tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45995027957774326492024-03-24T10:42:48.913-04:00Regeneration in ACTIONan Elemental Impact on-line magazineHolly Elmorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320051691727973987noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599502795777432649.post-4168283819390501902015-03-03T13:52:00.001-05:002020-02-25T12:46:24.748-05:00Remember: If it was easy, it would already be done!<div style="text-align: left;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Je9Vtge55ow/VaGqKiyVpII/AAAAAAAACiw/U0_0LqbGZJ8/s1600/single-stream%2Brecycling%2Bdelivered%2Bto%2BMRF%2Bfor%2Bseparation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Je9Vtge55ow/VaGqKiyVpII/AAAAAAAACiw/U0_0LqbGZJ8/s200/single-stream%2Brecycling%2Bdelivered%2Bto%2BMRF%2Bfor%2Bseparation.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">single-stream recycling<br />
delivered to MRF for separation</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">W</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">ithin <a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/" target="_blank">Elemental Impact</a>'s (Ei) </span><a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/RecyclingRefinement" style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Recycling Refinement </a><span style="line-height: 18px;">platform a <a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/Total_Materials_Management_Approach" target="_blank">Total Materials Management Approach</a> (TMMA) - evaluating the </span><em style="border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">entire waste | recycling stream as one revenue / cost center</em><span style="line-height: 18px;"> - is used. The stated objective is true zero waste with a strong focus on ultimate material destination and the remaining "trash" within the stream. Materials with solid end markets (e.g. aluminum, mixed paper, certain plastics) subsidize more challenging streams generated in operations.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br style="line-height: 18px;" /><span style="line-height: 18px;">Until recently zero waste measurement was quantified as diversion rates from the landfill without final destination consideration. Known for high levels of contamination, single-stream recycling - often the only recycling option available for the corporate community - results in a high percentage of recyclable items landfill destined. Thus, “true recycling rates” are frequently inflated with single-stream recycling programs.</span><br style="line-height: 18px;" /><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><br style="line-height: 18px;" /><span style="line-height: 18px;">Note effective single-stream MRF – material recovery facilities – separation is limited by the contamination in the delivered material. Published reports substantiate curbside single-recycling programs often contain significant contaminates, which may then pollute the corporate recycling delivered to the MRF.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i3IB2L6T-Rg/XlVc3kIzu-I/AAAAAAAAsfE/kWnWjmVhICoFauypQfQ2_bCHxIluCSa7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/10-29-14%2BS-SMRT%2BPET%2Bmini%2Bbale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i3IB2L6T-Rg/XlVc3kIzu-I/AAAAAAAAsfE/kWnWjmVhICoFauypQfQ2_bCHxIluCSa7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/10-29-14%2BS-SMRT%2BPET%2Bmini%2Bbale.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First source-separated aluminum<br />
bale at Georgia Dome</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In September 2013, the ZWA Blog article, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://zerowastezone.blogspot.com/2013/09/if-it-was-easy-it-would-already-be-done.html" target="_blank">If it was easy, it would already be done</a>, </i>announced the </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> plastic film recycling template that segued into the </span><a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/Source-Separated_Materials_Recyling" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Source-Separated Materials Recycling Template</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (S-SMRT). With the </span><a href="http://www.gadome.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Georgia Dome</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> | </span><a href="http://www.gwcc.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Georgia World Congress Center</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (GWCC), the </span><a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/SFCI_Georgia_Dome_Pilot" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Sustainable Food Court Initiative - Event Pilot</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, stepping forward as the template Lead Pioneer, Atlanta was designated for the city-wide S-SMRT pilot. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">S-SMRT targets moderate material generators whose current recycling option is single-stream recycling. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">In simplistic terms, S-SMRT encompasses the TTMA with the following steps:</span></span></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Generators source-separate material on-site and compact into mini bales.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Hauler collects bales for transport to the recycling center.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Recycling center associates track material received by type | generator, re-bale into standard sized bales, and store in a tractor trailer by material type until full.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Hauler sells material directly to a manufacturing | recycling end destination and pays rebates to generators based on their respective percentage of the load sold.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Ei oversees the system to ensure the entire value chain makes a reasonable profit.</span></li>
