Waste Minimization Annual Report PresentationCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE
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Description
MVM Memo
Copyrighted
December 18, 2023
Work Session - Top # 01.
5:30 PM - Waste Minimization Annual Report Presentation
Public Works Department Staff will present an annual report update on
waste minimization efforts utilizing Fiscal Year 2022 as a benchmark.
Work Session - Waste Minimization Report
FY2022 Waste Minimization Benchmark Report
FY2023 Waste Minimization Annual Report
Work Session Presentation
Type
City Manager Memo
Staff Memo
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
THE C
DUjIBQTE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Waste Minimization Annual Report Presentation - Work Session
DATE: December 12, 2023
Dubuque
WAWca 914
ii
2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
Public Works Director Arielle Swift is submitting information for the December 18, 2023,
5:30 p.m. work session Waste Minimization Annual Report. Public Works Department
Staff will present an annual report update on waste minimization efforts utilizing Fiscal
Year 2022 as a benchmark.
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Arielle Swift, Public Works Director
THE CY OF
Dubuque
„K w� II M Ll
DiUB
Masterpiece on the Mississippi'2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Arielle Swift, Public Works Director
SUBJECT: Waste Minimization Annual Report Presentation -Work Session
DATE: October 23, 2023
At a work session with City Council on December 18, 2023, from 5:30 — 6:20 PM, Public
Works Department Staff will present an annual report update on waste minimization
efforts utilizing Fiscal Year 2022 as a benchmark.
Waste Minimization
Annual Report:
FY22 Benchmarking
City of Dubuque
August 24, 2023
THE CITY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
City of Dubuque
Figures
Figure 1: REThink Waste Dubuque Waste App..........................................................................
6
Figure 2: Dubuque City Staff at "Touch a Truck" Event..............................................................
6
Figure 3: Customer Service Metrics...........................................................................................
7
Figure 4: Violation Notification Sticker........................................................................................
7
Figure 5: Comparison of Recycling 96-gallon Cart and 18-gallon Bin .........................................
8
Figure 6: Trash Carts in Service in FY22....................................................................................
8
Figure 7 Large Item Pick -Up Metrics..........................................................................................
9
Figure 8 Large Item Pick -Up Service Collection.........................................................................
9
Figure 9 Material Composition Comparison..............................................................................11
Figure 10: FY22 Waste Diversion Rate.....................................................................................13
Figure 11: FY22 Per Customer Annual Waste Disposal............................................................13
Figure12: WARM Inputs...........................................................................................................15
Figure 13: WARM GHG Emissions Data...................................................................................15
Acronyms and Abbreviations
City
City of Dubuque
DMASWA
Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
FY22
Fiscal Year 2022, occurring July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022
GHG
Greenhouse Gas
Hopper
Represents three cubic yards, with an average weight of 200 pounds
Landfill
Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency Landfill, 101
Airborne Road
LIPU
Large Item Pick -Up
MSW
Municipal Solid Waste, also known as Trash or Waste
MTCO2E
Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent
PAYT
Pay -As -You -Throw Trash
THE CITY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
The City of Dubuque (City) is a thriving community that provides comprehensive solid waste
services to its residents, businesses, and visitors. In planning for the future, the Dubuque 2036
Plan identifies the City as a sustainable and resilient place, inclusive and equitable, with a
strong economy and expanding connectivity. The City has the specific goal to minimize waste to
landfill and identify metrics to measure progress toward reaching that goal. This Waste
Minimization Annual Report aims to provide a starting point to measure waste minimization to
landfill metrics for use in years to come.
Collection Programming
The City provides curbside collection of trash, recycling, yard waste, food scraps, and special
large item pick-up to all single-family through six-plex multi -family households within the City
limits. The City has a population of 59,667 people' and provides collection services to 20,466
customers.
The City has been transitioning to City -issued trash and recycling carts to increase convenience
and safety. The City utilizes a pay -as -you -throw (PAYT) pricing model to incentivize customers
to recycle and reduce waste. The City also offers curbside pick-up of bulky items, including
household trash, and recycling for electronics, appliances, and tires.
Curbside recycling is offered at no additional charge to City customers, and yard waste and food
scraps are collected, allowing customers to reduce their trash further for a small fee.2 In addition
to these key services, the City has also invested in education, outreach, route collection
technology, and data management, all in an effort to increase waste diversion and reduce trash
to landfill.
Landfilling Operations
The Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency (DMASWA) is an intergovernmental entity
formed to manage solid waste locally. The DMASWA owns and operates the local landfill in
Dubuque, where all trash from the City is disposed of. The City's waste minimization goal aims
to reduce the amount of trash sent to the local landfill and extend the capacity of this existing
facility.
' "Demographics: Learn About Dubuque," City of Dubuque, Iowa, accessed 4/5/2023
cityofdubuque.org/844/Demographics
2 Attachment 1 includes pricing details for services provided by the City.
2
THE CITY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
Waste Generation
The City's customers produce significantly less trash and recycling than the national average.
The average annual waste disposal per customer in Dubuque is 24.98 pounds of trash and 7.41
pounds of recycling per week. Based on 2018 data from the EPA, the average household
generates 59 pounds of trash and 28 pounds of recycling per week.' The average customer in
Dubuque produces only 32.39 pounds of material (trash and recycling) per week. In contrast,
the national average is over two and a half times that amount at 87 pounds per week. Dubuque
customers recycle approximately 23% of the material they produce,4 while the national average
household recycles 32% of all waste generated. Customers in the City are producing far less
waste (both trash and recycling) than the average, indicating that the diversion programs
discussed in this report are effective. Given the low quantity of trash and recycling produced,
increasing diversion in the future will be more challenging, given that residents are already
producing less trash than the national average.
City of Dubuque
Pounds of recycling generated per week
by the average household.
28
pounds
National Average
Pounds of trash generated per week by
the average household.
TRASH • • •
RECYCLING
O o
59
pounds
National estimates from 2018 EPA data, based on an average of 2.53 peoplethousehold.
Waste Minimization Goals
The City has identified specific goals to help track its progress towards waste minimization to
landfills, including annual goals to increase waste diversion to landfill, reduce trash per
customer, and incorporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions into waste minimization
outcomes. Each goal has a quantifiable outcome to be measured annually by incorporating data
collected by the City. Benchmarking Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22), July 1, 2021, through June 30,
2022, provides a starting point to assess the current conditions in the City and provides clear
metrics to measure against in the years to come.
3 National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes and Recycling, United States Environmental Protection
Agency, accessed 4/14/2023
epa.gov/facts-and-fig u res-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figu res-materials
4 Diversion rate is a calculation of total recycling, organics, electronics, appliances, and tires (diversion) compared to
total waste generated (all trash and recycling).
3
THE CITY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
By The Numbers
Key metrics and figures from FY22 provide a benchmark for future efforts for waste minimization
in the City.'
• • • • • 0
191191
TOTAL POPULATION
59,667
TOTAL CUSTOMERS
20,466
single-family homes through
six-plex multi -family households
TRASH CURBSIDE
COLLECTION
013,290
TONS
DIVERSION RATE
23%
DIVERTED WASTE
3,941
TONS
Recyclables, yard waste,
food scraps, televisions,
appliances, & tires
TOTAL CURBSIDE
COLLECTION
177230
TONS
of all materials
LARGE ITEM PICK-UPS
3,324
EVENTS
515
TONS COLLECTED
Benchmarking
The evaluation of FY22 illustrates the depth of the programs the City offers its customers and
how programs can work to meet waste minimization goals in the future. The City's current data
tracking offers metrics to monitor progress and provides insights into opportunities for additional
waste diversion in the future. This report serves as a foundation for future planning and a
comparison to assist the City in making data -driven operational and programmatic decisions to
advance waste minimization to landfill efforts.
By benchmarking the current programs, impact metrics, and unique efforts already
implemented, the City can better understand opportunities to advance waste minimization to
landfill goals in the future.
5 "Demographics: Learn About Dubuque," City of Dubuque, Iowa, accessed 4/5/2023
cityofdubuque.org/844/Demographics
4
THE CITY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
CURRENT ACTIVITIES BENCHMARKING
In order to advance waste minimization, the City has identified specific goals for waste reduction
and annual metrics for incremental changes. This benchmarking report serves as a framework
to understand the existing state of trash to the landfill, diversion, recycling, and GHG emissions
based on data from FY22. Future progress towards waste minimization will be measured based
on the data in this report, including specific annual quantitative goals. The City provided data
included is based on its existing extensive data management for City -provided services. Future
reports will also include new data and additional metrics that become available as a result of
new technology and system improvements implemented by the City.
