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 Programs for: Composting Community Clean Up Education 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 16/17 over 200,000 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 Completed procurement process All jurisdictions approved selection of the Tajiguas Resource Recovery Project

Tajiguas Resource Recovery Project Comprised of the following at the Tajiguas Landfill: State of the art material recovery facility Anaerobic digester Composting area The proposed RRP would consist of: A state of the art Material Recovery Facility (also referred to as a MRF) to sort the community’s waste into recycables, organics and a residual. The organics would be processed in an Anaerobic Digestion Facility which would generate a biogas (primarily composed of methane) and a digestate, the biogas would be combusted in an energy facility to create electricity and the digestate would be sent to a composting area to be cured into a compost and/or soil amendment. The residual (less than 50% of what was brought to the MRF) would be buried in the landfill. The project would be operated under a site lease agreement and disposal agreements with the Participating Juridictions.

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

Tajiguas Resource Recovery Project Purpose of Project 20 year regional solid waste management plan Meet and exceed state requirements Legislative requirements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (SB 32)

Tajiguas Resource Recovery Project: Greenhouse Gas Emission Avoidance Project included in the region’s Energy and Climate Action Plans Projected to avoid the production of over 110,000 Metric Tons Carbon Dioxide Equivalent a year (equivalent to 24,000 vehicles) Single largest mitigator of GHG emissions in the County

Meet State Requirements AB 341: goal to divert 75% of waste from landfilling by 2020 TRRP projected to raise region’s diversion level to 85%+ Allow compliance with mandatory commercial recycling

Meet State Requirements AB 1826: Compliance with mandatory commercial recycling of organics SB 1383 Compliance with 50% reduction in amount of organics disposed by 2020 and 75% by 2025

Meet State Requirements Biggest challenge identified by the state is lack of infrastructure State encourages jurisdictions to collaborate regionally to build necessary infrastructure cost effectively

Meets Community’s Infrastructure Needs Provides technology to locally process: Mixed waste (additional 60% recovery) Source separated recyclables Source separated organics Creates beneficial products (rather than generate GHGs) Bury residual at Tajiguas Landfill

Enhanced source separation as an alternative to the TRRP 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 TRRP Despite significant public outreach, high contamination in material Research shows lower participation in food waste vs recyclables collection Estimate able to recover only 10% of remaining organics through source separation vs 90-95% with TRRP Need for additional processing

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

Anaerobic Digestion Proposed anaerobic digester and composting process will generate compost Compost to be screened to meet state standards Compost from digesters provide similar benefits as other forms of compost Not in competition with “carbon farming”, AD increases the volume of compost available for use Could be part of overall “carbon farming” program

Tajiguas Resource Recovery Project Doing More with Our Waste TRRP provides the flexibility & local infrastructure to recover an additional 60% of waste material currently being buried. Presents long-term opportunity to meet state recycling, organic recovery & GHG emission reduction goals

Thank you! www.ResourceRecoveryProject.com