Pollution Prevention Grants Program
Hub-and-Spoke Recycling Model
What is Hub-and-Spoke?
In its simplest form, the Hub-and-Spoke recycling model consists of a centralized processing center for recyclables, or “hub”, where material is sorted, baled, and/or sold to market. The “spokes” consist of surrounding communities that feed the recyclables they collect to the main hub. Typically the hub and spoke communities have a formal agreement that ensures the recyclables collected in the region flow from the spokes to the hub for processing.
What are the benefits of Hub-and-Spoke?
Hub-and-Spoke creates economies of scale that avoid the need for communities to invest in duplicative recycling infrastructure. Costs for equipment, personnel, processing, transportation, and marketing are shared. Additionally, the long-haul transport of recyclables to market from remote areas is avoided.
Equally important is the development of a regional partnership to sustain the Hub-and-Spoke system. Many small communities struggle to generate enough recyclables to attract investment from large recyclers, as well as be able to financially support a full-scale recycling program. Consolidating recyclables from multiple communities via a Hub-and-Spoke partnership increases the volume of recyclables collected, and, hence revenue potential.
Hub-and-Spoke and the Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity (RREO) Grant Program
NEW – Clarification on Parameters of Hub-and-Spoke Recycling Systems
The RREO Grant Program recognizes the benefits of the Hub-and-Spoke concept, especially for rural Colorado, and has made it a top priority to fund projects that employ this model. The lack of recycling processing capacity (hubs) and collection sites (spokes) in rural areas has created a disparity in recycling opportunities in rural areas compared to urban areas. The RREO Grant Program would like to utilize available grant funding to address this disparity.
Applicants will need to be innovative in their approach to Hub-and-Spoke. Proposals should address short-term and long-term goals. An emphasis on recycling opportunities, economies of scale, waste diversion and creation of regional partnerships will be looked upon favorably.
Grant proposals with a centralized hub and identified spoke partners are expected to:
- increase resource conservation by creating new recycling and waste diversion collection and processing programs;
- provide an opportunity for small, rural communities to process and/or collect materials for marketing;
- create greater recycling economies of scale in rural, underserved areas of the state;
- reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with resource consumption;
- maintain current solid waste jobs and/or create new and permanent jobs directly and indirectly;
- provide a long-term sustainable operational and financial commitment for the program;
- improve transportation energy efficiency by consolidating recycling materials; and
- reduce environmental impact, from resource extraction to products made from virgin materials.
The Request for Applications will be released on January 10, 2012. Check back on or after that date to
access the grant
application.
Additional Resources
- The following articles explain how the New Mexico Recycling Coalition implemented the Hub-and-Spoke model. Provided links reveal the first page of the article. Please refer to the November and December 2011 issues of
Resource Recycling for the full article.
- New Mexico Recycling Coalition PowerPoint presentation
to the Pollution Prevention Advisory Board Assistance Committee explaining how New Mexico implemented a Hub-and-Spoke recycling model.
- A map of Colorado illustrating where existing Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs)
and recycling drop-off centers are located.
Please direct questions to 303-691-4955 or
cdphe.ppp2@state.co.us
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