Client
Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Sector
Parks & Recreation
Location
Forest Preserves of Cook County, Illinois
Services
Fostering Sustainable Behavior, Waste Characterization Study, Waste Management
Background
In 2014, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County engaged ISTC’s Technical Assistance Program (TAP) to help understand the current state of materials management operations, assess opportunities for improvement, and take steps toward making the District a national leader in waste reduction practices.
Approach
TAP conducted a characterization of landfill-bound material collected from District properties. Waste samples were collected from the annual Pow Wow at Busse Woods (~5000 attendees), other smaller permitted events at Labagh Woods (900 participants), and a district-operated hauling truck, which collected landfill-bound material from various locations. ISTC sorted 831 pounds of waste into 23 material categories over a three-day sampling period. Alongside the waste characterization study findings, ISTC gathered information and observations about the District’s materials management system to propose ambitious but achievable changes to District operations.
Results
Key findings and observations about the District’s landfill-bound waste stream included:
- Approximately 67% (1191 tons/year) of the District’s waste stream was currently recyclable or compostable in the Chicago area at the time of the waste audit.
- Recyclables represented 28% (501 tons/year) of the waste stream. “Recyclables” included glass, plastic, and aluminum beverage containers; tinned food cans; non-foodservice paper; corrugated cardboard; and other plastic containers.
- Compostables represented 39% (690 tons/year) of the waste stream. “Compostables” included food scraps, paper towels, food-soiled paper, other paper foodservice ware, paper cups, and liquids.
- Expanded Polystyrene (EPS or “Styrofoam”) represented 4% (71 tons/year) of the waste stream, by weight. Most EPS in District waste is food-soiled, so it is not recyclable in the Chicago area.
- The remaining third (33%, 593 tons/year) of the waste included materials that cannot be recycled or composted in the Chicago area. This included film plastic, trash bags, and composite materials. “Composite” materials were defined as those made of multiple material types which are difficult to separate for recycling. For example, a coffee pouch or juice box is made of layers of material that, put together, make it difficult to recycle.
TAP presented the District with multiple disposal cost avoidance scenarios. Using the findings from the waste characterization, TAP made recommendations for operational improvements in two areas:
- Collection improvement: Related to collecting recyclables across District properties, including increasing the availability of collection bins while controlling contamination. Food scrap collection (composting) was an option for further increasing landfill diversion.
- Permitted event improvement: Related to large events such as the Annual Chicago Pow Wow and regular permitted group events such as company picnics and birthday parties. This involved potential permitting standards to encourage Forest Preserve guests to use reusable or recyclable items and arrange for proper collection of source-separated waste.
The report also presented potential funding opportunities to support implementing the recommendations.
For complete details, see the project report: Recycling and Waste Reduction Opportunity Assessment: Forest Preserve District of Cook County.
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