J Spear Associates wins project to trace lifecycle of MSW recyclables
from J Spear Associates, July 2007

This “Close the Loop” Project will conduct research to identify the chain of ownership of a variety of recyclable materials generated in Wabash County, from collection to manufacturing. Materials will be followed from points of Wabash County generation through manufacturing to identify the new products that are made from locally collected materials. Information gathered during this research will be used to create illustrations of the “Close the Loop” concept that can help educate the public about the benefits and products that result from recycling activities.

Specific, local “close the loop” illustrations will be identified and explored, targeting recycled content building products that can be installed during the remodeling of the District’s 6,000+ square foot office area. An estimated $50,000 worth of these products will be purchased for installation during the remodeling project.

The recycled content products will be featured in a variety of museum quality displays and exhibits that will become a permanent part of the District’s environmental education program. These exhibits will illustrate the collection, processing, manufacturing and marketing aspects of the recycled content products being featured, to help visitors to the facility visualize the primary components of the recycling process. The exhibits will also identify other recycled products being manufactured from the same material.

RESEARCH
The Project will conduct research to identify the chain of ownership of a variety of recyclable materials generated in Wabash County, from recycling collection to manufacturing as a new recycled content product. The research contractor will survey collection contractors, brokers, intermediate processors and manufacturers that manage recyclable materials originating in Wabash County.

Each recyclable material will be followed from their entry into the recycling system, through each step in the process by which they are reintroduced into the marketplace. At each step or 'Node' the source, volume or mass, processing, and subsequent recipient will be documented. Wherever possible, the documentation will include an estimate of the quantity of material whose initial source is material flow in Wabash County, Indiana, as well as photos and/or graphics that illustrate that particular step in the recycling process. Initial sources will include both pre and post consumer recyclable materials.

For example, aluminum cans from a curbside recycling program in Wabash County are collected by a local hauling company and delivered to their Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). The MRF processes recyclables from its various suppliers and, in the case of aluminum cans, bales the material for shipment to a re-processor who converts the cans to aluminum ingot or an aluminum product. If the aluminum product is not a final consumer good, such as aluminum siding for a building, an automobile engine block, aluminum light stand, etc., the re-processor's product is shipped to a manufacturer who manufactures a consumer product.

These chains of ownership will be assembled and used to illustrate “closing the recycling loop”. “Close the Loop” illustrations will demonstrate the results of the public’s recycling activities, showing the products that are actually made from the recyclable materials.

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