The City offers comprehensive curbside collection of trash, recycling, yard waste, food scraps,
and special large item pick-ups (LIPU) for residential customers. Stakeholder outreach and
education provide information to customers and aim to improve participation and efficiencies in
the programs.
Stakeholder Involvement & Community Engagement
Engaging with the community and involving local stakeholders is a priority
of the City and will continue to be important in efforts to advance waste
minimization initiatives and goals. The City shares educational
-18
information related to solid waste, sends direct mailing educational
—
POSTS
pieces, and utilizes the City's website and social media. In FY22, the City
posted 18 times on its social media specific to solid waste, and those
posts received 340 likes and 221 shares. Educational materials are
340
available on the City's website in multiple languages, including English,
Spanish, and Marshallese, to best serve Dubuque's diverse populations.
LIKES
Between January and June 2022, the City's curbside collection website
page received an average of 1,149 views per month. The City also
221
invested in the REThink Waste Dubuque app to provide easy and
convenient educational and collection information specific to their
SHARES
customers. In FY22, the REThink Waste Dubuque search tool received
8,133 hits, averaging 678 hits per month.
5
THE CTTY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
Figure 1: REThink Waste Dubuque Waste App < Back Refrigerator
® ®.
Calendar Waste Search Large Item Came
Type the name of a waste item and we'll tell you howto recycle or dispose of it.
Popular Searches
I
Television Paint Can (Full) Mattress
unor Mae col,
G: d'Pla? 4 AppStnre
0
Need help?
Battery
-
Rechargeable
Privacy I Terms oFSerwce I Cookie Polity
Powered by RI nset
City solid waste staff attends community events, including
the farmers' market "touch a truck" event, to celebrate
National Public Works Week. These events allow the City
to engage with residents about recent programs, educate
them about solid waste practices, and answer questions.
During the 2022 farmers' market event, the City's new
automatic side -loading technology was highlighted to
educate about efficient collection services, including
demonstrating how the City -issued carts interact with the
technology.
City staff also attend a minimum of two neighborhood
association meetings each year to connect directly with
residents and address their specific concerns or
questions. In FY22, City staff attended four neighborhood
association meetings, two classroom presentations, a
recycling panel, and a sustainability fair. In future years,
City staff will continue to quantify these important
community engagement efforts by recording the number
of events that staff attend and estimating how many
residents they interact with.
Search an item
Q Refrigerator
eesc ep'i
Large Item Collection
{� City of Dubuque residents, to schedule a
large item collection call F,63-589-4250 to
schedule a large item collection, Items
include appliances, hikes, cabinets, carpet,
countertops (under 6% doors, electronics,
furniture, lawnmowers, sinks, tires,
treadmills and windows,
Collections are done on your regular solid
n achc rnllurf'nn ate„ fnr a fm 5/'c'h I aroo
®\ Ilk ...
Figure 2: Dubuque City Staff at
"Touch a Truck" Event
h
6
THE CITY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
City of Dubuque
The City's customer service operations track data of significant information related to service
issues. Customer service and engagement are critical to the success of the City's program. In
FY22, the City specifically addressed approximately 17,233 customer service phone calls
related to solid waste. Customers receive violation notifications on their carts when drivers note
issues with trash set -outs, including too much trash or large items.
Figure 3: Customer Service Metrics
FY22 20,466 17,233
Figure 4: Violation Notification Sticker
There is a problem with your setout.
Problem What to do instead
Tom much trash vras Attach a green excess trash slicker
set cut or schi a Is rge item pick-up
Item(s) I--]loo urge far Schedule a lave item pick-up
ra;uiar olleclleh 4 p p
llLoose trash Is Trash must he bagged and tied
■®
Improved Recycling
The City has the opportunity to expand its reach to
stakeholders and community engagement in the future.
Identifying and investing in additional educational
activities could provide benefits in advancing waste
minimization to landfill goals. Using existing data, such
as frequent questions received or improper set -out
issues, such as cart location, could provide opportunities
for efficient education to address common concerns.
Education specific to waste reduction practices, proper
and increased recycling efforts, and increasing
participation in other recycling programs will help
advance waste minimization goals.
The City offers curbside recycling at no additional charge to residents living in single-family
homes through six-plex multi -family households for the collection of plastics (#145), cardboard,
scrap metal, and paper. Residents wishing to participate must request containers from the City
by calling or completing an online request. The City currently uses a mix of 18-gallon bins used
by approximately 10,000-15,000 households, and 96-gallon wheeled carts used by
approximately 3,400 households. Each year, the City purchases 400 carts to be distributed to
customers that request the larger collection option. The demand for larger carts is rapidly
outpacing the available supply, and many customers must wait extended periods to receive their
larger recycling carts.
7
THE CITY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
Recycling tonnage is likely to increase as additional carts become available to customers. The
City has observed that households with 96-gallon carts recycle significantly more materials than
households with 18-gallon bins.
Figure 5: Comparison of Recycling 96-gallon Cart and 18-gallon Bin
The City provides a curbside collection of food scraps. This convenient service offers customers
additional waste diversion by reducing the amount of trash they produce by composting food
waste. The City had 532 food scrap customers in FY22.
The City also offers curbside yard waste collection. Yard waste participation is difficult to
quantify because the City offers multiple service options, including single -use brown yard waste
bags, yearly decals for 35-gallon containers, or City -issued 65-gallon carts. Yard waste tonnage
is the best option to track the diversion of this material annually. Extreme weather events and
droughts impact yard waste collection and may impact annual tonnage in the future.
Incentivizing Waste Reduction
The City has a pay -as -you -throw (PAYT) pricing model for trash collection that charges
customers based on the volume of trash they dispose of each week. This pricing model
incentivizes producing less trash and selecting the right size cart for the customer's need. The
City began distributing 35-gallon carts to many customers in FY22, and future reports will
include metrics regarding additional cart distribution and details about the PAYT pricing model
for trash collection. Monthly fees for alley carts vary slightly from street cart collection. Pricing
for LIPUs is dependent on the materials collected and the volume of material.
Figure 6: Trash Carts in Service in FY22
14,303 922 1,170 3,055 1,021 6,163
8
THE CITY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
Diversion of Significant Economic or Environmental Value
The City provides curbside LIPU for a fee to residential customers. This service is convenient
for customers and allows the City to recycle bulky items, including appliances, electronics, and
automobile tires. Large items that cannot be recycled are taken to the landfill. In FY22, the City
provided 3,324 LIPUs, collecting approximately 515.4 tons of material, based on an average
three cubic yard hopper weight of 200 pounds. City staff collected items with a separate truck
and calculated the average weight of each hopper, resulting in an average weight of 200
pounds per hopper. The total tonnage includes the recycling of 750 televisions and 288
appliances. The annual LIPU total tonnage has increased each year since FY18 and continues
to be a highly utilized service by customers.
Figure 8 Large Item Pick -Up Metrics
FY22
3,324 events
515.4 tons
66.7 tons
582.1 tons
Figure 7 Large Item Pick -Up Service Collection
Community of Dubuque Block Grant Program
In FY22, the City provided additional service for LIPU through the Community of Dubuque Block
Grant Program. This program financed LIPU services to residential properties located in low-
income census blocks within the community. Funding from this grant program provided 1,383
pick-up events and collected 334,400 pounds of material. Participants were encouraged to
clean out their basements, yards, and attics and dispose of items via curbside collection
provided at no cost to the customers.
Data Management
The City's current data management is detailed and includes key findings for many aspects of
the City's residential solid waste management programs. Consistent data collection and
accuracy will provide beneficial comparisons going forward, and new metrics and data collection
can be added as new programs are implemented. If data collection errors or inconsistencies are
identified, those should also be corrected and accounted for.
In data management, it will also be critical to account for changes within the current operating
system. Specifically, as the City transitions from recycling collection predominantly by bins to
increased numbers of larger carts, data should account for that change. The City expects to see
an increase in recycling tonnage and potentially increased participation as a result. Future years
9
THE CITY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
will also include participation rate estimations based on available data, and the City may explore
new ways to better track participation rates.
