmoreland County Imperial Landfill (Republic) Imperial, PA Allegheny County

Joseph J. Brunner Landfill Zelienople, PA Beaver County

Kelly Run Landfill (WM) Elizabeth, PA Allegheny County

Monroeville Landfill (WM) Monroeville, PA Allegheny County

Northwest Landfill (WM) West Sunbury, PA Butler County Seneca Landfill Mars, PA Butler County

South Hills Landfill (WM) South Park, PA Allegheny County

Valley Landfill (WM) Irwin, PA Westmoreland County

Westmoreland Waste (Tervita) Belle Vernon, PA Westmoreland County

Allegheny County, PA E-4 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

The Municipal Waste Management Plan Summary for Allegheny County combines the continued use of waste reduction and curbside/drop-off recycling with the composting of organic waste, the collection of HHW and e-waste through both public and private partnerships, and the use of multiple landfills under long-term contracts and transfer stations for the disposal of remaining municipal waste.

Municipal Waste Management Plan Glossary of Terms

Allegheny County, PA GOT-1 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

- A -

Act 101 – Statewide recycling in Pennsylvania began in 1988 with the Municipal Waste Planning Recycling and Waste Reduction Act (Act 101) that requires larger municipalities to recycle. The Act established a $2-per-ton fee on all waste disposed at municipal waste landfills and WTE facilities established grants for local collection programs, public education, materials processing and composting facilities, equipment and technical training. Act 101 also requires each county to develop county plans to manage its own wastes and assure a minimum of ten years disposal capacity.

Agricultural Wastes – Domestic animal manure or residuals in liquid or solid form generated in the production of poultry, livestock, fur-bearing animals, and their products.

Agricultural waste includes residuals generated in the production and harvesting but not of subsequent processing of all agricultural, horticultural, or aqua-cultural commodities.

Agricultural waste does not include land clearing debris unless the cleared land is intended solely for agricultural purposes.

Ash – Residue from the burning of wood, solid waste, coal, and other combustible materials (also referenced as combustion ash).

- B -

Biosolids – Treated sewage sludge that is intended to be used as a fertilizer to improve and maintain productive soils and stimulate plant growth.

Bulky Item – Items whose large size or weight precludes or complicates their handling by normal collection, processing, or disposal methods. The County’s curbside program handles many bulky items such as furniture, mattresses, box-springs and similar items.

- C -

Closure – The cessation of operation of a solid waste management facility and the act of securing such a facility so that it will pose no significant threat to human health or environment.

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) – Document containing the rules established in the Federal Register (FR) by the Executive Departments of the Federal Government.

Commercial Waste – Solid, non-hazardous waste generated by commercial establishments used mainly for the purposes of a trade or business or for the purpose of sport, recreation, education or entertainment.

Allegheny County, PA GOT-2 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) – A fluorescent lamp designed to replace an incandescent light bulb. CFLs use one-fifth to one-third the electric power and last eight

(8) to fifteen (15) times longer.

Compost – The product of composting.

Composting – The process by which organic solid waste is biologically decomposed under controlled anaerobic or aerobic conditions to yield a humus-like product.

Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste – Solid waste resulting from the construction or demolition of buildings and other structures, including, but not limited to, wood, plaster, metals, asphaltic substances, bricks, block and unsegregated concrete.

The term does not including the following if they are separate from other waste and are used as clean fill; uncontaminated soil, rock, stone, gravel, brick and block, concrete and used asphalt, waste from land clearing, grubbing and excavation, including trees, brush, stumps and vegetative material.

County – Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

- D -

Department – The Allegheny County Health Department. The mission of the Department is to protect, promote, and preserve the health and well-being of all Allegheny County residents, particularly the most vulnerable.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) – Established July 1, 1995, is the agency responsible for maintaining and preserving the state’s parks and forests, providing information on the state’s natural resources and working with communities to benefit local recreation and natural areas.

Drop-Off Location – A facility or location primarily for residents to drop off recyclables.

- E -

Electronic Waste (or e-waste) – Discarded electrical or electronic devices. Many of these products can be reused, refurbished, disposed, or recycled. Common electronic products included computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, and fax machines.

