Risk of Transport in Commercial Waste Stream

Research Issue

The risk associated with spread of Asian Long Horn Beetle (ALB) from infested areas in New York City to the wide array of landfills across the eastern United States contracted by the City since 1997 was unknown, but of great concern. Landfills, some as far as South Carolina, Virginia, and Ohio, occupied forest types and climates at high risk of ALB establishment. The City proposed a separate waste wood collection known as the “311 System”; this was estimated to cost Federal and State agencies $6.1 to $9.1 million per year, including the cost of processing and disposal of the wood.

Our Research

Pathway analysis was used to quantify the probability ALB was present in wood waste collected at curbside, would survive transport, escape burial at a landfill, and form a mated pair.

Expected Outcomes

Determine the risks of moving ALB in commercial waste and determine if an alternative system is needed for wood removal.

Research Results

The study found that in 7 alternate management scenarios, risks with most pathways are very low, especially given existing mitigations. Mitigations included chemical control, removal of infested trees, and burial of wood waste in managed landfills that involved multiple-layering, compaction, and capping of dumped waste with a 15 cm soil cover at the end of each day. While the risk of business-as-usual collection and disposal practices was virtually nil, any changes of policy or practice such as illegal dumping or disposal at a single landfill increased the risk many thousand fold. By rigorously maintaining and monitoring existing mitigations, it was estimated that taxpayers would save $ 75 to $122 million dollars over the next decade.

Auclair, AN., Fowler G, Hennessey MK, Hogue AT, Keena MA, Lance DR, McDowell RM, Oryang DO, Sawyer AJ. 2005. Assessment of the risk of introduction of Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in municipal solid waste from the quarantine area of New York City to landfills outside or the quarantine area: A pathway analysis of the risk of spread and establishment. J. Econ. Entomol. 98(1): 47-60.

Research Participants

Principal Investigators

• Alan Auclair, USDA- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service- Plant Protection and Quarantine Systems Ecologist
• Glenn Fowler, USDA- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service- Plant Protection and Quarantine
• Michael Hennessey, USDA- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service- Plant Protection and Quarantine
• Allan Hougue Risk Analyst
• Melody Keena, USDA-Forest Service- NRS Research Entomologist
• Dave Lance, USDA- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service- Plant Protection and Quarantine Entomologist (Retired)
• R. McDowell, USDA- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service- Plant Protection and Quarantine
• David Orgyang, USDA- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service- Plant Protection and Quarantine Risk Analyst
• Alan Sawyer, USDA- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service- Plant Protection and Quarantine Ecologist (formerly)