This benchmarking report aims to provide a starting point for evaluating waste minimization
efforts and provide a basis for goal setting and measuring progress into the future. Additional
opportunities may be apparent for new or different data collection and metrics in the future.
Additional Diversion Potential for Recycling and Organics
Targeted Materials
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources completed the 2017 Iowa Statewide Waste
Characterization Study to analyze waste disposed of in the state. DMASWA was one of ten
facilities selected for participation in the study. Figure 10 below summarizes the residential
statewide municipal solid waste (MSW) composition.
Figure 9: Residential Statewide MSW Material Compositions
Metal
3.9%
Glass
2.6%
Durables
1.5%
Hour
H azr
Mat
0.; io
The study identified the top five materials components in MSW that comprised the largest
portion of overall materials, listed below. Similar materials were also some of the top materials
in institutional, commercial, and industrial waste.
Statewide Top Five Material Composition?
1. Food waste, including both food waste packaged and loose: 17.9%
2. Plastic film, including retail shopping bags and plastic film: 7.6%
3. Compostable Paper: 6.8%
4. Mixed Recyclable Paper: 6.5%
5. Other Organics: 5.6%
62017 Iowa Statewide Waste Characterization Study. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, SCS Engineers,
December 2017. https://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/waste/faba_wastecharacterization2017.pdf
2017 Iowa Statewide Waste Characterization Study. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, SCS Engineers,
December 2017. https://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/waste/faba_wastecharacterization2017.pdf
10
THE CITY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
City of Dubuque
The study included 11 residential samples from the City of Dubuque's collection service. It
resulted in similar top five materials comprising the largest portion of the overall materials;
however, Dubuque's samples included textiles and leathers and did not include other organics
(although this was the sixth most prevalent item).
Dubuque Top Five Material Composition'
1. Food waste, including both food waste packaged and loose: 28.0%
2. Plastic film, including retail shopping bags and plastic film: 6.7%
3. Compostable Paper: 6.1 %
4. Textiles and leather: 5.4%
5. Mixed Recyclable Paper: 4.9%
Figure 9 Material Composition Comparison
Top Five Material Composition
30.0%
25.0%
i6
20.0%
a�
iL 15.0%
0-
0
10.0%
c
5.0% '
0.0%
Food Waste Plastic Film
IN
Compostable
Mixed
Other Organics
Textiles and
Paper
Recyclable
Leather
Paper
■ Statewide ■ Dubuque
Material composition data can provide insight regarding what materials to target for diversion,
including materials that can be diverted from the landfill via existing recycling, yard waste, or
food scraps collection programs. Given the high percentage of food waste in the trash stream, a
focus on reducing food waste to help reach the goal of minimizing the amount of waste
generated for management. Increasing usage of the food scraps collection program may also
increase diversion of this material from the landfill. Based on the study, the trash included
recyclable materials such as mixed recyclable paper, plastics #145, newsprint, and glass. All
these materials can be recycled either curbside in the City or at drop-off locations for glass
recycling.
8 20171owa Statewide Waste Characterization Study. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, SCS Engineers,
December 2017. https://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/waste/faba_wastecharacterization2017.pdf
11
THE CTTY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
The City offers curbside collection of food scraps that could be further utilized to reduce food
waste going to the landfill. Currently, the City has 532 food waste customers, representing only
2.6% of all customers. Increasing participation and investment in the program's marketing could
provide long-term waste reduction benefits and advance waste minimization to landfill goals.
Additionally, customers in the City produce low quantities of curbside waste (trash and
recycling) as compared to the national average, meaning that food waste may be a higher
percentage of overall waste, given the lesser quantity to begin with. Dubuque customers are
already making efforts to reduce their trash, as shown by this data, and the remaining waste
appears to be high in food waste based on the state report. Focusing efforts on reducing food
waste produced and thus minimizing waste could be beneficial as well.
Results also indicate that some recyclable materials are going to landfills, including cardboard,
paper, plastics, scrap metal, and glass. The City has a well -established program for collection
and recycling separation. The recyclable materials in MSW represent an economic loss and
inefficiency within the system. Increased education about proper recycling could provide
benefits and convenient access to curbside recycling. Roughly two percent of Dubuque's MSW
composition was glass deposit containers that could be returned to stores or redemption centers
as part of the Beverage Container Control Law. Glass recycling presents an opportunity to divert
this material from the trash to well established infrastructure that is in place for easy recycling.
The City could consider completing its own waste material composition studies independently of
the state efforts. Annual studies could provide a more detailed account of waste streams in the
City's collection and identify materials to target for diversion either with existing diversion
options or with implementing new diversion programs.
12
THE CTTY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece onthe Mississippi City of Dubuque
QUANTITATIVE BENCHMARKING
The City has identified three specific waste minimization goals. The information included is the
benchmarking for current conditions based on FY22 to be used in subsequent years to measure
goal progression.
49D Goal #1: Increase the overall waste diversion rate, including recycling,
yard waste, and food scraps.
The waste diversion rate includes all residential waste collected by the City from customers
living in single-family homes through six-plex multi -family households. This represents the best
available data from the City and will be reported consistently in future reporting years.
Figure 10: FY22 Waste Diversion Rate
FY22 17,230.46 13,289.70 2,831.70 1,042.60 44.87 20.78 0.81
Total Diversion
Diverted Rate
(tons)
3,940.76 22.87%
In FY22, the City's waste diversion rate is 22.87%, accounting for diversion from landfilling via
curbside recycling collection, curbside organics (yard waste and food scraps) collection, and
LIPU curbside collection of televisions, appliances, and tires.
The City has identified the specific goal to increase diversion by one percent annually. The
strategies and methods for increasing waste diversion detailed in this report have the potential
to increase waste diversion rates directly.
Goal #2: Reduce per customer annual waste disposal based on
li-11-4-1 landfilled waste and total annual waste generation
The City serviced 20,466 customers in FY22 and tracked annual waste generation, including
trash and all recyclables. Each customer represents one household, ranging from single-family
homes to six-plex multi -family households.
Figure 11: FY22 Per Customer Annual Waste Disposal
FY22 20,466 17,230.46 13,289.70 1,298 3,940.76 385
In FY22, the per customer waste disposal was approximately 1,300 pounds of trash and
approximately 385 pounds of recycling. On average, customers generated 24.98 pounds of
trash and 7.41 pounds of recycling per week. This data is specific to the curbside collection
13
THE CITY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
provided by the City. Based on 2018 data from the EPA, the average household (estimating
2.53 people per household) generates 59 pounds of trash and 28 pounds of recycling per week,
representing a diversion rate of approximately 32%.9 The Recycling Partnership estimated the
average single-family household generates 14.8 pounds of recyclable materials each week
based on data from 2020.10
Based on an estimate of 2.5 people per customer account (or household), Dubuque residents
produce 1.85 pounds of solid waste per day. In comparison, the average in the state of Iowa is
4.8 pounds of solid waste per person per day" and Wisconsin averages 6.6 pounds of solid
waste per person per day.12 The City's customers produce significantly less trash and recycling
than other regional and national averages, indicating that waste reduction efforts are effective in
reducing waste. Dubuque customers generate 77% trash and 23% recycling, while the national
average is 68% trash and 32% recycling.
This data suggests that additional waste diversion, including reducing annual waste disposal,
will be more challenging as the City is already working with a low quantity of solid waste
generated. The City's goal is to decrease the yearly waste disposal rate by one percent per
customer. Increasing waste diversion and implementing the strategies discussion has the
potential to help the City reach this waste minimization goal.
r-rrr Goal #3: Incorporate greenhouse gas reduction initiative into waste
minimization planning using WARM analysis specific to waste
diversion efforts.
The EPA's Waste Reduction Model (WARM)13 provides high-level estimates of potential
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions, energy savings, and economic impacts related to
waste management practices. The model compares a baseline scenario, where all materials are
disposed of in a landfill, with an alternative scenario, where some materials are diverted via
recycling, composting, anaerobic digestion, waste -to -energy, or source reduction. WARM
calculations show the benefits of diverting material from landfilling.
