Page 464 - Solid Waste Analysis and Minimization a Systems Approach

442 INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL MACHINERY INCLUDING AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING

TABLE 34.4 REVENUE FROM THE SALE OF RECYCLABLES (AUTOMOTIVE
CASE STUDY)

POUNDS PER CURRENT MARKET REVENUE (FROM
COMPONENT YEAR VALUE PER TON SALE OF RECYCLABLES)

Polypropylene 164,500 $100 $8,225

White ledger 9,884 $127 $6,276
Newspaper 4,942 $36 $89

Mixed office paper 9,884 $14 $69
Total 189,210 $14,659

be removed from the waste stream and sent to a recycler instead of the landfill, rev-
enue could be generated and waste hauling costs could be reduced.
The waste assessment team found the national average price paid for polypropylene
plastic scrap was $0.07 per pound. The waste minimization team used $0.05 per pound
to be conservative. Local recyclers contacted by the waste assessment team would pay
between $0.03 and $0.08 per pound depending on the type, grade, form, and contam-
ination of the polypropylene plastic scrap.
Based on the 24,710 lb of commingled paper (white ledger, newspaper, and mixed
office paper) collected each year and estimates from the on-site survey, a total of over
$6400 could be generated from the sale of these materials. These materials are currently
collected but are not separated. The plant received no revenue from these materials
because they are commingled.
The audit indicated that the plant could potentially generate a total of $14,659 annu-
ally from the sale of recyclables if a local vendor could be found to purchase and
recondition the material. The amounts paid per ton of recyclables were gathered from
current market prices.
Additional cost savings could also be realized from a reduction in hauling costs of
polypropylene plastic. Waste hauling charges can be reduced by approximately 10 percent
by reducing the volume of polypropylene plastic waste taken by the hauler. The plant
could potentially save approximately $2508 annually (calculated from a 10 percent
reduction of the annual waste hauling cost of $25,080) by removing polypropylene
plastic from the wastes. The cost savings will be achieved by reducing the frequency
of pickup by waste management at the plant. Should a plastic-washing system be pur-
chased, additional savings could be realized if the polypropylene plastic could be used
in place of virgin material after the washing process.
The plant could potentially save a total of $17,167 annually ($14,659 from addi-
tional recycling and $2508 from waste hauling reduction). Specific information
regarding procedures to achieve these cost reductions is in Table 34.5.