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<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Financial template success is grounded in two factors: </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">CLEAN MATERIAL & VOLUME.</span><b style="line-height: 18px;"> </b><span style="line-height: 18px;">The template tagline is:</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Contamination is a Mistake!</span></b></i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The ZWA Blog article, <i><a href="http://zerowastezone.blogspot.com/2014/12/total-materials-management-approach.html" target="_blank">Total Materials Management Approach</a></i>, gives an in-depth overview of the approach along with a S-SMRT update as of the early December publication. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KSgS9ga4pSo/VaEsbVx83QI/AAAAAAAACiQ/J4BlUV5bCk4/s1600/Andrew%2BLantz%2Bloading%2Bbales%2Bonto%2Bbox%2Btruck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KSgS9ga4pSo/VaEsbVx83QI/AAAAAAAACiQ/J4BlUV5bCk4/s200/Andrew%2BLantz%2Bloading%2Bbales%2Bonto%2Bbox%2Btruck.jpg" width="146" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew Lantz loading<br />
bales onto box truck</td></tr>
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<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On December 17 the S-SMRT team arrived at the Ga Dome loading dock with an empty box truck to collect the baled aluminum and plastic PET bottles generated during the 2014 Falcons Season. Destination: the <a href="http://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/atl/" target="_blank">Atlanta Penitentiary</a>, the S-SMRT recycling center, to re-bale the material into standard-sized bales.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The trial run was seamless as the <a href="http://www.unicor.gov/index.aspx" target="_blank">UNICOR</a> - federal prison system employment arm - managers along with inmates greeted the team with enthusiasm. Pallets were weighed empty and then weighed again loaded with material bales; several individual mini-bales were weighed to estimate an average. Next the material was transported for compaction into standard-sized bales.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">At the trial, the only significant challenge was the Penitentiary baler produced a loosely compacted aluminum bale that lost bottles as moved and was approximately 50 pounds underweight. Compaction issues are easily remedied via: 1> adjusting the machine compaction setting, 2> repairing the machine or final remedy 3> purchasing a new machine. It was rewarding to know the main challenge was one with an easy solution.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HO4SJhcQarY/XlVdRWlEEcI/AAAAAAAAsfM/gblidAqBxmgBoZ6cPHfd5gSUrGeskb9QACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/12-17-14%2BS-SMRT%2Bfirst%2Bbale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1115" data-original-width="1600" height="139" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HO4SJhcQarY/XlVdRWlEEcI/AAAAAAAAsfM/gblidAqBxmgBoZ6cPHfd5gSUrGeskb9QACLcBGAsYHQ/s200/12-17-14%2BS-SMRT%2Bfirst%2Bbale.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">loosely compacted first standard<br />
sized bale </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Other template challenges include shifts in <a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/sponsors" target="_blank">Ei Partner</a> staff and | or business model. Beyond Ei Partner associates flowing with empowering career choices, the designated hauler shifted their business model and will no longer serve at the template's core. Though a shock, the simplistic genius of S-SMRT is the hauler role merely requires a box truck, qualified drivers and a relationship grounded in trust with hauler management.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">At the Georgia Dome, labor sources and division of time to source-separate material proved a challenge during the first pilot year. Though frustrating, the entire S-SMRT Team is committed to long-term success. Pioneers know immediate disappointments are necessary to create a flexible foundation built to endure many renditions while evolving into a proven format.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EcYCc3WgtZs/VaGqkRYzm7I/AAAAAAAACi4/GMPmPI9goBA/s1600/Tim%2Bshows%2Bthe%2Btremendous%2Bmixed%2Bpaper%2Bvolume%2Bpotential.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EcYCc3WgtZs/VaGqkRYzm7I/AAAAAAAACi4/GMPmPI9goBA/s200/Tim%2Bshows%2Bthe%2Btremendous%2Bmixed%2Bpaper%2Bvolume%2Bpotential.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim shows the tremendous<br />
mixed paper volume potential</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">In the first year, source-separation was limited to aluminum and PET plastic bottles. Next year the intent is to add the significant amount of mixed paper from event programs, marketing material and other sources. In addition, GWCC director of sustainability Tim Trefzer intends to explore including GWCC convention and event material in the source-separation process. As the nation's fourth largest convention center, evolving material management practices is a monumental task, one with significant impact.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">By the <a href="http://www.atlantafalcons.com/" target="_blank">Atlanta Falcons</a> 2015 Season at the Georgia Dome the goal is to recruit additional Lead Pioneers within the downtown convention district. Route density is key for the hauler's financial success. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The Ei FB album, <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.748667091827712.1073741847.120919654602462&type=3" target="_blank">Source-Separated Materials Recycling Template</a></i>, building a city-wide network, is a pictorial recap of the template from its plastic film recycling inception to current work-in-progress.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Simplicity is the common thread throughout the S-SMRT. New operating practices are low tech in nature with a mini-baler in general the only necessary purchase. Additional labor is required to source-separate and bale material on-site; thus, "green jobs" are created with the overall bottom line improved - a multiple win!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Though simple, the S-SMRT is NOT easy. Yet Remember: <i>If it was easy, it would already be done</i>!</span></span></div>