WARM is a policy and planning tool to support voluntary GHG measurement but does not
calculate actual emissions. In some cases, results in WARM show a negative value for GHG
emissions. This result indicates that managing the material using the selected diversion practice
results in avoiding GHG emissions compared to the baseline scenario of Iandfilling organic
waste and recyclables.
9 National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes and Recycling, United States Environmental Protection
Agency, accessed 4/14/2023
epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials
10 2020 State of Curbside Recycling Report, The Recycling Partnership, February 13, 2020
recycl ingpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2020/02/2020-State-of-Curbside-Recycl ing. pdf
11 Solid Waste Section, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, accessed 5/21/2023 iowadnr.gov/Environmental-
Protection/Land-Quality/Solid-Waste
12 Recycling Facts and Figures, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, accessed 5/22/2023
dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Recycling/facts.html
13 Waste Reduction Model (WARM) Version 15, United States Environmental Protection Agency, accessed 4/5/2023,
epa.gov/warm
14
THE C1'IY OC
DE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
City of Dubuque
The model was developed based on inputs specific to the City for FY22. The following inputs
and assumptions were used for the model.
Figure 12: WARM Inputs
Mixed MSW 13,289.7
Landfilled
Landfilled
Mixed Recyclables 2,831.7
Landfilled
Recycled
Mixed Organics
1,042.6
Landfilled
Composted
Mixed Electronics
65.7 Landfilled
(l_A I antlfillpd
Recycled
Tires
RPcvclPd
The model includes other inputs specific to the City, including the distance to the landfill,
materials recovery facility, and composting site from the City. WARM also accounted for the
landfill gas recovery system in place at the landfill.
The WARM results in the table below compare the GHG emissions produced when all materials
are landfilled (Baseline Scenario) and the Alternative Scenario in which recyclable materials are
recycled. The model indicated that the City's efforts to recycle and compost have resulted in a
net decrease in GHG emissions of 7,619 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2E).
Figure 13: WARM GHG Emissions Data
FY22 1,094 MTCO2E (6,525) MTCO2E (7,619) MTCO2E
The total change in GHG emissions represents the emissions savings that result from the City's
current waste diversion programs. These emissions savings are equivalent to the following:
liif
Removing annual emissions from 1,618 passenger vehicles, or one passenger vehicle
for every 13 customers
* Conserving 857,295 gallons of gasoline
fee
7 Conserving 317,449 cylinders of propane used for home barbeques
The City aims to reduce GHG emissions by meeting its other waste diversion goals. Emission
reductions can be monitored annually using WARM. The model can also be used to document
changes in the City's waste reduction strategy over time, including source reduction.
15
THE CTTY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
SUMMARY AND NEXT STEPS
The City continues to take active steps to advance waste reduction and work towards reaching
its waste minimization goals. This benchmarking report highlights existing efforts and
incorporates detailed data to identify current metrics. Identifying the diversion rate, annual waste
disposal per customer, and GHG emissions data for FY22 will allow the City to track progress
on its goals in future years. Data collection and metric tracking will be important as the City
continues refining existing programs and implementing new waste reduction efforts.
16
THE CTTY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
City of Dubuque
Appendix 1: City of Dubuque Curbside Collection Fees FY22
(July 1, 2021 — June 30, 2022)
35 gallon cart/bag/can $15.38
48 gallon cart $17.72
64 gallon cart $20.65
96 gallon cart $29.00
35 gallon alley cart $15.38
48 gallon alley cart $15.38
64 gallon alley cart $16.65
96 gallon alley cart $24.00
Single -Use Sticker for Excess Trash $1.50
Annual Yard Waste Decal $35.00
64 gallon cart $11.00
48 gallon K-12 Schools $8.00
Commercial 13 gallon food scrap $4.00
,d Waste Commercial 48 gallon food scrap $15.00
...
Commercial 64 gallon food scrap $20.00
13 gallon food scrap $1.00
Leaf Rake -Out $20.00
Yard waste brush ties $1.30
single -use yard waste stickers $1.30
Recycling Only — Residential $6.00
Recycling —Commercial $6.00
1 Hopper - 3 Cubic Yd of Trash $10.00
Additional Hoppers $12.50
Large Electronics & Appliances
Large (Stoves, TVs, laptops, dishwashers, Refrigerators,
Item dehumidifiers, dryers, microwaves, trash $10.00 - $20.00
compactors, water heaters, furnaces, freezers)
Tires $6.00
Off Route/Non Customer Charge $10.00
17
1-;
THE COF
DtUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
r
Waste Minimization
Annual Report:
FY23
City of Dubuque
September 7, 2023
Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
City of Dubuque
Figures
Figure 1 Online Engagement..................................................................................................... 5
Figure 2: Trash and Recycling Cart Decals................................................................................
5
Figure 3: Curbside Collection Violation Email.............................................................................
6
Figure 4: Solid Waste Issues Communications..........................................................................
7
Figure 5: Customer Service Metrics...........................................................................................
8
Figure 6: Trash Carts in Service in FY22 & FY23.......................................................................
9
Figure 7: Curbside Collection Carts............................................................................................
9
Figure 8: Right Size Your Cart Graphic......................................................................................
9
Figure 9: Large Item Pick -Up Metrics........................................................................................10
Figure10: LIPU Collection........................................................................................................10
Figure 11: Nuisance Clean -Up Events......................................................................................11
Figure 12: Residential Statewide MSW Material Composition...................................................11
Figure 13 Figure Material Composition Comparison.................................................................12
Figure 14 Material Composition Comparison............................................................................13
Figure 15 Recycling Characterization Study Results.................................................................14
Figure 16: FY23 Waste Diversion Rate.....................................................................................16
Figure 17: FY23 Per Customer Annual Waste Disposal............................................................17
Figure18: WARM Inputs...........................................................................................................18
Figure 19: WARM GHG Emissions Data...................................................................................19
Acronyms and Abbreviations
City
City of Dubuque
Benchmarking
Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking FY22
Report
DMASWA
Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
FY22
Fiscal Year 2022, occurring July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022
GHG
Greenhouse Gas
Hopper
Represents three cubic yards, with an average weight of 200 pounds
Landfill
Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency Landfill, 101
Airborne Road
LIPU
Large Item Pick -Up
MSW
Municipal Solid Waste, also known as Trash or Waste
MTCO2E
Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent
OCC
Old Corrugated Cardboard
PAYT
Pay -As -You -Throw Trash
THE CITY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
The City of Dubuque (City) is committed to waste minimization efforts to reduce the amount of
waste generated by its residents, businesses, and those visiting the City. The City provides
residents with comprehensive solid waste services to further these efforts. In Fiscal Year 2022
(FY22), the City completed its first Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking FY22
(Benchmarking Report) to document existing programs and metrics related to solid waste in the
community. The report served as a benchmark for future efforts and included specific goals
identified by the City to advance waste minimization efforts.
The Waste Minimization Annual Report: FY23 provides detailed information about Fiscal Year
2023 (FY23), from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, and compares metrics and program
details to that of FY22 as well as newly implemented tactics to further minimize waste in the
City.
Collection Programming
The City continues to provide curbside collection of trash, recycling, yard waste, food scraps,
and special large item pick-up (LIPU) to all single-family through six-plex multi -family
households within the City limits. In FY23, the City population is 58,873 people' , and the City
provides collection services to 20,658 customers, which is an increase of 192 households.
Since the Benchmarking Report, the City has made numerous changes and program
improvements to further minimize waste. Efforts include transitioning to City -issued trash and
recycling carts and implementing new technology to increase route and customer service
efficiency.
The City also continued to invest in education, outreach, route efficiency, data management,
and a pay -as -you -throw (PAYT) pricing model to further incentivize waste minimization efforts.
Landfilling Operations
The City continues to have a strong partnership with the Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid
Waste Agency (DMASWA) to manage solid waste locally. The City's waste minimization goals
and progress year over year aim to continue to reduce the amount of trash sent to the local
Landfill and extend the capacity of this existing facility.
