Add glass to commingled recycling

Feel free to toss containers and bottles of glass in with the rest of your commingled recycling.

The era of crushing glass has come to an end.

County commissioners last week abandoned the long-standing program of separating recycled glass and crushing it for re-use locally. The decision, in part, was driven by an opportunity to reduce operating expenses of the solid-waste division of the Department of Public Works.

Scrapping the program will save the division roughly $11,000 a year in transportation and labor expenses, said Matthew Zybas, manager of the county solid-waste program. Keeping it alive would require an investment of about $110,000 to purchase and install a new glass crusher, a roof to cover it, and water to enhance the crushing mechanics and extend the life of the machine.

The program last year cost $50,000 to operate, including $22,000 for maintenance and repairs; however, Zybas said, the crusher broke down about as often as it worked. It’s now sidelined and in need of $20,000 to $30,000 of added repair to bring it back online, he said.

“But there’s no guarantee it will be any more reliable than it is today,” he said. “And there’s still the issue of this huge volume of material that presently no market exists for in the islands.”

Established as an enterprise fund, the county solid-waste program attempts to cover its costs by collecting fees on dumping garbage. Recycling remains free and on the rise. Commingling replaced the former routine of “source separation” that won several state awards a decade ago.

Though the commission’s decision was unanimous, Commissioner Rhea Miller, an opponent of commingling, said dropping the program is troublesome. Miller fears maintaining an operation that reduces waste and promotes recycling has been eclipsed by an emphasis on slashing expenses. Commingling may be convenient but, she said, the system is still set up for failure if garbage and tipping fees remain the sole source of revenue.

“It’s hard for me when we continue to do things for the immediate bottom line, and put off the larger problem,” Miller said. “We’re going to continue to have major issues with trash and recycling until our citizens understand about closing the loop.” In the past, the Lopez commissioner has supported a tax to pay for improvements to the solid-waste program.

Public Works Director Jon Shannon said persistent lack of demand leaves the division with mounds of unwanted bottles, a stockpile of crushed glass, and few options for getting rid of it. Despite its demise, the 10-year-old crusher pulverized 685 tons of glass into tiny pieces last year, but only 23 tons were sold to the public or other county departments, he said.

The bulk of remaining glass was used to close the pile of construction debris at the solid-waste transfer station on Orcas Island, where the crusher is located and glass is shipped from Lopez and San Juan islands. Glass will continue to be collected separately on Lopez Island and shipped directly to a recycling center in Bellingham under the revised program.

Commissioner John Evans said an investment in new equipment is too steep for a program that provides little benefit, and when a cost-effective alternative exists. An experiment in using crushed glass to re-surface roads proved unpopular on Orcas Island, and with bicyclists in particular, Evans said.

“The feedback from the public, particularly bicycle riders, was not encouraging to say the least. I’m not willing to spend $100,000 or more for a new glass crusher.”

Commissioner Darcie Nielsen noted local citizens opened “the loop” when they decided to close local landfills and transport waste to the mainland. Glass will still be recycled at a plant in Woodinville, along with other materials that leave the islands, she said.

“We just do not have the economy of scale to make it viable around here,” Nielsen said. “I think we need to be part of the greater solution.”

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