CITY OF DURHAM
NORTH CAROLINASolid Waste Strategic Planning and Service Procurement
Kessler Consulting assisted in developing a strategic solid waste management plan for the City of Durham that included evaluating the existing recyclables processing and waste disposal contracts and systems, and resulted in the development of a comprehensive strategic plan.
Based on the strategic plan, Kessler Consulting conducted a competitive procurement that included the following solid waste services: (1) design, construction, and operation of a transfer station at the city’s solid waste disposal facility, (2) solid waste disposal services, and (3) processing and marketing of the city’s recyclable materials.
KCI facilitated final contract negotiations resulting in a decrease in transfer/disposal fees, and a newly constructed transfer station, the ownership of which will revert to the city in 20 years. The final processing contract negotiations resulted in approximately a 50 percent increase in recycling revenue to the city.
Comprehensive Waste and Recyclables Characterization Study
The City of Durham contracted KCI to conduct a study to characterize the municipal solid waste (MSW) delivered to the city’s transfer station to determine the composition of MSW disposed in the city’s single-family residential, multi-family residential, commercial, and construction and demolition (C&D)/bulky waste streams. KCI also conducted a concurrent recyclables composition study to determine the composition of recyclable materials collected in the city’s curbside recycling program. As part of this study, KCI was also requested to provide a conceptual approach to divert 65 percent of the material delivered to the transfer station from disposal by 2025. To identify potential waste diversion opportunities, KCI applied the characterization study results to the various sources, types, and quantities of materials received at transfer station. Results revealed that 21 percent of the materials received were diverted from disposal, an additional 16 percent consisted of fiber and containers included in the city’s existing program, and 15 percent consisted of materials that could have been composted.
“KCI successfully assisted the City of Durham in negotiating a recycling processing contract, resulting in Durham still receiving rebates while other municipalities in our vicinity are actually paying for processing services.”
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