' QuickFacts: Dubuque city, Iowa: Population Estimates, July 1, 2022, United States Census Bureau, accessed
8/21/2023 https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/dubuquecityiowa/PST045222
2
THE CITY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
Waste Generation
As noted in the Benchmarking Report, the City's customers produce significantly less trash and
recycling than the national average for curbside collection. Collection data from FY23 shows this
trend continuing with even less trash and recycling generated per customer for curbside
collection, further reducing waste generated in the City. The average waste disposal per
customer in Dubuque is 23.71 pounds of trash and 7.54 pounds of recycling per week. Dubuque
customers are recycling approximately 24% of the materials generated. As compared to FY22,
this is a decrease in trash tonnage generated of 3.9% and an increase in recycling tonnage per
customer of 2.7%.
Increasing waste diversion will continue to be challenging, given the low quantity of trash and
recycling produced by residents. The decrease in trash and increase in recycling collected
curbside is noteworthy for this reason.
City of Dubuque
Pounds of recycling and trash generated
per week by the average household.
National Average
Pounds of recycling and trash generated
per week by the average household.
23.7 28
pounds pounds
59
pounds
National estimates from 2018 EPA data, based on an average of 2.53 people/household.
The City documented a decrease in curbside collection of
trash and an increase in recycling as compared to FY22.
a Trash generated per week by the average household
decreased from 25 pounds to 23.7 pounds. Recycling
generated per week by the average household increased from
7.4 to 7.5 pounds.
Waste Minimization Goals
The City identified specific goals to track its waste minimization to landfill progress in the
Benchmarking Report, which includes annual goals to increase waste diversion to landfill,
reduce trash per customer, and incorporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions into
waste minimization outcomes. The City's progress on each of these goals as compared to FY22
is included in this Annual Report.
3
THE CTTY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
By The Numbers
Key metrics from FY23 provide a comparison to FY22.2
• • • • • •
111111
TOTAL POPULATION
587873
TOTAL CUSTOMERS
207658
single-family homes through
six-plex multi -family households
Up from
20,466
DIVERSION RATE
24%
Down from
59,667
TRASH CURBSIDE DIVERTED WASTE
COLLECTION
12769, 47049
TONS
TONS Recyclables, yard waste, food
• scraps, televisions, appliances,
& tires
Down from Up from
13,290 3,941
O
WASTE MINIMIZATION EFFORTS
Up from
23%
TOTAL CURBSIDE
COLLECTION
16,818
TONS
of all materials
Down from
17,230 AV,
LARGE ITEM PICK-UPS
3,768
EVENTS 594
TONS COLLECTED
Up 3,324 & 515
from events tons
The City identified specific goals for waste reduction, and this report will compare data on the
existing state of trash to landfill, diversion, recycling, and GHG emissions in the Benchmarking
Report. Metrics specific to FY23 are included in this report to show progress made on existing
goals and continued areas for improvement. The City invested in new technology, programs,
and community engagement to further waste minimization efforts.
Stakeholder Involvement & Community Engagement
The City offers comprehensive curbside collection of trash, recycling, yard waste, food scraps,
and special large item pick-ups (LIPU) for residential customers. Engagement and outreach to
customers continues to be a priority for the City to increase education and provide valuable
services to residents. The City has put an emphasis on community engagement and
involvement in order to serve its customers well and increase waste diversion. The City
continues to provide educational information related to solid waste, sends direct mailing
educational pieces, and utilizes the City's website and social media. In FY23, the City posted 25
2 Trash Curbside Collection includes 37.9 tons of trash collected from nuisance clean-up events.
4
THE CITY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
City of Dubuque
times on its social media specific to solid waste, and those posts received 466 likes and 221
shares. These metric increases as compared to FY22, indicating a higher level of online
engagement with residents and a broader reach of information.
The City's curbside collection website page received an average of 1,265
_ views per month in FY23. This is an increase of 117 views on average per
month compared to FY22. The increase in website traffic and engagement
online is likely a result of increased outreach to customers. Additionally the
' City's REThink Waste Dubuque search tool provides convenient
information to customers. In FY23, the REThink Waste Dubuque search
tool received 11,769 hits, averaging 981 hits per month.
Figure 1 Online Engagement
FY22 18 1,149 8,133
FY23 25 1,265 11,769
In FY23, the City invested in additional education and placed decals on all recycling carts and
bins in addition to existing trash decals. The recycling decals include images of what can and
cannot be recycled, along with a QR code link to the REThink Waste Dubuque app. The trash
decals state "Trash Only" and include a QR code link to the City website for proper cart
placement. The City has noted an increase in website traffic as a result of these decals,
providing residents with educational information about proper recycling practices.
Figure 2: Trash and Recycling Cart Decals
a
& 11� &
#,-
U (p
Paper/Cardboard Rigid Plastics Metal Plastic bags Glass* Styrofoam
Papelfcarlon Plastico Metal Ilelsas pimicas Vid no loopor
Pepalliaalboot rlajlikn Mntol de supermercado Nilaaj Cup in plaai Nil
Poapikbag inwia
81.50E%UZ:a
"Uro -oh lass
P 9
recycling mailable!
Not sure what goes where?
Scan the 9R code with your smartphono's +� oldula que.Di` r
camera, and use our Waste Search tool. www.cityo553-589-425 lrecycling
17. 583-589-4258
5
THE CITY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
City of Dubuque
Additional resident interactions are achieved through community outreach events. In FY23, City
staff attended three neighborhood association meetings and attended one classroom
presentation. The events allow City staff to engage with residents and answer questions specific
to solid waste collections and operations.
RUBICONSmartCity Technology
Beginning in FY23, the City invested in the use of
RUBICONSmartCityTM technology to manage the trash
and recycling fleet. The technology has increased
efficiencies in route collection and improved safety for
City crews serving the community. Additionally, the
technology provides data for participation, collection,
customer service, and more. This valuable data
continues to be used to help the City better understand
the current waste stream, common issues, and
increase routing operations and efficiency. Collection
drivers are able to document curbside collection issues
in real-time via the RUBICONSmartCity technology
mobile app using Phones. Drivers take photos of
problems such as extra bags of trash, bulky waste,
contamination, improper storage of carts, and more,
which is used to generate emails sent directly to
customers notifying them of the issue. Since January
2023, the City has sent 4,433 curbside collection
violation notifications addressing solid waste issues, as
seen in Figure 3. The system has made notification
easier and allows City staff to document concerns
through photos. The process also provides customer
education about improper solid waste practices through
the email notification process. The emails include
information about additional services, correct cart
placement, and other information to address common
issues. The most common issues noted are materials
not out on time ("not -outs") and unscheduled large
items at the curb. The City sends 739 emails on
average per month. City staff has noted increased
efficiency in addressing issues and an increase in
education to customers regarding common issues.
The RUBICONSmartCity system also allows the City to
properly document materials that are not paid for
Figure 3: Curbside Collection Violation Email
12.00 9
< 0
u
curbsidecoilection@cityoMu...
To: Jacob Jansen >
Curbside Collection Violation
Caution! This message was sent from
outside your organization. Block sender
Tra rec hgset wl al T¢propniy Te rBrera NB seas, make eue
YC'imy Wacc papw, rerdbe0rd, rg4 pkSNwllaS,aM melelam perr xPg wr�lainer. aae.
wpl04h ilema for Ne risk[ picicCp. Fa moos inhxmetlon. �e ua a sell bl 5 W .nB9-a254
p Ui0CNe0u1rW i m0b�N0 al nmv cii}�IBULuquu u+yrz35�GuihscOCN'BC'.ior.
®itt29 FNAk Teohnpbgka. lec-AN rgMs resar.,eC. wmv,relrmr.mre
Prrvazv Petia
6
THE CITY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
City of Dubuque
through their PAYT program. Photo documentation has provided a mechanism to enforce
service charges in an efficient manner.
Figure 4: Solid Waste Issues Communications
Extra Materials
170
177
243
221
159
176
1,146
Large Items
without an
115
75
131
68
85
90
564
Appointment
Not -Outs
187
198
539
341
212
198
1,675
Carts left at Curb
for Longer than 24-
-
24
57
5
41
45
172
Hours
Improper Set -Outs
26
29
74
40
44
66
279
Contaminated
20
28
55
34
56
43
236
Carts
Overweight Bags
49
44
62
43
18
17
233
Others
9
17
20
24
22
25
117
Total
576
592
1,181
776
646
662
4,433
Customer Service
The City's customer service operation also provides information via phone
calls directly to the City with solid waste -related questions and issues. In
FY23, the City specifically addressed 19,048 customer service phone calls
related to solid waste. Public works staff saw an increase in call volumes in
FY23 due to the cart roll -out. The RUBICONSmartCity aimed to reduce the
number of calls received by the City and increase efficiency by using email
notification of violations instead of phone calls.
