Guest Commentary by Jon Kallen
Greenstar needs to come clean on environmental issues
The Des Moines Register editorial board recently printed an article on the new Curb It! Recycling program. Unfortunately, the Register told only about half the story. As Paul Harvey often said, “and here’s the rest of the story.”
As the article mentions, the Curb It! Recycling Program recently changed to single stream recycling. Single stream, also known as fully commingled recycling, refers to a system where all paper fibers and containers are mixed together in a collection truck, instead of being sorted into separate commodities (newspapers, cardboard, plastic, glass, etc.) by the resident and handled separately throughout the collection process. In single stream, both the collection and processing systems must be designed to handle this fully commingled mixture of recyclables.
More communities across the country are using the single stream recycling method, not just household items, but also recyclables from businesses. The process can prove to be good for the environment and encourages more recycling. However, if a community is going to have single stream recycling, it has to be done correctly to be effective and successful.
Among the problems many communities face are that participation rates often increase, but the trade off is often in the reduction of quality. The quality issue is very important. Broken glass is one of the greatest concerns. Broken glass shards being mixed in with the collected and processed fibers create tremendous problems for consumers. Generally speaking, paper companies don’t like it. As for glass, it can contaminate the material and cause other problems. In addition to the damage glass may cause to equipment, it also raises safety concerns. Even a minimal amount of contaminates can be destructive to the equipment when they are mixed with recycled fiber. Also, having contaminates mixed with the paper increases the chance the finished product may not meet the quality levels required by end consumers.
If it looks like a recycling center is not sorting efficiently, or the materials are being shipped overseas or to a low-end recycling market, this may indicate the recycling center is not adequately doing its job. Currently, Metro Waste Authority uses Greenstar, located on East Market Street in Des Moines, which sends recyclable material to Mexico to be made into paper rather than markets in the United States.
Greenstar is the recycling center that processes the recycled items. From the onset of the single stream recycling, which began in July 2009, Greenstar has not been in compliance with the contract it signed with Metro Waste Authority. The Greenstar recycling center is supposed to have all materials that are picked up by the trucks, dumped on concrete, covered and out of the elements of the weather, safe from rodents and kept maintained in a sanitary manner. This is not the case. The recycled items are dumped onto the concrete, but they’re outside in the snow and rain. Debris is scattered around the facility. This has been the issue from the beginning of the contract with Metro Waste Authority. The recycled items and the end result of bundled recyclables sit outside without cover, pen to rain and snow.
Not until the public became concerned did Metro Waste Authority issue a letter to Greenstar telling them they had 60 days to be in compliance with the contract that was signed in July 2009. This letter was sent to Greenstar in December 2009, more than five months after the contract was signed. More than 60 days have passed, and there is still snow-covered bundles and debris outside the facility. When inquiries were made to the Board of the Metro Waste Authority they responded the material in question is earmarked for other vendors and is not the recycled material picked up from metro area residents. Metro Waste Authority and Greenstar say this is a City of Des Moines’ issue and that Des Moines is not concerned that the items are being left outside.
In conclusion, we should ask if we are truly doing the best we can for our environment by keeping additional waste out of our landfill? Or, are we sacrificing our environment, our land and our ground water for future generations by allowing a company to operate a proven system that’s not in compliance and continues to produce a poor recycled product. Far too many times, poor laws are passed, poor legislation is passed and poor decisions are made “just to get something done.” If we’re going to recycle, let’s do it right.
Jon Kallen of Johnston, is a City Council Member, and Environmental Engineer and Environmental Attorney who previously worked in the solid waste and recycling industry.