Environmental Coordination Services & Recycling (ECS&R) – A dynamically diversified company providing environmental health and safety services to the industrial, academic and residential business sectors. ECS&R provides waste programs for household waste, universal wastes/e-waste, hazardous waste, residual waste, etc.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Federal agency responsible for providing regulations, guidance, and enforcement of solid waste management activities.

Allegheny County, PA GOT-3 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

- F -

Facility – Land, structures and other appurtenances or improvements where municipal waste disposal, processing or beneficial use is permitted or takes place.

Fatal Flaw Analysis – An evaluation that may determine the viability of a project or endeavor by evaluating potential problems that may prevent the project or endeavor from moving forward. Aspects that may be evaluated during a fatal flaw analysis include, but are not limited to, permitting, environmental issues, zoning regulations, land development regulations, geologic conditions, costs, equipment needs, available markets, etc.

- G -

Grasscycling – The act of allowing grass clippings to remain on the lawn after mowing to return nutrients back to the soil

Ground Water – Water beneath the surface of the ground, within a zone of saturation.

- H -

Hazardous Waste – Solid waste, or a combination of solid wastes, which because of it quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics may cause, or significantly contribute to, and increase in mortality, or an increase in serious irrevocable or incapacitating reversible illness, or may pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly transported, disposed of, stored, treated, or otherwise managed. Does not fall under the definition of

MSW.

Health Department – Allegheny County Health Department

Home Healthcare Waste – “Used sharps,” such as needles, syringes, lancets and other sharp objects, as well as soiled bandages, disposable sheets and gloves.

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) – Waste generated by a household that may be chemically or physically classified as a hazardous waste under the standards of Article VII. For the purpose of this definition, the term “household” includes those places described as “households” in 40 CFR 261.4(b)(1).

- I -

Industrial Solid Waste – Means any liquid, gaseous, solid, or other waste substance, or combination thereof, resulting from any process of industry, manufacturing, trade or business; or the development of any natural resource, including agriculture.

Allegheny County, PA GOT-4 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

Institutional Establishment – An establishment engages in services, including, but not limited to, hospitals, nursing homes, orphanages, schools and universities.

- L -

Landfill – An engineered solid waste disposal facility, which is an area of land or an excavation where wastes are placed in a manner that minimizes public health and environmental hazards and is designed, installed, and operated according to the provisions of EPA (under CFR) and PADEP regulations; a solid waste disposal facility, which is an area of land or an excavation where wastes are or have been placed for disposal, for which a permit other than a general permit is required.

- M -

Material Recovery Facility (MRF) – A specialized plant that receives, separates and prepares recyclable materials for marketing to end-user manufacturers. The materials that come out of the MRF are clean, properly sorted and relatively free of impurities.

Municipal Landfill (also known as Sanitary Landfill) – A solid waste acceptance facility that is designed, installed, and operated so that all types of waste generated by a community, except waste specifically prohibited by the regulations or a permit issued under the regulations, can be accepted.

Municipality – A city, borough, incorporated town, township, county or an authority created by any of the foregoing.

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) – Garbage, refuse, industrial lunchroom or office waste and other material, including solid, liquid, semisolid, or contained gaseous material resulting from operation of residential, municipal, commercial, or institutional establishments and from community activities; and sludge not meeting the definition of residual or hazardous waste under this section from a municipal, commercial or institutional water supply treatment plant, waste water treatment plant or air pollution control facility.

- O -

Organic Waste - Material that is biodegradable and comes from either a plant or animal.

- P -

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) – The Department of Environmental Protection of the Commonwealth, and its authorized representatives.

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (PADER) – In operation until July 1, 1995, when the PADER was split into two new agencies, PADEP and

Allegheny County, PA GOT-5 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

DCNR. Its functions included maintaining and preserving the state parks and forests, providing information on the state’s natural resources, working with communities to benefit local recreation and natural areas, and protecting and preserving the land, air, water, and public health through enforcement of the state’s environmental laws.

Pennsylvania Resource Council (PRC) - Pennsylvania’s oldest grassroots environmental organization. They work to protect the Commonwealth’s resources for future generations through environmental education, recycling and waste diversion programs, anti-litter campaigns and much more.

Permit – A permit issued by the Department to operate a municipal waste disposal or processing facility, or to beneficially use municipal waste. The term includes general permit, permit-by-rule, permit modification, permit reissuance and permit renewal.

