The Development of a Strategic Plan
for Recycling Market Development was called for by the legislature of the Commonwealth in
its fiscal year 1998 budget. The Chelsea Center hired the firm of Dorn and Associates to
develop the plan, in conjunction with an advisory committee. The Plan looks at specific
target materials—paper, organics, textiles, wood, plastics, metals, glass, and
tires—as well as the Commonwealth’s overall approach to recycling market
development. The report was completed in three phases.
Phase I Report:
Analysis of Massachusetts Recyclable Materials Supply and Demand
Estimates the supply and demand in
1996 and projected to 2001 for the target materials (paper, organics, textiles, wood,
plastics, metals, glass and tires). The assessment breaks down the target materials into
37 commodity grades that reflect the marketplace for recyclables. The report recommends
specific recyclable commodities for which there seem to be opportunities for increasing
demand within Massachusetts. This report is not yet available in electronic format.
Phase
II Report: Identification of Recycling Market Development Opportunities
Assesses the market development
opportunities for the eight materials, consisting of sixteen commodity grades, recommended
for further study in Phase I. These are:
- Glass: mixed color containers, other
(non-container) glass
- Paper: mixed paper, high grades
- Wood: pallets and shipping
containers, tree residues, construction and demolition waste
- Organics: food waste
- Textiles: used clothing, carpet
- Tires: newly generated scrap tires,
old scrap tires
- Plastics: low density polyethylene
(non-film), polypropylene, film, mixed plastic bottles, mixed containers (#3-7)
Phase II describes the material and
nature of supply; identifies products and applications that can be produced using the
recovered material; discusses the current market situation for the material recovered in
Massachusetts; looks at the potential for increased production in-state; and includes an
in-depth discussion of the nature of the market development opportunity, the possible
waste diversion and economic benefits, and challenges to realizing the opportunity.
Phase
III Report: The Strategic Plan
This is the strategic plan itself.
Phase III synthesizes information from Phases I and II, as well as recommends an overall
approach to recycling market development that can be taken by the Commonwealth, including
roles for the major entities involved in recycling and economic development, and methods
for evaluation of programs.