7
THE CITY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
Figure 5: Customer Service Metrics
FY22 20,466 17,233
FY23 20,658 19,048
Improved Recycling
The City continues to offer curbside recycling at no additional charge to residents living in
single-family homes through six-plex multi -family households for the collection of plastics (#1-
#5), cardboard, scrap metal, and paper. In FY23, the City continues to use a mix of 18-gallon
bins used by approximately 10,000-15,000 households, and 96-gallon wheeled carts used by
approximately 3,400 households. The City purchases more carts annually to distribute to
interested customers, and demand for the larger carts is still outpacing the available supply for
customers. The City has also sought funding for the purchase of additional carts and automated
side -loader recycling trucks to address the demand for carts in the community.
The City aims to better understand recycling participation of customers and plans to explore
options for evaluating curbside recycling collection rates in the future. RUBICONSmartCity has
capabilities to provide automated participation information and the City plans to explore this data
in FY24.
The City provides curbside collection of food scraps as an additional service for waste diversion
by reducing trash produced by residents. The City has 562 food scrap customers, an increase
of over five percent from FY22. The City also provides curbside collection of yard waste and
collected 1,290 tons of both food and yard waste in FY22, an increase from FY22.
Incentivizing Waste Reduction
The City's pay -as -you -throw (PAYT) pricing model for collection incentivizes producing less
trash and opting for the right size cart with lower costs for smaller trash carts. Between FY22
and FY23, the City distributed 9,781 new 35-gallon carts to customers across the city. As noted
previously, customers in the City produce less trash than the national average, and the smallest
size carts have been well received by customers. The City has invested in additional 35-gallon
carts to accommodate their specific customers' needs. Currently, 52% of customers are utilizing
the smallest 35-gallon cart option. In FY23, 16% of customers still utilize basic service without
city -issued carts, down significantly from 70% of customers in FY22.
8
THE CITY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
Figure 6: Trash Carts in Service in FY22 & FY23
FY22 14,303 922 1,170 3,055 1,021 6,168
Perctage of 70% 4% 6% 15% 5%
Service
FY23 3,265 10,703 1,947 3,395 1,348 17,393
Percentage 16% 52% 9% 16% 7%
of Service
Figure 7: Curbside Collection Carts
Figure 8: Right Size Your Cart Graphic
cb�V*W, T.bq Research has demonstrated that volume -based pricing
.�,�.
~':19�'°°, '"°^ incentivizes diversion and increases recycling. 3 The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers a
%-LARGE strong PAYT pricing model to have more than a $5
SMALL
MEU,UM IgNGE price difference between cart sizes.' The City's current
pricing structure and proposed fees for FY24 include
variable differences between cart sizes, with a larger
O O O OO1 price differential as cart sizes get larger. Appendix 1
I al 0 � details the City's collection fees for FY23.
3 "Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Web Academy Webinar: Pay -As -You Throw: Growth & Opportunity for
Sustainable Materials Management," EPA, 2015, epa.gov/smm/sustainable-materials-management-smm-web-
academy-webinar-pay-you-th row -growth -opportunity
4 "Pay -As -You -Throw Variable Rates for Trash Collection," Econservation Institute, 2015
epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-09/documents/skumatz.pdf
9
THE CTTY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece onthe Mississippi City of Dubuque
Diversion of Significant Economic or Environmental Value
The City provides curbside LIPU for a fee to residential customers for the collection of bulky
items and recycling of materials, including appliances, electronics, and automobile tires. Large
items that cannot be recycled are taken to the Landfill. In FY23, the City provided 3,768 LIPUs,
collecting approximately 593.9 tons of material, based on an average three cubic yard hopper
weight of 200 pounds. The total tonnage includes the recycling of 732 televisions and 242
appliances. The number of LIPU events and tonnage continues to increase annually.
Figure 9: Large Item Pick -Up Metrics
FY22
FY23
3,324 events
3,768 event
515.4 tons
593.9 tons
66.7 tons
56.0 tons
582.1 tons
Figure 10: LIPU Collection
649.9 tons
10
THE CITY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
Additional Diversion
Beginning in FY23, the City's solid waste department began providing clean-up services for
nuisance properties as identified by the City. City crews are contracted for this service, and it is
not part of the standard curbside collection program. Data collection for each event includes
staff time, equipment used, and fees, which are assessed to the property. The fee for each
hopper of trash is $10 for the first and $12.50 for each additional hopper of material. Appliances,
automobile tires, and electronics have additional fees. In FY23, the City completed 133
nuisance clean-up events and collected 37.92 tons of trash.
Figure 11: Nuisance Clean -Up Events
Additional Diversion Potential for Recycling and Organics
Targeted Materials
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources completed the 2022 Statewide Material
Characterization Study to analyze waste disposed of in the state. DMASWA was one of ten
facilities selected for participation in the study. Figure 11 summarizes the residential statewide
municipal solid waste (MSW) composition.
Figure 12: Residential Statewide MSW Material Compositions
Glass
2.0%
Household
Hazardous
Materials
0.6%
52022 Iowa Statewide Waste Characterization Study. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, SCS Engineers,
October 2022. https://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/waste/faba_wastecharacterization2022.pdf
11
THE CITY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
City of Dubuque
The study identified the top five materials components in residential MSW that comprised the
largest portion of overall materials, listed below. These same materials were also the top
materials in commercial, institutional, and industrial waste.
Statewide Top Five Material Composition
1. Food waste, including both food waste packaged and loose: 19.1 %
2. Plastic film, including retail shopping bags and plastic film: 7.1 %
3. Textiles and leather: 6.3%
4. Diapers:4.8%
5. Mixed Recyclable Paper: 4.7%
The study included nine residential samples from the City of Dubuque's collection service. It
resulted in the same top five materials comprising the largest portion of the overall materials,
however, in a different order, listed below.
Dubuque Top Five Material Composition
1. Food waste, including both food waste packaged and loose: 27.89%
2. Textiles and leather: 7.5%
3. Plastic film, including retail shopping bags and plastic film: 7.16%
4. Mixed Recyclable Paper: 6.0%
5. Diapers:5.93%
Figure 13 Figure Material Composition Comparison
Top Five Materials Composition
30.0%
m
25.0%
20.0%
m
LL 15.0%
0-
0
10.0%
c
5.0%
0.0%
Food Waste Plastic Film Textiles & Leather Diapers Mixed Recyclable
Paper
■ State Wide ■ Dubuque
12
THE CITY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
City of Dubuque
The data observed in the 2022 report is similar to that of the statewide report completed in
2017, as referenced in the Benchmarking Report. In both reports, food waste was the largest
portion of the trash stream and continues to be an opportunity for additional waste diversion.
Diapers were nearly six percent of the trash stream in 2022 but were not in the top five materials
in the 2017 report of City -specific data. Mixed recyclable paper was slightly higher in the 2022
as compared to the 2017 report. Textiles and leathers increased by about two percent as
compared to the 2017 study as well.
Figure 14 Material Composition Comparison
Material Composition Comparison 2017 & 2022
30.0%
25.0%
a�
20.0%
.> 15.0%
LL
0 10.0%
0.0%
Food Waste Plastic Film
Textiles &
a) Leather
a-
■ State 2017 ■ Dubuque 2017
In
11 1
1
Mixed
Compostable Diapers
Other
Recyclable
Paper
Organics
Paper
Axis Title
■ State 2022 Dubuque 2022
Material composition studies continue to provide insight into the City's trash stream, as well as
trends in trash throughout the state. Food waste represents an opportunity for waste diversion in
the City. The City has 562 food scrap customers, which is over a five percent increase from
FY22 yet represents only 2.7% of all customers.
Recycling Data
Additional data about the City's recycling is available due to the recycling characterization
studies completed by the City's Solid Waste Division in 2016, 2017, 2018, and twice in 2022. In
FY23, City staff conducted two recycling characterization studies in August and November.