Pharmaceutical Waste – Any waste that contains medicinal drugs that are expired, unused, contaminated, damaged or no longer needed.

Plan Revision – A change that affects the contents, terms or conditions of a Department approved plan under the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act.

Plastic Film – A thin continuous polymeric material used to separate areas or volumes, to hold items, to act as barriers or as printable surfaces.

Processing Facility – A facility where solid waste or recycling materials are processed

Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania (PROP) - An association of recycling professionals working to ensure that all recyclable materials in the Pennsylvania waste stream are optimally recycled. PROP uses a variety of programs and tools to connect, educate and inform their members and the recycling community to help them develop and maintain the skills, knowledge and ability needed to realize their vision.

- R -

Recycling – The collection, separation, recovery and sale or reuse of metals, glass, paper, plastics and other materials which would otherwise be disposed or processed as municipal waste.

Recycling Facility – A facility employing a technology that is a process that separates or classifies municipal waste and creates or recovers reusable materials that can be sold to or reused by a manufacturer as a substitute for or a supplement to virgin raw materials. The term does not include transfer facilities, municipal waste landfills, composting facilities, or resource recovery facilities.

Re-TRAC Connect (Re-TRAC) – Waste diversion software that sustainability professionals, including municipal and County recycling coordinators, trust to efficiently

Allegheny County, PA GOT-6 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

collect, manage, and analyze recycling and solid waste data. As of February 2018, County Recycling Coordinators are required to update and maintain Re-TRAC Connect with countywide and municipal recycling data.

Refuse – Synonymous with solid waste.

Regulated Medical and Chemotherapeutic Waste (RMW) – The portion of the waste stream that may be contaminated by blood, body fluids or other potentially infectious materials, thus posing a significant risk of transmitting infection.

Residential Waste – Mixed household wastes, including yard wastes, generated by the general population.

Residual Waste – Garbage, refuse, other discarded material or other waste, including solid, liquid, semisolid or contained gaseous materials resulting from industrial, mining and agricultural operations; and sludge from an industrial, mining or agricultural water supply treatment facility, wastewater treatment facility or air pollution control facility, if it is not hazardous. The term does not include coal refuse as defined in the Coal Refuse Disposal Control Act. The term does not include treatment sludges from coal mine drainage treatment plants, disposal of which is being carried on under and in compliance with a valid permit issued under The Clean Streams Law.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) – The Federal Law that provides guidelines and standards for the management of both hazardous (RCRA Subtitle C) and non-hazardous (RCRA Subtitle D) waste. More specifically for Subtitle C, RCRA gives EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from “cradle-to-grave.” This includes the generation, transportation, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste. With respect to Subtitle D, RCRA sets forth a framework for the management of non-hazardous solid wastes (such as the disposal of MSW in landfills). For Subtitle D, EPA developed detailed technical criteria for solid waste disposal facilities, which includes specific provisions on location, operation, design, ground water and gas monitoring, corrective action, closure and post-closure care and financial assurance. These regulations are contained in the Code of Federal Regulations (40CFR), Parts 257 and

258. EPA delegates authority for oversight of Local and State-level solid waste programs to authorized State agencies.

Resource Recovery Facility – A processing facility that provides for the extraction and utilization of materials or energy from municipal waste. The term includes a facility that mechanically extracts materials from municipal waste, a combustion facility that converts the organic fraction of municipal waste to usable energy and a chemical and biological process that converts municipal waste into a fuel product.

- S -

Sanitary Landfill – (also refer to Municipal Landfill) – an engineered method of disposing of solid wastes on land in a manner that minimizes public health and

Allegheny County, PA GOT-7 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

environmental hazards, and is designed, installed, and operated under strict regulations of the PADEP and the US EPA.

Sewage Sludge – Liquid or solid sludges and other residues from a municipal sewage collection and treatment system; and liquid or solid sludges and other residues from septic and holding tank pumpings from commercial, institutional or residential establishments. The term includes materials derived from sewage sludge. The term does not include ash generated during the firing of sewage sludge in a sewage sludge incinerator, grit and screenings generated during preliminary treatment of sewage sludge at a municipal sewage collection and treatment system, or grit, screenings and nonorganic objects from septic and holding tank pumpings.

Site – The area of land within the property boundaries of a solid waste management facility where one or more solid waste processing, resource recovery, recycling, storage, or disposal areas are located.

