FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
David L. Manning, Special Principal Associate
Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc.
Federal Receiver
703-573-5800
www.guamsolidwastereceiver.org
Solid Waste Management Division Rolls Out Curbside Recycling Pilot Project
1,000 Households to Recycle Paper, Metal Cans and Certain Plastic Bottles in Wheeled Recycling Carts
(Guam, October 12, 2010) – Federal Receiver Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc., (GBB) today announced that the Solid Waste Management Division (SWMD) has begun implementation of a curbside recycling pilot project for 1,000 SWMD customer households. The pilot project will determine the feasibility of implementing curbside recycling collection services throughout Guam for all SWMD customers.
Each participating household will receive a new 95-gallon wheeled recycling cart with a green lid. Beginning today, recycling carts will be distributed to selected customers in the following subdivisions: Summer Place, Ypaopao/Paradise Estates and Marianas Terrace in the northern villages of Guam. A total of 417 homes will receive recycling carts in these subdivisions. Over the next few months, the SWMD will select customers in central and southern villages to participate in the pilot recycling program.
Participants in the pilot program will be able to place the following materials in their recycling carts: cardboard and paper (newspapers, magazines, catalogs, unwanted mail and office paper), aluminum and other metal cans, and plastic bottles marked with a#1 or #2.
The SWMD will evaluate the success of the year-long project by assessing the level of participation in recycling, the quantity and quality of the materials collected, and the cost of the program, less any revenue from the sale of the recyclables. The SWMD will also evaluate the costs and results of three collection schedules: weekly collection, every other week collection, and monthly collection. Participants will receive their specific collection schedules when the SWMD delivers their recycling carts. All recycling collection will occur on the same day as regular trash collection.
"With this new curbside recycling pilot project, participants can recycle more materials the easy way: mixed together in a cart they roll to the curb on collection day,” said Receiver Representative David L. Manning. "From an operations standpoint, we know that recycling will extend the life of the Layon Landfill, but it will be important to determine the most cost-effective and efficient program for Guam. The pilot project, and how participating households respond, will help provide some guidance and direction for a long-term plan.”
Participants in the pilot project were selected in consultation with village mayors. The SWMD also chose participants who live in close proximity in order to maximize collection efficiency. The concentration of participants reflects the geographic distribution of SWMD customers. Participation in the pilot project by selected customers is encouraged but completely voluntary.
After the recyclables are collected, the SWMD will deliver the materials to be processed and either used on island or shipped off island to markets for recycling. The materials will not be disposed in the Ordot Dump or any landfill.
More information about the program is available at www.guamsolidwastereceiver.org.
About Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc., Receiver
In a Court Order dated March 17, 2008, U.S. District Court Judge Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood appointed GBB to be Receiver with full responsibility for bringing the Guam Solid Waste Management Division into compliance with the 2004 Consent Decree for violation of the Clean Water Act. As Receiver, GBB’s objective is to work with Guam’s government, the Solid Waste Management Division, solid waste companies, the people of Guam, and the U.S. military to establish a long-term, financially viable and sustainable waste management system for Guam. For more information on the receivership, visit www.guamsolidwastereceiver.org.
GBB is a national solid waste management consulting firm, headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area, that works on solid waste collection, processing, recycling and disposal issues, and assists in planning, procuring, and implementing sound, cost-effective facilities and services at the local, state, and national levels for both the public and private sectors. Since 1980, GBB has planned and developed a wide range of integrated waste management programs that use the latest technologies to improve efficiency, save money, enhance customer service, and protect the environment. For more information on the firm and its products and services, please visit www.gbbinc.com or call 1-703-573-5800.
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