Materials Recovery Facilities

Operational Assessment and Optimization Guide

This document has been written for materials recovery facility (MRF) owners and operators who want to improve operating efficiencies at their facilities.

Recent budget deficits and the decreases in state-provided SCORE funds for county waste reduction and recycling programs have put a squeeze on the finances of processing facilities. This guide will help owners and operators of MRFs, especially those in greater Minnesota, evaluate their operations and to institute best management practices that will improve processing efficiencies, reduce operating costs, and increase the revenues these facilities receive for the materials they recover.

Study details

Facility assessments

An Environmental Assistance grant funded a consulting team led by Tim Goodman & Associates to assess the operations of MRFs around the state. The assessments were to identify opportunities for increasing productivity and product quality, and for improving bottom-line operating costs. Five existing MRFs in Minnesota participated in the study.

In addition, the study included two public entities interested in constructing a front-end processing facility for removing recyclables from municipal solid waste (MSW) prior to processing the MSW for energy recovery. For these two facilities, the objective was to provide a preliminary design incorporating operating efficiencies into the MRF layout and process flow which would increase the recovery of recyclables, improve the waste-to-energy (WTE) facility's operating and environmental performance, and reduce the WTE facility's operation and maintenance costs.

All participants in the study received reports specific to their facility that outlined recommendations that could optimize operations, reduce operating costs, and at the same time increase the quality and amount of materials captured for recycling.

Optimization guide

Section 3.0 takes the findings of the individual facility assessments, as well as other documented BMPs from other MRFs and industry sources, and lays out the concepts and practices that contribute to improved processing efficiencies, reduced operating costs, and increased revenues from the sale of recovered materials.

Though not applicable to all situations, this guide should offer useful ideas and practices that will help most MRFs improve their overall operations.

Acknowledgements

This study was funded, in part, by a FY2001 Environmental Assistance grant awarded to Earth Tech, Inc., with the project carried out by Tim Goodman & Associates. The project supports the state's goal of promoting waste processing that is efficient, cost-effective, and improves the marketability of materials.

Look at the online database of past Environmental Assistance grants.

Links to related resources

• MSW Collection Efficiency (U.S. EPA)
  Collection efficiency means getting more for less: picking up more solid waste or recyclables using fewer trucks or fewer people or less time. The featured collection efficiency strategies can have dramatic impacts on the cost-effectiveness and quality of service delivery.
• Recycling Collection Study: Improving recycling efficiency, increasing collection (Eureka Recycling)
  Eureka Recycling completed a 14-month study that takes a close look at five different ways to pick up recycling at the curb. The study examined how sorting method, container size and frequency of pickup affect the success of the recycling program as measured by environmental results, cost, convenience and resident satisfaction. (May 2002)
• Best Operational Practices Manual For Materials Recovery Facilities & Recycling Drop-off Facilities (Illinois Recycling Association)
  The manual is offered as a tool to further advance professional recycling in Illinois. This manual describes systems and procedures that can be employed at materials recovery facilities (MRFs) and recycling drop-offs and improve operations as successful commodities businesses without the need for any special or environmental protection permits. (Nov. 2010)