Solid Waste – Waste, including, but not limited to, municipal, residual or hazardous wastes, including solid, liquid, semisolid or contained gaseous materials.

Solid Waste Acceptance Facility – Any landfill, incinerator, transfer station, or processing facility whose primary purpose is to dispose of, treat, consolidate, or process solid waste.

Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) – A committee formed to revise the Municipal SWMP every ten years.

Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) – A comprehensive plan for an adequate municipal waste management system in accordance with Chapter 272, Subchapter C.

Solid Waste Processing Facility – A facility where a combination of structures, machinery, or devices are used to reduce or alter the volume, chemical characteristics, or physical characteristics of solid waste. This can include sorting for diversion of recyclables. In general, processes are performed either to remove recyclables or to reduce the volume that the waste occupies during transport or at final disposal (e.g., shredding). A wide variety of solid waste can be processed at these facilities. A typical solid waste processing facility accepts MSW, C&D, metals, wood waste, etc.

Source Reduction – The reduction or elimination of the quantity or toxicity of residual waste generated, which may be achieved through changes within the production process, including process modifications, feedstock substitutions, improvements in feedstock purity, shipping and packing modifications, housekeeping and management practices, increases in the efficiency of machinery and recycling within a process. The term does not include dewatering, compaction, reclamation, or the use or reuse of waste.

Allegheny County, PA GOT-8 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

Special Handling Wastes – Solid waste that requires the application of special storage, collection, transportation, processing or disposal techniques due to the quantity of material generated or its unique physical, chemical or biological characteristics. The term includes dredged material, sewage sludge, infectious waste, chemotherapeutic waste, ash residue from a solid waste incineration facility, friable asbestos containing waste, PCB containing waste and waste oil that is not hazardous waste.

- T -

Transfer Facility – A facility that receives and processes or temporarily stores municipal or residual waste at a location other than the generation site, and which facilitates the transportation or transfer of municipal or residual waste to a processing or disposal facility. The term includes a facility that uses a method or technology to convert part or all of the waste materials for offsite reuse. The term does not include a collecting or processing center that is only for source-separated recyclable materials, including clear glass, colored glass, aluminum, steel and bimetallic cans, high-grade office paper, newsprint, corrugated paper and plastics.

- U –

Used Oil – A petroleum-based or synthetic oil that is used in an internal combustion engine as an engine lubricant, or as a product for lubricating motor vehicle transmissions, gears or axles that, through use, storage or handling has become unsuitable for its original purpose due to the presence of chemical or physical impurities or loss of original properties.

- W -

Waste – A material whose original purpose has been completed and which is directed to a disposal, processing or beneficial use facility or is otherwise disposed of, processed or beneficially used. The term does not include source separated recyclable materials, materials approved by the Department prior to May 27, 1997, or material which is beneficially used in accordance with a general permit issued under Subchapter I or Subchapter J if a term or condition of the general permit excludes the material from being regulated as a waste.

Waste Oil – Oil refined from crude oil or synthetically produced, used and as a result of the use, contaminated by physical or chemical impurities. The term includes used oil.

Waste Reduction – Design, manufacture or use of a product to minimize weight of a municipal waste that requires processing or disposal, including, but not limited to:

design or manufacturing activities which minimize the weight or volume of materials contained in a product, or increase durability or recyclability; the use of products that contain as little material as possible, are capable of being reused or recycled or have an extended useful life.

Allegheny County, PA GOT-9 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) – WWTPs remove most pollutants from wastewater so that it can be returned to the water cycle with minimal environmental issues or reused for various purposes. By-products from wastewater treatment plants, such as grit and sewage sludge may also be treated in a wastewater treatment plant.

White Goods – Discarded refrigerators, ranges, washers, water heaters, freezers, and other similar domestic and commercial appliances.

- Y -

Yard Waste – Vegetative matter from landscape maintenance or land clearing operations such as tree and shrub trimmings, grass clippings, leaves, trees brush and stumps.

Yard Waste Composting Facility – A facility that is used to compost leaf waste, or leaf waste and grass clippings, garden residue, tree trimmings, chipped shrubbery and other vegetative material. The term includes land affected during the lifetime of the operation, including, but not limited to, areas where composting actually occurs, support facilities, borrow areas, offices, equipment sheds, air and water pollution control and treatment systems, access roads, associated onsite or contiguous collection and transportation activities, and other activities in which the natural surface has been disturbed as a result of or incidental to operation of the facility.