Each event last five days and consisted of 50 samples collected at random from curbside
collection, consisting of 40 yellow 18-gallon bins and ten blue 96-gallon carts. The City has
previously observed that household with 96-gallon carts recycle more materials than
households with 18-gallon bins. The materials were sorted at the Municipal Service Center and
weighed by categories, including cans and aluminum, cat tin cans, chipboard, HDPE #2 color,
PDHE #2 natural, old corrugated cardboard (OCC), old newsprint, old tin cans, PET #1, plastics
#345, and trash. Data is reported as the percentage of the total recycling stream represented
by each material type by weight. The average weights of the two FY23 sorting events were used
to help calculate the percentages of materials for the City's recycling agreement with Dittmer
13
THE CITY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
City of Dubuque
Recycling. The recycling characterization data shows that the most common materials tend to
be chipboard, OCC, old newsprint, and PET #1. The data also shows a decline in the
percentage of old news print, from approximately 50% of the overall stream in 2016 to only
approximately 30% in 2022. With less of this materials in the recycling tonnage, the data
indicates a change in tonnage to include other materials.
Figure 15 Recycling Characterization Study Results
Recycling Characterization Data Annual Trends
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00% �
101
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11111011111111MI 111 11111
■2016 ■2017 ■2018
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I11 1 .� ■I.■. milli
2022 Aug ■ 2022 Nov
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Operational Changes
In addition to targeting specific materials to increase waste diversion, the City could consider
operational changes to advance waste minimization goals. The City has seen an increase in
participation and tonnage from households that have changed from the smaller 18-gallon to the
larger 96-gallon cart recycling collection. Yet, overall recycling tonnage has declined from 2017
to 2023. Adding more carts can potentially increase waste diversion, spark renewed interest,
and provide a more convenient option for customers.
Reducing barriers to participation in recycling services could increase recycling tonnage.
Currently, residents must call the City or submit an online form to receive either a recycling cart
or bin. Research indicates that changing from opt -in programs to opt -out where all customers
receive recycling services automatically removes barriers and increases recycling. Research
14
THE CITY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
has shown a 30% increase in recycling in communities that automatically provide recycling
services to customers.6
Additional Diversion Programs
In order to increase waste diversion, the City should consider new programs and policies to
reduce waste and increase recycling, including the following:
Invest in increased outreach and education to increase participation in existing programs,
including curbside recycling, yard waste, and food scraps service
Promote and reduce barriers to participation in yard waste and food scraps recycling
programs
• Promote reuse in the community
o Support and promotion of local reuse and donation stores
Host Fix -It Clinics to promote local fixing for reuse
o Organize clothing/material exchange events
o Explore food reuse or donation opportunities
o Support local reuse and repair organizations
Consider expanding City recycling services to greater than six -unit plus multi -family
households or work with commercial haulers to provide recycling services through ordinance
changes.
6 Single -Stream Recycling Collection Methods: Bins vs. Carts. Broome County New York, R. W. Beck, accessed
4/5/2023 gobroomecounty.com/sites/default/files/dept/dpw/pdfs/Issue%2OPaper%20%2310%20-
%20Bins%20vs%2OCarts%2OFi nal. pdf
15
THE CITY OF
DUB E waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
QUANTITATIVE BENCHMARKING
The City has identified three specific waste minimization goals. The information included in the
report includes benchmarking data from FY22 and updated metrics from FY23.
izi Goal #1: Increase the overall waste diversion rate, including recycling,
0 yard waste, and food scraps.
The waste diversion rate includes all residential waste collected by the City from customers
living in single-family homes through six-plex multi -family households. This represents the best
available data from the City and will be reported consistently in future reporting years.
Figure 16: FY23 Waste Diversion Rate
FY22 17,230.46 13,289.70 2,831.70 1,042.60 44.87 20.78 0.81
Total Diversion
Diverted Rate
(tons)
3,940.76 22.87%
FY23 16,818.01 12,769.01 2,704.05 1,289.98 33.67 18.15 3.15 4,049.00 24.10%
In FY23, the City's waste diversion rate is 24.10%, accounting for diversion from landfilling via
curbside recycling collection, curbside organics (yard waste and food scraps) collection, and
LIPU curbside collection of televisions, appliances, and tires.
�z In FY23, the City documented an increase of 1.23% in waste
diversion, meeting its goal to increase diversion by one
percent annually.
16
THE CTTY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
Goal #2: Reduce per customer annual waste disposal based on
kolto landfilled waste and total annual waste generation
The City serviced 20,658 customers in FY23 and tracked annual waste generation, including
trash and all recyclables. Each customer represents one household, ranging from single-family
homes to six-plex multi -family households.
Figure 17: FY23 Per Customer Annual Waste Disposal
FY22 20,466 17,230.46 13,289.70 1,298 3,940.76 385
FY23 20,658 16,818.01 12,769.01 1,233 4,049.00 392
Percent Change - 2.4% Decrease
In FY23, the per customer waste disposal was approximately 1,230 pounds of trash and almost
400 pounds of recycling annually. On average, customers generated 23.71 pounds of trash and
7.54 pounds of recycling per week. This data is specific to the curbside collection provided by
the City.
The City identified the goal of reducing customer annual
waste disposal and met that goal in FY23 with a decrease of
2.4% overall curbside waste generated.
Additionally, there was a decrease in customer trash generated of 3.9% and an increase in per
customer recycling collected curbside of 2.7%. As noted in the Benchmarking Report, Dubuque
customers produce significantly less trash and recycling than the national average.
In FY23, the average customer (estimating 2.5 people per household/customer) produced 1.78
pounds of solid waste per day, which is 0.07 pounds less than in FY22. Dubuque residents
produce 76% trash and 24% recycling. The City documented additional waste diversion and
reduced annual waste disposal, even given the low amount of waste generated.
17
THE CTTY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
r�r-r Goal #3: Incorporate greenhouse gas reduction initiative into waste
minimization planning using WARM analysis specific to waste
diversion efforts.
The EPA's Waste Reduction Model (WARM)' provides high-level estimates of potential
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions, energy savings, and economic impacts related to
waste management practices. The model compares a baseline scenario, where all materials are
landfilled, with an alternative scenario, where some materials are diverted via recycling,
composting, anaerobic digestion, waste -to -energy, or source reduction. WARM calculations
show the benefits of diverting material from landfilling. WARM is a policy and planning tool that
is used for comparison of different scenarios based on a life cycle perspective.
The model includes inputs specific to the City, including the following:
• Distance to the landfill, materials recovery facility, and composting site
• Presence of a landfill gas recovery system at the landfill
• Annual precipitation rate (moderate = between 20 and 40 inches of precipitation per year),
as moisture conditions impact the decay rate for decomposition of organic waste in landfill
The inputs listed in Figure 17 show the quantities included in the baseline and alternative
scenarios for FY23.
Figure 18: WARM Inputs
Mixed MSW
12,769.0 Landfilled
Landfilled
Mixed Recyclables
2,704.1
Landfilled
Recycled
Mixed Organics
1,289.9
Landfilled
Composted
Mixed Electronics
51.82
Landfilled
Recycled
Tires 3.2 Landfilled Recycled
The WARM results in the table below compare the GHG emissions produced when all materials
are landfilled (Baseline Scenario) and the Alternative Scenario in which recyclable materials are
recycled. The model indicated that the City's efforts to recycle and compost have resulted in a
net decrease in GHG emissions of 7,310 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2E).
As shown in Figure 18, the WARM results for FY23 show a slightly lower net GHG benefit
compared to FY22 (approximately 300 MTCO2e). This appears to be due to overall waste
reduction in the City in FY23 compared to FY22. While WARM can account for source reduction
for certain materials, the model does not have an option for source reduction of mixed MSW.
Therefore, the net benefit of reducing overall waste generation by approximately 400 tons
' Waste Reduction Model (WARM) Version 15, United States Environmental Protection Agency, accessed 8/30/2023,
epa.gov/warm
18
THE CITY OF
DUB E Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
Masterpiece on the Mississippi City of Dubuque
between FY22 and FY23 cannot be quantified by the model. The difference in incremental GHG
emissions reductions between FY22 and FY23 is primarily due to a slight reduction in mixed
recyclables.
