Tajiguas Resource Recovery Project Doing More with Our Waste

County Services to Manage Our Community’s Waste Facilities & Contracts to Manage: Trash Recyclables Green Waste Food Waste Hazardous & Special Waste

County Services to Manage Our Community’s Waste Programs for: Composting Community Clean Up Reporting Long Term Planning

Project Background County Board of Supervisors approved the Tajiguas Landfill expansion in 2002 Directed staff to research alternatives to reduce the community’s dependence on landfilling FY 17/18 over 225,000 tons of community waste delivered to landfill for burial

Project Background Formed project team with representatives from 5 jurisdictions (current users of the Tajiguas Landfill) Conducted extensive community outreach (over 140 presentations) All jurisdictions approved selection of the Tajiguas Resource Recovery Project

Tajiguas Resource Recovery Project Provides infrastructure to locally manage our region’s waste over the next 20 years Ensures compliance with state requirements related to recovering more recyclables and organics Based on SB32 greenhouse gas emission reduction requirements

Compliance With State Requirements Biggest challenge for communities is lack of infrastructure Our community has very limited to no capacity to locally process recyclables & food waste State encourages jurisdictions to collaborate regionally to build necessary infrastructure cost effectively

Tajiguas Resource Recovery Project Material recovery facility Sort out recyclables & organics from mixed waste Process source separated recyclables Anaerobic digester Process organics from mixed waste Process source separated organics Composting area Maturation of digestate into compost Screening for end market

Anaerobic Digestion Recognized (and recommended) composting method Enclosed and controlled composting facility Regional APCDs prefer due to air emission concerns Best technology in our area due to: Fewer odors Less water use Less space requirement Added benefit of being a net renewable energy producer

ANAEROBIC DIGESTION FACILITY COMPOST GREEN ENERGY TRASH MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILITY RECYCLING MARKET LANDFILL

More Important Now Than Ever Recent Developments: Becoming more difficult to permit composting facilities Demand for higher quality recyclables Effects of Climate Change

Major Project Hurdles Overcome Conducted extensive environmental analysis & preferred site identified 2 additional sites evaluated for MRF and up to 8 significant impacts identified at these alternative sites Extensive work with permitting agencies Addressed NIMBY or site concerns Settled legal challenge

Greenhouse Gas Emission Avoidance Opportunity to do something NOW Will capture all biogas from our community’s organics Will capture resources for reuse Estimated to avoid production of emissions equivalent to 24,000 vehicles per year Nearly 100% energy self-sufficient through biogas & solar Largest mitigator of GHG emissions in the County

Enhanced source separation as an alternative to the Project Region has provided source separated collection programs to residents and businesses since 1997 (20 years) Targeting residential and business recyclables and organics Collect 33,000 tpy of commingled recyclables Collect 38,000 tpy of green waste Collect approx. 4,200 tpy of food waste Waste currently buried still contains 30% recyclables and 30% organics

Enhanced source separation as an alternative to the Project Despite significant public outreach… High contamination Low participation Matching “successful” established programs… would recover only 10% of landfilled organics (vs 90-95% with TRRP) Need for additional processing

Next Steps Project costs negotiated and financial model updated Results shared with City Managers and staff from participating jurisdictions 2 options offered: $144 or $150 per ton as starting point

Next Steps Increase to ratepayer approximately $6 per month in FY 19/20 ($3.25 more than original project) Levels to $1 increase in FY 20/21

Next Steps No revision to City/County agreements necessary Anticipate financing in November – additional delays will add cost 24 month construction period Operational in early 2021

Tajiguas Resource Recovery Project Doing More with Our Waste Provides the flexibility & infrastructure to recover an additional 60% of waste material currently being buried Presents long-term opportunity to meet state waste reduction goals Reduces environmental impact of our region’s waste

Thank you! www.ResourceRecoveryProject.com