Allegheny County, PA GOT-10 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

Allegheny County, PA A-1 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

ACRONYM LIST

ACHD Allegheny County Health Department AD Advanced Disposal BTU British Thermal Unit B&L Barton & Loguidice, DPC CDRA Covered Device Recycling Act CFL Compact Fluorescent Lamp CMU Carnegie Mellon University COG Council of Governments CPU Central Processing Unit CRT Cathode Ray Tube CY Cubic Yard C&D Construction and Demolition DER Department of Environmental Resources ECS&R Environmental Coordination Services & Recycling EPA Environmental Protection Agency E-waste Electronic Waste GHG Greenhouse Gas GPD Gallons Per Day GVW Gross Vehicle Weight HDPE High Density Polyethylene HHW Household Hazardous Waste ICW Infectious and Chemotherapeutic Waste KPB Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful LDPE Low Density Polyethylene MGD Million Gallons per Day MRF Material Recovery Facility MSW Municipal Solid Waste MTCE Metric Tons of Carbon Equivalent MTCO2E Metric tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent OCC Old Corrugated Containers ONP Old Newspaper O&M Operation and Maintenance PADEP Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection PBR Permit By Rule

Allegheny County, PA A-2 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

PDA Personal Digital Assistant PET Polyethylene Terephthalate PITT The University of Pittsburgh PP Polypropylene PRC Pennsylvania Resources Council PROP Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania PS Polystyrene RFP Request for Proposal RMW Regulated Medical and Chemotherapeutic Waste SOI Solicitation of Interest SWAC Solid Waste Advisory Committee SWMP Solid Waste Management Plan TPY Tons Per Year UBC Used Beverage Container WARM Waste Reduction Model WM Waste Management WTE Waste-to-Energy WWTP Wastewater Treatment Plant

Municipal Waste Management Plan Introduction

Allegheny County, PA INT-1 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction

On July 28, 1988, the Pennsylvania Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act (Act 101) was enacted. This Act provided counties with the duty and primary responsibility to plan for the processing and disposal of municipal waste generated within their boundaries and required counties to develop and submit SWMPs to the Pennsylvania DER for approval by January 1991. Among other requirements, the Plan must provide for assured disposal capacity for the processing and disposal of municipal waste generated within the county for at least ten years.

In conformance with its powers and duties under Act 101, at the direction of the Allegheny County Executive, the ACHD, a Department of the County, proceeded to fulfill its obligations under Act 101 to develop and implement a Municipal SWMP subsequent to municipal review and ratification.

The following timeline provides a summary of the prior Allegheny County SWMPs.

· Plan prepared by Allegheny Conference on Community Development and

Pennsylvania Economy League.

· Proposed six (6) collection districts.

· Recommended use of landfills and incinerators.

· Disposal Fee = $2.00/ton.

· Use strip mines for disposal of ash.

· No recycling because of expense.

· Prepared by Allegheny County because of a Pennsylvania Department of Health report, which stated that solid waste management in Allegheny County was one of the acute health hazards in the Commonwealth.

· Proposed seven (7) collection districts – one (1) for Pittsburgh and six (6) for the remainder of the County.

· Recommended use of:

o Two (2) incinerators – rehabilitation of the Pittsburgh incinerator and construction of a new facility

Allegheny County, PA INT-2 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

o Two (2) transfer stations o Three (3) landfills

· All facilities to be County owned and operated except for Pittsburgh incinerator.

· Plan voted down at a meeting of the boroughs in the County.

· Prepared by Allegheny County as disposal price increased from $20 to $25/ton.

· Proposed ten (10) collection districts.

· Recommended use of:

o Four (4) transfer stations to be County owned and operated o Seven (7) existing privately owned landfills – two (2) in one district.

· County to obtain land reserves for future landfills if private sector landfills closed.

· Transfer Stations:

o Proposed North Hills Transfer Station built and began operation o Locations for other transfer stations investigated.

· Pittsburgh proposed to build a WTE incinerator.

· Negated need for two (2) of the transfer stations and further implementation activities halted.

