Long-Term Solid Waste Management Strategic Plan
Kansas City, Missouri

Client

Kansas City’s Solid Waste Division provides trash collection and recycling services to more than 140,000 homes. Processing of commingled recyclables, landfill disposal, composting, and operation of recycling drop-off centers are provided to the city via contract.  However, the unanticipated early closures of local landfills will likely lead to increasing costs and the potential elimination of programs and services provided by the city.
SCS Engineers is the lead of a consulting team for the city to assess various long-term strategies for meeting both solid waste management and recycling needs.  The first step in developing the strategic plan was to evaluate the performance of the city’s programs.  SCS reviewed the city’s contracts for private collection, recycling, and disposal services; budgets; and ordinances.  A comparison of the city’s programs and expenditures with those of similarly-sized cities was also performed.

SCS developed 20-year projections of solid waste generation and diversion in order to evaluate different levels of solid waste disposal and diversion/recycling options.  SCS evaluated various alternatives for the city to consider, including a city-owned material recovery facility/transfer station, use of a local waste-to-energy opportunity, and food waste/organics collection and composting.  SCS prepared a detailed 20-year financial analysis of selected alternatives and provided recommendations for obtaining financing and implementing the plan.

As part of the planning process, a series of eight focus group meetings were held throughout the city to allow the public to share their opinions on the city’s services and to provide input on the direction of future programs.

Kansas City
Public Works Department
Division of Solid Waste
23rd Floor, City Hall
414 East 12th Street
Kansas City, MO  64106

Contact

Mr. Michael Shaw
Assistant to the Director
(816) 513-3484
Michael_shaw@kcmo.org

Contract Amount

$200,000

Dates

July 2007 to February 2008

Key Personnel

Lisa McDaniel

Rendering of a combined transfer station, material recovery facility, and administration building developed for Kansas City.