Big Green: Conversion Factor For Loose Corrugated Cardboard

[Michael Stepaniak]

Hello everyone,

Our organization is working with a facility near Pittsburgh that is attempting to secure a LEED EB rating. Our work focuses primarily on the Materials and Resources Prerequisites 1.1, 1.2 and Credits 5.1-5.3. We recently conducted a 3-day waste audit/composition study and are now completing the documentation. 

My comments and questions are these. The LEED EB reference guide (v 2.0) provides sample waste audit forms for Prerequisite 1.1 (page 247-248). The forms were adapted from materials from the Passaic County, NJ, Office of Natural Resource Programs, "Simple as 1-2-3 Commercial Waste Audit." Table 2 lists the Volume to Weight conversion factor for loose corrugated (OCC) as 1 cubic yard = 285 pounds. This figure seems quite high. As examples, the EPA lists the conversion factor as 50-150 pounds, and the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) lists the factor as 50-100 pounds (based on Tellus and EPA). These figures are much lower! I'm concerned that our results will be skewed by using the higher conversion factor provided in the LEED reference guide. 

Any thoughts on this, or what factor have others used in the past? Any comments or suggestions will be much appreciated.      

Thanks,

Michael 

Michael Stepaniak
Program Coordinator
Pennsylvania Resources Council
64 South 14th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
phone: 412.431.4449 x213
fax: 412.488.7492
e-mail: michaels at ccicenter.org