Holly Elmorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320051691727973987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599502795777432649.post-25665654676049009052014-08-18T00:06:00.000-04:002018-11-25T18:38:51.765-05:00Sustainability in ACTION at the Georgia Dome<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.gadome.com/" target="_blank">Georgia Dome</a> (Dome) - </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">home to the <a href="http://www.atlantafalcons.com/" target="_blank">Atlanta Falcons </a>- is exploring avenues to refine their impressive recycling practices to new dimensions. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As a</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> Founding </span><a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/Zero-Waste-Zones" target="_blank">Zero Waste Zones</a> (ZWZ) Participant<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">, the Dome built a strong recycling foundation when the ZWZ launched in February 2009. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The ZWA Blog article, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://zerowastezone.blogspot.com/2014/01/refining-recycling-practices-at-ga-dome.html" target="_blank">Refining Recycling Practices at the GA Dome</a></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, gives an overview of the Dome's recycling history and future commitments.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hf_OHAh8tSA/ViVJKqMrG9I/AAAAAAAACz8/KzPySQ6-nSs/s1600/Ei%2Bteam%2B%2540%2BNovelis%2Brecycling%2Bdumpster%2Bin%2Btail%2Bgate%2Blots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hf_OHAh8tSA/ViVJKqMrG9I/AAAAAAAACz8/KzPySQ6-nSs/s200/Ei%2Bteam%2B%2540%2BNovelis%2Brecycling%2Bdumpster%2Bin%2Btail%2Bgate%2Blots.jpg" width="195" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ei team @ Novelis recycling<br />
dumpster in tail gate lots</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">I</span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">n spring 2012, the Dome accepted the invitation to serve as the <a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/SFCI_Georgia_Dome_Pilot" target="_blank">SFCI Event Pilot</a>. Along with the <a href="http://www.gwcc.com/" target="_blank">Georgia World Congress Center</a> – fourth largest conference center in the nation – and 20-acre <a href="http://www.centennialpark.com/" target="_blank">Olympic Centennial Park</a>, the Georgia Dome is one of three facilities under the state-owned Georgia World Congress Center Authority. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Tim Trefzer - GWCCA director of sustainability - oversees the impressive sustainability accomplishments, including zero waste and well beyond, for the three facilities.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">The SFCI - Dome announces the following 2014 Falcons season goals:</span><br />
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Implement a post-consumer food waste collection program</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Source-separate material generated for on-site produced mini-bales</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Expand game day tailgate recycling initiatives in the GWCC-owned parking lots; explore recycling possibilities at privately held parking lots. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Establishing baselines | fact finding for the business model development are the first action steps and timing is impeccable with the August pre-season Falcons home games. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nov 10 SFCI-dome team<br />
"picking the bowl"</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fact finding for the post-consumer food waste collection program began on November 10, 2013 when the SFCI Team "picked the bowl" post-game for food waste and compostable items. The team collected approximately 130 pounds of compostable material in 13 bags, which were delivered to a permitted commercial composting facility by SFCI co-chair Doug Kunnemann of <a href="http://www.natureworksllc.com/" target="_blank">NatureWorks</a> and <a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/" target="_blank">Elemental Impact</a> founder Holly Elmore. Great news: the material placed at the end of a windrow composted well!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">The <i>Refining Recycling</i> article referenced above includes details on the November 10 game activities.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">Continuing the fact finding that began in November, the SMAT - <a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/sustainable-materials-committee" target="_blank">Sustainable Materials ACTION Team</a> - attended the August 8 Falcons pre-season game. With the November game findings grounded in collecting compostable items, the August game mission was focused on identifying contaminants in the food & beverage packaging served at the Dome.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">Note the intention is to pilot post-consumer food waste collection on the Club Level for the 2014 season while taking the program to the entire stadium in the 2015 season.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">Several seasons ago, Dome concessionaire <a href="http://www.levyrestaurants.com/venues/georgia-dome" target="_blank">Levy Restaurants</a> embarked on sustainability practices that laid a solid foundation for the post-consumer food waste collection program. In general condiments are served at pump stations, eliminating the common packet contamination. The Dome suites foodservice uses </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "lucida grande" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">reusable plates, flatware, napkins, serving platters and beverage cups & glasses and concessions serve food & beverage items in compostable packaging, with a few exceptions.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SMAT post-game @ Dome</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">Under the direction of SMAT chair Sarah Martell of </span><a href="http://www.innoviafilms.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;" target="_blank">Innovia Films</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">, team members Rick Lombardo of </span><a href="http://www.naturbag.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;" target="_blank">Natur-Tec</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">, Wendell Simonson of </span><a href="http://www.ecoproducts.com/index.php" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;" target="_blank">Eco-Products</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"> and Grant Braasch </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">of </span>NatureWorks<span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"> toure</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">d the Club Level concessionaire operations scouting for contaminants. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "lucida grande" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Once the team reconvenes for a recap meeting, Sarah will draft a report for Tim, Holly and Doug. An outstanding item is to determine if pre-season concession service mirrors season service. An anticipated challenge is packaging used by Levy's sub-contractors at games. At the November game, the team found specialty nuts, cotton candy, chips | peanuts and yogurt containers are the main contaminants when picking the Dome general seating for compostable items.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "lucida grande" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">In addition to post-consumer food waste, the pre-season Falcons games are the platform for the on-site source-separated material model business case. In a nutshell, the model consists of moderate generators using mini-balers to source-separate material into bales, which are delivered to a recycling center. Once weighed and tracked by participant, the mini-bales are aggregated by material into standard mill-size bales. The recycling center stores the bales until ready for sale by the tractor trailer load. Revenue is distributed to participants in proportion to material generated.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-22ITRRMxgag/ViVJjbFIMGI/AAAAAAAAC0M/0CT7ZLOD940/s1600/GWCC%2Bvalues%2Btheir%2Bcardboard%2B%2526%2Bhas%2Ban%2Bexcellent%2Brecycling%2Bsystem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-22ITRRMxgag/ViVJjbFIMGI/AAAAAAAAC0M/0CT7ZLOD940/s200/GWCC%2Bvalues%2Btheir%2Bcardboard%2B%2526%2Bhas%2Ban%2Bexcellent%2Brecycling%2Bsystem.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GWCC values their cardboard & has<br />
an excellent recycling system</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "lucida grande" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Financial success is grounded in two equally important components: 1> volume and 2> clean material, free of contaminants. For volume, the intent is to recruit Atlanta's zero waste pioneers to once again step into a leadership role. One of the underlying mottos in original ZWZ recruitment was "<i>maximum volume, minimum decision makers</i>." Program participants are required to provide CLEAN material - the tagline is <i>Contamination is a Mistake</i>!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "lucida grande" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Challenge: no infrastructure exists in Atlanta or most cities to handle mini-bales. Yet mini-balers are essential due to the moderate quantity of material generated. A Dome pilot goal is to substantiate the model improves the bottom line after considering baler cost and increased labor necessary for on-site separation. The model is an prime example of Ei's concept <a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/RecyclingIntegrity" target="_blank">Recycling Integrity</a> - <i>maintaining maximum material value with minimal energy expended</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "lucida grande" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Creating infrastructure requires aggregating a team of industry pioneers within the entire value chain willing to step beyond "<i>the way it is done</i>" and create new operating practices. The following are the pioneers who stepped forward as industry leaders:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Lead Pioneers</b>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.freshpointmarketing.com/Atlanta/" target="_blank">FreshPoint</a> - nation's largest produce distributor<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">GWCC | GA Dome - nation's fourth largest conference center | home to the Atlanta Falcons<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.gatech.edu/" target="_blank">Georgia Institute of Technology</a> (strong interest with
no formal commitment)</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Infrastructure</b>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.orwakbalers.com/" target="_blank">Orwak</a> – manufacturer of small balers<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.m-passinc.com/" target="_blank">M-PASS Environmental</a> – hauler, owner | seller of material<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.unicor.gov/recycling/" target="_blank">UNICOR</a> | <a href="http://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/atl/" target="_blank">Atlanta Penitentiary</a> – recycling center<o:p></o:p></span></li>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">End Markets</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">:</span></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.hilexpoly.com/" target="_blank">Hilex Poly</a> – world’s largest plastic bag manufacturer<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.novelis.com/en-us/Pages/Home.aspx" target="_blank">Novelis</a> – world’s largest aluminum manufacturer with a
recycling plant in Greensboro, GA<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.prattindustries.com/" target="_blank">Pratt Industries</a> – world's largest manufacturer of cardboard boxes from
100% recycled content with a mill in Conyers, GA<o:p></o:p></span></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-98g1iSqSDYM/ViVJrFnOvDI/AAAAAAAAC0U/jKo-aKb5jX0/s1600/Scott%2BSeydel%2Bfilming%2B%2540FP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-98g1iSqSDYM/ViVJrFnOvDI/AAAAAAAAC0U/jKo-aKb5jX0/s200/Scott%2BSeydel%2Bfilming%2B%2540FP.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott Seydel filming @FP</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The model originated as a city-wide plastic film recycling template announced in the ZWA Blog article,<i><a href="http://zerowastezone.blogspot.com/2013/09/if-it-was-easy-it-would-already-be-done.html" target="_blank"> If it was easy, it would already be done</a></i>, with FreshPoint taking the leading role. Details on the plastic film recycling template were updated in the ZWA Blog article, <i><a href="http://zerowastezone.blogspot.com/2014/01/plastic-film-recycling-new-frontier.html" target="_blank">Plastic Film Recycling: A New Frontier</a></i>. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In March Ei announced a video filmed and edited by Ei Chair Scott Seydel in the ZWA Blog article, <i><a href="http://zerowastezone.blogspot.com/2014/03/plastic-film-recycling-template-video.html" target="_blank">Plastic Film Recycling Template Video Published</a></i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">... and then Tim gave the big YES for the GWCC participating in the plastic film recycling template via the SFCI - Dome. Immediately, the template expanded from plastic film to include common recycling materials generated at event facilities: PET, aluminum and mixed paper.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">To build the baseline, Tim requested a waste and recycling audit </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">after the August 8 pre-season game </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">by the Dome waste and recycling contractor. Although easy to determine the material generated via purchasing documents, the quantity of material separated for recycling versus sent directly to the landfill is necessary for the baseline. Understanding the contamination within the current recycling practices is another baseline component.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MqLV9qnNLC0/U_JLqJN2qII/AAAAAAAACHM/W_u1Op_P9Wg/s1600/08-08-14%2BGA%2BDome%2B-%2BDavid%2C%2BTim%2B%26%2BLouis%2B%40%2Bbaled%2BOCC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MqLV9qnNLC0/U_JLqJN2qII/AAAAAAAACHM/W_u1Op_P9Wg/s1600/08-08-14%2BGA%2BDome%2B-%2BDavid%2C%2BTim%2B%26%2BLouis%2B%40%2Bbaled%2BOCC.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David, Tim & Louis in<br />
Dome loading dock</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">While the SMAT team scouted the Club Level, Tim, Holly along with Louis Herrera and David Bangs of Hilex Poly visited the loading dock to check out existing recycling practices and examine the potential mini-baler site. Once the GWCCA recycling specialist is hired, recycling rates will immediately increase when an experienced person takes ownership of material generated at the three GWCCA properties. The new position is timed impeccably with the source-separated materials recycling pilot launch.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">In true team spirit, Roderick Jackson with UNICOR | Atlanta Penitentiary joined the Ei folks at the August 8 game. Roderick must understand how material is generated, baled and transported to the Atlanta Penitentiary to create the most effective recycling center procedures. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5yGgksi3m5g/U_FyXw9twOI/AAAAAAAACG8/IIrHK0FOj0g/s1600/orwak%2Bbaler%2B-%2Btwo%2Bcompartment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5yGgksi3m5g/U_FyXw9twOI/AAAAAAAACG8/IIrHK0FOj0g/s1600/orwak%2Bbaler%2B-%2Btwo%2Bcompartment.jpg" width="153" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orwak baler scheduled<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">Next steps are delivery of a trial Orwak two-compartment baler for the Dome pilot in time for the August 23 pre-season game. While the prime August 8 game focus was post-consumer food waste, the August 23 game is source-separated material oriented. Ei Partners Novelis - the Falcons recycling partner - along with M-PASS and Pratt plan to attend the game. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">A primary August 23 game goal is to bale enough aluminum and mixed paper for UNICOR to make two to three standard mill size bales. In addition, it is important to calculate the time required to sort mixed material bags and make a mini-bale for labor estimates within the business case.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">Once the baseline and fact finding are complete, it is time for the template vision to get a reality check via a solid business plan. When the financials indicate the model promises bottom line rewards, the team will reconvene to chart the action course to refine the Dome's recycling practices, including post-consumer food waste, on-site material source separation and tailgate recycling.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">The Ei Team is living the tagline, <i><b>Sustainability in ACTION</b></i>, at the Dome! </span></span></div>
Holly Elmorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320051691727973987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599502795777432649.post-83134483251031519242014-01-12T15:30:00.003-05:002020-02-24T12:23:49.773-05:00Refining Recycling Practices at the GA Dome<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gRHeIYWanag/UtLv9YEE6mI/AAAAAAAAB-s/wM7P_DJsTXE/s1600/SFCI_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gRHeIYWanag/UtLv9YEE6mI/AAAAAAAAB-s/wM7P_DJsTXE/s1600/SFCI_web.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">As the <a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/SFCI_Georgia_Dome_Pilot">Sustainable Food Court Initiative Event Venue Pilo</a>t, the <a href="http://www.gadome.com/">Georgia Dome</a> is committed to refining existing recycling practices</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">. In their role as a Founding </span><a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/Zero-Waste-Zones" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Zero Waste Zones</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> Participant the Dome built a strong recycling foundation when the program launched in February 2009. Working with the SFCI Team, the Dome is exploring avenues to refine existing practices that increase recycling rates and maximize material value generated at events.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In September <a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/">Elemental Impact</a> founder Holly Elmore joined Tim Trefzer, <a href="http://www.gwcc.com/">Georgia World Congress Center Authority</a> director of sustainability, on a game day recycling tour with the new <a href="http://www.atlantafalcons.com/">Falcons</a> Stadium architects. It was an inspiring day to witness solid recycling practices in-place along with opportunities for program evolution. The ZWA Blog article, <i><a href="http://zerowastezone.blogspot.com/2013/10/winning-recycling-seasons-team-work.html">Winning Recycling Seasons Require Team Work</a></i>, is recap of the game day tour.<br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Beginning with the 2012 season, Ei Partner <a href="http://www.novelis.com/en-us/Pages/Home.aspx">Novelis</a> stepped into the Falcons Recycling Partner role. First action steps included installing two brightly decorated eight-yard recycling dumpsters in the four GWCCA-owned parking lots used as pre-game tailgating venues. For the 2013 season Novelis provided outdoor & indoor recycling bins. The Novelis bins complement the <a href="http://us.coca-cola.com/">Coca-Cola </a>bins in service for the past years.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SFCI Co-Chair Doug Kunnemann,<br />
