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
Programs for:
Composting
Community Clean Up
Education
Reporting
Long Term Planning

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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.

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

8. 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)

9. 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

10. 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

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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. Thank you!