Recyclable material collection in Augsburg
Against the background of current changes to the statutory fundamentals, the recyclable material potential in residual waste, bulky household waste and in lightweight packagings was determined on behalf of the City of Augsburg's waste management and public cleansing service ("Abfallwirtschafts- und Stadtreinigungsbetrieb der Stadt Augsburg" - aws), the existing recyclable material collection system was examined and options for increasing the separately collected quantity of biowaste were explained .
Theoretical potential in residual waste
The sorting analyses of residual waste and lightweight packagings carried out and the examination of the bulky household waste showed that despite the long-established 4-tonne pick-up system with a comparatively low per capita quantity of residual waste, nonetheless significant theoretical potential exists in recyclable materials in residual waste.
Pick-up and bring waste system
In the past the recyclable material collection system was based on pick-up systems for paper, lightweight packagings and biowaste via the respective bins, extensive collection bank bring systems for glass and used clothing and a bring system for electrical scrap in a few depots. Large electrical equipment, scrap metal and used wood were removed separately in the past through the bulky household waste collection.
Since the beginning of 2012, this system has been supplemented by bring systems that are being set up, on the one hand by a collection bank system for small electrical scrap and on the other hand by setting up several recyclable material depots at which a large number of recyclable material fractions are collected separately. One of the planned depots has been in operation since March 2012 and has been accepted well by the citizens. The collection bank system for end-of-life electric waste not only achieves substantial quantities but also good quality collected material. It is therefore an effective addition to the acceptance points in the depots.
Expansion of recycling depots
Another element is the increase in the number of recycling depots. Favourably located and efficiently laid out recycling depots improve the accessibility and acceptance of the bring system. The currently much discussed recyclable material bin concepts are aimed at equivalent material non-packaging suitable for bins, i.e. small non-packaging plastics and non-packaging metals. A collection system is provided in the recycling depot for these – but above all for plastics that do not fit in the bins.
With the expansion of the recycling depot system, further improvements are to be expected. It is helpful to describe the materials for which a material recovery route exists using a positive list and to communicate the choice to the recycling depot users, in order to improve the quality of the collected material.
Separate collection of biowaste
The separate collection of biowastes in Augsburg is already of above-average quality, which is reflected in the large quantity collected of around 21,000 tonnes per year and the relatively small fraction of native-organic fractions in the residual waste (9.75 %).
With the changeover of the biowaste treatment at the AVA from composting to fermentation, problems in handling food residues from households in the recovery plant no longer exist. Instead, food residues have an above-average biogas potential, so that there is nothing to stop extending the collection. Hygienic problems of collection can be prevented by good biowaste collection practice in the household and care of the biowaste bins.
According to the analysis of the potential, approx. 1,100 tonnes of additional biowastes per year can be collected. This is a small part of the total quantity but has an above-average biogas potential.