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41 <br />Comoarison of Current To Future Svstem Costs If MRF is Developed <br />The purpose of the MRF project is to provide for diversion of larger quantities of recyclables through cost <br />effective collection and process. The assumption is that collection costs can be reduced and that these <br />can offset what are expected to be higher processing costs. The following analysis documents that this is <br />the case, using current Orange Community Recycling system costs as the baseline and then comparing <br />those to projected system costs with a new MRF and a two stream commingled collection system for <br />single family and multi - family recycling. <br />ORANGE COMMUNITY RECYCLING COLLECTION SYSTEM <br />The existing collection system involves the collection of source separated recyclables using multi - <br />compartment vehicles, the collection schedule in the rural areas is every two weeks and in the urban area <br />is weekly. The curbside collection program is supported by a number of drop of depots located in the <br />County. <br />The current costs of the collection program from households are $3.05 per month ($37 per year) in the <br />urban area and $1.65 per month ($20 per year) in the rural area. The rural costs appear to be low and <br />may not be sustainable over the long term. The rural capture rate is significantly lower than in the urban <br />area and if this were to increase due to increased type of materials and associated increased quantities <br />the costs could escalate. We believe that a base line cost of $2 per hh/month would be a good base cost <br />for the existing rural cost. <br />In the rural areas at this time we would estimate that there would be only a 10% reduction in collection <br />costs due to two stream collection in the rural area. In the urban area we would estimate that there could <br />be a 25% reduction in collection cost. <br />COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS <br />The effect of these savings is illustrated in the following analysis shown in the Charts on the next two <br />pages. These charts compare, on a total cost and a cost per ton basis, the existing programs and <br />diversion levels as well as the projected year 2002/2003 diversion levels. The analysis shows costs for <br />the current source separation based collection and processing system as well as costs for the "New MRF' <br />two stream commingled scenario. <br />Existing costs have been based on 7,690 households in the rural area and 13,733 in the urban area with <br />a annual collection cost of $3.05 in the urban area and $2 per household in the rural area. <br />As more materials are added to the materials collected the costs of collection will show minimal change <br />with-the two stream approach to collection. However adding materials to the existing collection system will <br />only increase the collection costs (primarily in the urban area) due to the increased time required to sort at <br />the curb. <br />2/5/99 Orange Regional MRF LOG Workshop Materials <br />