· Plan prepared by Allegheny County as disposal price reached $30 - $35/ton and permitted landfill space was diminishing.

· No definitive disposal districts proposed.

· Recommended use of existing landfills.

· County to obtain long-term assurances for disposal space.

· If sufficient long-term assurances not obtainable, County to acquire land reserves and open publicly owned landfill(s).

· Proposed development of a pilot recycling program.

· Proposed development of a pilot leaf-composting program.

· Prepared by Allegheny County in response to requirements of Act 101 and as landfill prices continued to climb to $35 - $40/ton.

· No definitive collection districts proposed.

· Recommended continued use of privately owned landfills for disposal.

Allegheny County, PA INT-3 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

· County obtained assurances of capacity for 10-year planning period. No need for County to obtain land reserves.

· Pilot recycling program started with four (4) cooperating municipalities.

· County constructed and began operating leaf-composting area in North Park.

· Public education for elementary schools prepared and distributed to schools in

County.

· County provided assistance to local governments, which were mandated to implement curbside collection programs for recyclables.

· An additional landfill was added to the approved disposal facilities list included in the plan.

· Incorporated ACHD’s amended regulation, Article VIII, “Solid Waste and

Recycling Management” that all Municipal Waste generated in Allegheny County be disposed only in landfills included in the plan or any revision there to.

· Updated basic information in the original Plan and extended landfill contracts through 2008.

· Prepared by ACHD and Allegheny County in modification to the 1994 Plan, per

Act 101 requirements to modify the SWMP every ten years.

· Used current and estimated population data to project the amount of waste and recyclables that will be generated over the term of the Plan.

· Reviewed disposal sites approved to accept municipal waste generated in

Allegheny County.

· Extended assurances of disposal capacity to December 31, 2018 or ten years past the expiration date of current contracts.

· Looked at methods for enhancing recycling opportunities by expanding the types of materials collected at curbside or by drop-off, educating residents regarding the benefits of recycling and focus on increasing recycling in commercial, institutional and multi-family facilities.

· Explored alternative approaches to waste reduction and HHW disposal. The County sponsored a series of activities aimed at collecting and recycling a variety

Allegheny County, PA INT-4 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

of materials (i.e. electronics, phone books, used oil, Freon containing appliances, HHW, etc.).

· Allegheny County contracted with the PRC to complete a series of sustainability studies that focused on the recycling programs in several county facilities.

Given the expiration of the disposal agreements with the designated facilities on December 31, 2018 and its obligations under Act 101 to update the Plan on a regular basis, address the County’s appropriate obligation under the Commonwealth’s revised 35% recycling goal and to continue to provide for at least ten years of assured capacity, the County Health Department, in the fall of 2015, initiated steps toward the development of the current Plan Revision.

The purpose of the 2019 Plan Revision is to 1) provide for an additional ten years of disposal capacity to serve the needs of the County and its municipalities through an open, fair and competitive process, 2) address how the County will take steps to meet the statewide 35% recycling goal over time, 3) update relevant demographic data, waste generation and disposal trends and collection practices, 4) develop goals and recommendations to support recycling in Allegheny County while investigating alternative funding for these programs, and 5) develop a feasibility study to investigate the options available for the collection and recycling of HHW and e-waste throughout the County and the outlets available to help fund this type of program.

To provide assistance in this effort the Health Department applied for and was issued, in July 2016, a PADEP Municipal Waste Planning Grant under Act 101 to have Barton & Loguidice D.P.C. (B&L), a contracted consultant, provide recommendations to the County to address the issue of improving the county recycling program, increasing the rate of recycling within the County and perform a feasibility study to investigate HHW and e-waste recycling and funding opportunities.

At the County Health Department’s direction, the 2019 Plan Revision process was officially initiated via a letter from PADEP, dated November 20, 2015, where the Department agreed that the SWMP shall be non-substantial. A newly constituted SWAC was appointed in April 2016 and met for the first time in May 2016 to assist the County and its consultants and legal counsel in this effort.

Allegheny County, PA INT-5 Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

This Plan Revision has been prepared so that the County can consolidate prior revisions in one comprehensive planning document that reflects the current Solid Waste Management System and the County’s intended efforts in the next planning cycle to increase the opportunities for recycling within the County toward meeting the Commonwealth’s 35% recycling goal and includes the feasibility study for the collection and…