Melissa Selem (Ei) & <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Matt<br />Bedingfield (Novelis)@ dumpste</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">With much of the proverbial "low hanging fruit" addressed, the SFCI Team is in a fact finding mode to understand the next best steps on the <a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/RecyclingRefinement">Recycling Refinement</a> journey. Three areas of exploration include: 1> increased tailgating recycling with a focus on privately owned lots, 2> post-game food waste & compostable products picked from the Dome seating for composting destination and 3> creation of an on-site mini-MRF (materials recovery facility) where recyclable items generated are baled for sale as a raw manufacturing material.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">On Sunday, November 10 SFCI Team members toured pre-game festivities on Falcons Landing and tailgating in private and GWCCA-owned parking lots. Since the September visit, the Dome added recycling bag dispensers on the Novelis dumpsters. Most folks are happy to participate in recycling, as long as it is easy!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">It appears little to no recycling is in-place at the privately owned tailgate lots. Under <a href="http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/SolidWaste/Litter/Pages/KeepMecklenburgBeautiful.aspx">Keep Mecklenburg County Beautiful </a>executive director Jake Wilson's direction, the <a href="http://www.panthers.com/">Carolina Panthers </a>tailgate recycling program is a huge success. With the tailgate lots privately owned, Jake orchestrated an outstanding team consisting of public & private entities working in unison towards the common recycling goal. Jake is happy to share his expertise with the SFCI Team; a goal is to replicate the Panther's model for the privately owned lots near the GA Dome. The ZWA Blog article, <i><a href="http://zerowastezone.blogspot.com/2012/01/carolina-panthers-hit-winning-streak-in.html">Panthers Winning Recycling Season</a></i>, is an overview of the successful program. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Ei has a strong Charlotte presence and works closely with Jake on many fronts. The IMPACT Blog article, <i><a href="http://elementalimpact.blogspot.com/2013/03/charlotte-ei-partner-tours.html">Charlotte Ei Partner Tours</a></i>, along with the ZWA Blog articles, <i><a href="http://zerowastezone.blogspot.com/2013/03/bring-possible-out-of-impossible.html">Bring the Possible out of Impossible</a></i>, and <i><a href="http://zerowastezone.blogspot.com/2013/10/scaling-up-composting-in-charlotte-nc.html">Scaling Up Composting in Charlotte, NC</a></i>, document Ei's on-going work in the Charlotte area.</span></span><br />
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see Ei FB album for names</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">When complete with the pre-game observation and fact finding mission, the Team walked the GA Dome back & front-of-houses noting the recycling practices in-place. Tim educated the group on current systems along with potential near-term upgrades. Although there are ample recycling bins, strategic placement may be enhanced in several areas including the executive level. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Recycling bins placed next to trash cans in general yielded a reasonably clean stream. Yet the trash cans often contained PET and aluminum bottles. Additional signage that complements the Dome decor may improve recycling rates.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">As the game ended several additional SFCI Team members joined the group to pick selected seating sections of food waste and compostable products fans left behind. The group collected 13 bags - 133 pounds of food waste & compostable products - and gained insight for creating a successful post-consumer food waste collection program.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Ei Partner <a href="http://www.heritage-bag.com/">Heritage Bag</a> donated a case of their <a href="http://www.heritage-bag.com/images/assets/pdfs/BioTuf.pdf">BioTuf Compostable Bags</a> for the food waste & compostable packaging collection. The bags were sturdy and perfect for the job at hand.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Insights during the "bowl picking" included:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Though the majority of the food and beverage packaging is compostable, there is more "trash" packaging than anticipated. Condiment containers | wrappers and subcontractor vendor packaging were the majority of contaminants for compost facility destination.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most of the compostable food boxes | trays included a liner - there is confusion whether the liner is compostable.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The majority of the collected material was packaging and the bags were bulky, rather than the dense nature of pre-consumer food waste. On average the bags weighed around ten pounds when full.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The food waste and compostable packaging bags were stored in the GA Dome loading dock. On Tuesday November 12 </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Doug Kunnemann</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">, SFCI Co-Chair, and Holly met Tim at the Dome loading dock to transport the food waste bags to the<a href="http://www.wilbrosllc.com/"> Wilbros Organics & Biofuels</a> food waste composting facility in Toccoa, GA. The Wilbros folks agreed to monitor the decomposition of the food waste bags, take pictures during the process and report results to Ei. Upon delivery, the Dome material was placed at a windrow end for easy monitoring.