Figure 19: WARM GHG Emissions Data
FY22 1,094 MTCO2E (6,525) MTCO2E (7,619) MTCO2E
FY23 1,071 MTCO2E (6,239) MTCO2E (7,310) MTCOzE
The total change in GHG emissions represents the emissions savings that result from the City's
current waste diversion programs. These emissions savings are equivalent to the following:
tiifRemoving annual emissions from 1,552 passenger vehicles, or approximately one
passenger vehicle for every 13 customers
Conserving 822,602 gallons of gasoline
flr
Conserving 304,603 cylinders of propane used for home barbeques
SUMMARY AND NEXT STEPS
The City has documented progress toward waste minimization goals in FY23. Curbside
collection of waste, including trash and recycling, continues to be low as compared to the
national average, and Dubuque residents generate less waste than average communities. The
City's commitment to improvements and efficiencies can be seen in the FY23 report and will
continue to provide benefits to the City in years to come. Each additional ton of waste diverted
from landfilling will continue to take deliberate planning and funding. Using the waste
characterization study will help provide needed insight into what remains in the trash and is
available for diversion.
Future years will document the same metrics to track the City's continued efforts to meet their
waste minimization goals.
19
THE CTTY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Waste Minimization Annual Report: Benchmarking
City of Dubuque
Appendix 1: City of Dubuque Curbside Collection Fees FY23
(July 1, 2022 — June 30, 2023)
35 gallon cart/bag/can $15.38
48 gallon cart $17.22
64 gallon cart $20.65
96 gallon cart $29.00
35 gallon alley cart $15.38
48 gallon alley cart $15.38
64 gallon alley cart $16.65
96 gallon alley cart $24.00
Single -Use Sticker for Excess Trash $1.50
Annual Yard Waste Decal $35.00
64 gallon cart $11.00
48 gallon K-12 Schools $8.00
Commercial 13 gallon food scrap $4.00
,d Waste Commercial 48 gallon food scrap $15.00
...
Commercial 64 gallon food scrap $20.00
ecraps
13 gallon food scrap $1.00
Leaf Rake -Out $20.00
Yard waste brush ties $1.30
single -use yard waste stickers $1.30
Recycling Only — Residential $6.00
Recycling — Commercial $6.00
1 Hopper - 3 Cubic Yd of Trash $10.00
Additional Hoppers $12.50
Large Electronics & Appliances
Large (Stoves, TVs, laptops, dishwashers, Refrigerators,
Item dehumidifiers, dryers, microwaves, trash $10.00 - $20.00
compactors, water heaters, furnaces, freezers)
Tires $6.00
Off Route/Non Customer Charge $10.00
20
i
a
FY22 & FY23
Waste
Minimization
Reports
Service Activities
Landfilled Material
Diverted Material
•
.®IMAGINE z03�
DUBUQUE
VIABLE LIVABLE E-BLE
A CALL TO ACTION
Waste Minimization Goals
Is Goal #1: Increase the overall waste
diversion rate, including recycling,
yard waste, and food scraps
• Goal #2: Reduce per -customer
annual waste disposal based on
landfilled waste and total annual
waste generation
• Goal #3 Incorporate greenhouse gas
reduction initiative into waste
minimization planning using WARM
analysis
0 0 0 0 0
91119
TOTAL POPULATION
58v873
Down from
59,667
TOTAL CUSTOMERS
20,658
single-family homes through
six-plex multi -family households
Up from
20,466
FY 2 17,2 0.46 13,289.70 2:831.70 1,042.60 44.87 20.78 0.81
Total Diversion
Diverted Fate
(tons)
3,940.76 22.87%
FY 3 165818.01 12,769.01 29704.05 15 89.98 33.67 18.15 3.15 45049.00 24.10%
Goal #1: Increase the overall waste
diversion rate, including recycling,
yard waste, and food scraps
In FY23, the City documented an increase of 1.23% in waste diversion,
meeting its goal to increase diversion by one percent annually
14,000
13,500
13,000
12,500
12,000
11,500
11,000
10,500
10,000
FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23
t Landfill Tonnage
F 22 203466 11298
FY23 20Y658 12233 392
Goal #2: Reduce per customer annual
waste disposal based on
landfilled waste and total annual waste
generation
The City identified the goal of reducing customer annual
waste disposal and met that goal in FY23 with a decrease of 2.4%
overall curbside waste generated
,aste
Rneratic
0,
59
pounds
National Average
Pounds of recycling and trash generated
per week by the average household.
28
pounds
City of Dubuque
Founds of recycling and trash generated
per week by the average household.
7.5
ocunds
nRECYCUNG
t.0
0
23.7
pounds
Waste
Generation
Rate
Dubuque 1.85 lbs/day
Iowa 4.8 lbs/day
Wisconsin 6.6 lbs/day
Material
Mixed MSW
Quantity in FY23
•ns)
12,769.0
Baseline Scenario
Management
Landfilled
Alternative Scenario
Management
Landfilled
Mixed Rec clables
25704.1
Landfilled
Recycled
Mixed Organics
1,289.9
Landfilled
Landfilled
Landfilled
Composted
Recycled
Recycled
Mixed Electronics
51.82
Tires
3.2
FY22 1,094 MT 02E (6,525) MT 02E
FY23 1,671 MT 02E
Goal #3 Incorporate greenhouse gas
reduction initiative into waste
minimization planning using WARM
analysis specific to waste
diversion efforts
(6,239) MT 02E
Distance to the disposal sites
Presence of a landfill gas recovery system at the landfill
Annual precipitation rate
d4lqw-"�
Waste
Minimizationt
Efforts
�L • n
.5
Community
Engagement
Fiscal Social Media
Year Posts
FY22 18
FY23 25
Website Search
Views/Month Tools Hits
1,149 8,133
1,265 11,769
tv
LL
Cart Sticker Campaign
Pap et/Cardboard Rigid Plastics Metal Plastic hags Glass* Styrofoam
Fapelillar on l`d IEiz tJIT i, Hulsas plaslica5 Vidno Irplrcr
Pepa/Kaalbool PI.+jl16 hlrrnl de superwreado Kilaal Cup im plaaj wij
n n n n r. Ma ikba inwia
C.'JG2aL'a`°JLS] g 'C1rap aH glass
recrbog ava iia Mel
Not sure what goes where? �`'O
7l,
Scan the QR code with your srnartphone's
camera, and use our Waste Search tooE. '++-cityofduhuque.orglrecycling
9 �'„, 553- 589-4 25 0
8:03 ri
Routing Software
Investment
• 4,433 Courtesy Notifications
• Extra Materials
• Large Items without an Appointment
• Not -Outs
• Carts Left at Curb for Longer than 24-
Hours
• Improper Set -Outs
• Contaminated Recycling
Curbside Collection Courtesy
Notice
CsUlro.nO Thy mesg�ige wa3Beal fmm Block e,tider
puUift yemJr-oF98nL£alron.
Dd*-%.E..
Ir—.-N-a.MaW n M COW ■raaoft"O'k rara.n n rraPt..*P51—
ram. W4w4 M4 0-0-+41a4.4-4 MM-5w .qq -W"
Fan W W Moor 9.....�.. �_.. ...�-.•re+.e .r..�
-1 4L -
Customer Service
■
FISCAL NUMBER OF SERVICE
YEAR CALLS
FY22 17,1233
FY23 19048
Trash Cart Deployment
Basic Service
35 Gal.
48 Gal.
64 Gal.
96 Gal.
Total
Customers without
Trash
Trash
Trash
Trash
Carts
ca its
14,303
922
1,170
3,055
1,021
6,168
FY22
70%
4%
6%
15%
5%
3,265
10,703
1,947
3,395
1,348
17,393
FY23
16%
52%
9 4
16
7
Large Item
Pick -Up Data
FY22
3,324 events
515.4 tons
66.7 tans
582.1 tons
FY23
,768 event
593.9 tans
56.0 tons
649.9 tons
Material Composition Comparison 2017 & 2022
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0°/a
�
0.0 /a 0 1
Food Waste Plastic Filrn Textiles & Mixed Dompo table Diapers
Leather Recyclable clable Paper
Paper
Axis Title
■ State 2017 ■ Dubuque 2017 ■ State 2022 Dubuque 2022
1
Other
Organics
DNR Waste Characteristic
Study
Recycling Characterization Data Annual Trends
s0.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
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11111 1111 1111
O6D
■ 2016 ■ 201 7 ■ 2018 2022 Aug ■ 2022 Nov
lip ONE ■ ■■1
Recycling Characterization Studies
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