2. Tajiguas Resource Recovery Project Doing More with Our Waste

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

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

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

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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. Thank you!