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">According to Keaton Thompson, Wilbros compost operations manager, the food waste, packaging and bags immediately began the decomposition process, reaching 138 degrees within 72 hours. Ten days later the windrow temperature reached 146 degrees and decomposition was clearly visible. By December 3 the Dome material was </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">well on its way to transforming into valuable, nutrient-rich compost.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Current bowl picking practices include collecting PET and aluminum bottles in a blue recycling bag with the remainder of the material collected in a black trash bag. The blue bags are placed in the recycling compactor for transport to <a href="http://www.wasteprousa.com/">Waste Pro</a>'s local MRF where the material is separated, baled and sold in the commodities market.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Each Falcons game approximately 35,000 programs and 140,000 promotional flyers are distributed among the seats. The majority of the valuable fiber is landfill destined. Ei Partner <a href="http://www.prattindustries.com/">Pratt Industries</a> operates a cardboard mill within 20 miles of the Dome where cardboard is made from 100% recycled material. In June 2013 Ei hosted a Pratt Mill Tour for Tim and Michael Cheyne, <a href="http://www.atlanta-airport.com/">Atlanta Airport </a>director of asset management and sustainability, to learn about the local option for paper | fiber generated at their respective facilities. Note the Atlanta Airport is the <a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/SFCI_ATL_Airport_Pilot">SFCI Airport Pilot</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Within the vision of on-site source-separation is selling recyclable items as a raw material to local manufacturing operations. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Novelis aluminum recycling plant located in Greensboro, GA is another local option for valuable material generated at Dome events. In early October 2013 Tim and Holly toured the Greensboro plant to experience the aluminum recycling process.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For a pictorial recap of the GA Dome's pioneering efforts in Recycling Refinement, visit the Ei FB album, <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.716619665032455.1073741844.120919654602462&type=1">Refining Falcons' Recycling Programs</a></i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Integral to <a href="http://www.elementalimpact.org/RecyclingIntegrity">Recycling Integrity</a> - <i>maintaining maximum material value with minimal energy expended</i> - is on-site source separation and local material destination. The GA Dome along with its sister facilities the GA World Congress Center and <a href="http://www.centennialpark.com/">Centennial Olympic Park</a> are in the initial steps of refining their recycling practices to a program that maximizes material value, uses minimum energy and improves the bottom line.</span></div>
Holly Elmorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320051691727973987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599502795777432649.post-5549405878289754592013-10-05T13:48:00.001-04:002018-11-25T18:38:51.774-05:00Winning Recycling Seasons: Team Work Required!<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As the <a href="http://elementalimpact.org/SFCI_Georgia_Dome_Pilot">Sustainable Food Court Initiative Event Venue Pilot</a>, the <a href="http://www.gadome.com/">Georgia Dome</a> is committed to the teamwork necessary for </span><a href="http://www.atlantafalcons.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Atlanta Falcons</a>' <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">winning recycling seasons</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. Fact finding tours to witness current practices in action are an excellent first step to refining recycling practices closer to the coveted zero waste threshold.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.gwcc.com/">Georgia World Congress Center</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.gwcc.com/"> Authority </a>sustainability director Tim Trefzer hosted a front and back-of-the-house </span>GA Dome<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">game day recycling tour for </span><a href="http://elementalimpact.org/">Elemental Impact</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://elementalimpact.org/"> </a>founder Holly Elmore during the September 15 Falcons | Rams game. New Falcons Stadium designers, Carlie Bullock-Jon</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">es of <a href="http://ecoworks-studio.com/">EcoWorks Studio</a> & Chris DeVolder of<a href="http://www.360architects.com/"> ThreeSixty Architecture</a> joined the fun and informative tour. Beginning with Falcons Landing, the group visited pre-game festivities.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Next on the tour was tailgating in one of the three GWCCA-owned parking lots. While giving away koozies, the <a href="http://riseuprecycle.com/">Rise Up & Recycle </a>Team circulated throughout the parking lot encouraging fans to recycle. In the 2012 season, <a href="http://www.novelis.com/en-us/Pages/Home.aspx">Novelis</a> - Falcons recycling partner - provided two brightly colored recycling dumpsters for each parking lot. The colorful dumpsters continue to broadcast a bright recycling message in their second season.</span></span><br />
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Tim next to the new indoor</div>
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recycling bins</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">New Novelis-provided recycling bins made their debut inside and outside of the stadium at the 2013 season first home game. With fans prohibited from bringing beverages into the Dome, the bins are a haven for valuable aluminum and PET - polyethylene terephthalate, a common plastic used for carbonated beverages and bottled water containers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">A strong zero waste foundation is in place at the Dome, a founding <a href="http://elementalimpact.org/Zero-Waste-Zones">Zero Waste Zones</a> participant. Pump stations are used for condiments with only mayonnaise provided in individual disposable packets, a common containment in food waste for composting streams. <a href="http://www.levyrestaurants.com/">Levy Restaurants</a>, the Dome's concessionaire, serves food & beverage in compostable packaging for most items. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">The SFCI Team is exploring solutions for remaining food & beverage "trash" items including the roasted peanut bags. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At first glance, either existing products or creative solutions are available for the items.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Event best practices are strong in the GA Dome suites. Levy Restaurants serves food in reusable platters, bowls and chafing dishes along with china plates, stainless flatware, cloth napkins and beverage glassware service. Recycling bins are installed in the back countertop of each suite.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N8FPzvaRaXU/Vvq7tuXxeyI/AAAAAAAADdc/XJKhAvg5R-0MOzttvRCCrrrCP0gGMNKUg/s1600/09-15-13%2BGa%2BDome%2Bbev%2Bselection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N8FPzvaRaXU/Vvq7tuXxeyI/AAAAAAAADdc/XJKhAvg5R-0MOzttvRCCrrrCP0gGMNKUg/s200/09-15-13%2BGa%2BDome%2Bbev%2Bselection.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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Pre-packaged beverages are</div>
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sold in recyclable containers</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Pre-packaged game day beverages are served in recyclable material - aluminum & PET. Post game the bowl is cleaned with the beverage containers collected in blue bags for placement in the recycling compactor. Each game approximately 35,000 game programs (pre-game every other seat beverage container is stuffed with a program) and 140,000 promotional flyers (every seat container receives two flyers) are destined for the landfill. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although it appears a simple task to collect the program and flyers post-game for recycling, challenges abound. Post-game bowl cleaning is performed via a contracted janitorial service. The janitorial company is only required to separately collect paper products if the task was included as a contract provision during the RFP - request for proposal - process. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another challenge is the constantly changing hourly staff employed to clean the stadium.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jOZjUe9lLb0/Vvq8A7y-9wI/AAAAAAAADdg/7yVbFN9QjiAQilaTyxVBTjrQ6j0Ae7F9A/s1600/09-15-13%2Bpost-game%2Bpaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jOZjUe9lLb0/Vvq8A7y-9wI/AAAAAAAADdg/7yVbFN9QjiAQilaTyxVBTjrQ6j0Ae7F9A/s200/09-15-13%2Bpost-game%2Bpaper.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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Falcons programs &</div>
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promotional flyers</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although arduous in the first years, the </span><a href="http://www.rosequarter.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Portland Trailblazers</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> developed an effective stadium cleaning program. SFCI Team Members </span><a href="http://www.stalkmarketproducts.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Asean | StalkMarket </a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and </span><a href="http://www.natureworksllc.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NatureWorks </a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">worked closely with the Trailblazers on untangling the challenges into success and are eager to share their expertise with the GA Dome.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">The tour included a visit to the loading dock area for recycling in action with the cardboard baler, food waste bins for compost collection and the recycling compactor. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">For a tour pictorial recap, visit the Ei FB album, <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.685253444835744.1073741840.120919654602462&type=3">09-15-13 Falcons Recycling Tour</a></i>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Subsequent to the GA Dome tour, Tim and Holly traveled to the Greensboro, GA Novelis aluminum recycling plant. It was impressive to witness first-hand how a can travels through the chipping, baking to remove inks & other contaminants and melting process necessary to make an aluminum ingot. Each batch is tested to ensure specific recipes for the ingot's product destination are followed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Greensboro plant ingots are shipped to a Novelis facility in Kentucky for rolled aluminum production, a raw material in beverage can manufacturing. Once an ingot leaves the Greensboro plant, aluminum cans return to the recycling plant in an average sixty days for yet a another material reuse. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The SFCI - GA Dome Team is staged for ACTION! </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At an upcoming home game, team members will "pick" several sections of the Dome for food and beverage waste along with the associated compostable packaging. In addition, food and beverage-related items not compostable will be collected in a separate bag for later analysis. The local composter will place the Dome compostable bags filled with post-consumer food waste in a designated area to monitor it during the decomposition process.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BJXaTLp4PbU/UlAxVj_AgTI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/riDoz_72PxY/s1600/10-03-13+SFCI+-+GA+Team+Mtg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BJXaTLp4PbU/UlAxVj_AgTI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/riDoz_72PxY/s200/10-03-13+SFCI+-+GA+Team+Mtg.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SFCI-GA Dome Executive Team</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">With the new Falcons Stadium scheduled to open in the 2017 Season, the SFCI - GA Dome Team intends to work closely with the new stadium design team. Lessons learned during the Dome's recycling refinement may be incorporated into the new stadium design. With all parties playing well together, the first Falcons Stadium season is staged for recycling wins before, during and after games and other events.</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">... and by the way, the Falcons won the September 15 game against the Rams!</span>Holly Elmorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320051691727973987noreply@blogger.com0