HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-03-2013 c6 green waste processing
FROM: Carrie Mattingly, Utilities Director
Prepared By: Ron Munds, Utilities Conservation Manager
SUBJECT: GREEN WASTE PROCESSING
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the continued use of green waste as Alternative Daily Cover at Cold Canyon Landfill for
an additional year.
DISCUSSION
Background
In August 2010 Cold Canyon Landfill was directed by the State of California to cease operation of
its green waste composting. The closure was a result of odor complaints to State compost facility
regulators by residents with properties adjacent to or near the landfill. Since that time, Cold Canyon
Landfill has been grinding the green waste material and using it for Alternative Daily Cover (ADC)
on the landfill face. Under the California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939), the
State's waste reduction and recycling law, the use of Alternative Daily Cover is counted as
recycling, and the materials are not considered “landfilled.”
At its July 19, 2011, meeting, the City Council was provided the options to use green waste for
ADC or to transport the material to a composting facility in Santa Maria. The Council approved the
use of green waste as ADC based on cost (transporting to Santa Maria added 2.07% to the requested
rate increase) and the estimated 230 truck trips per year to transport the materials to Santa Maria.
At that time the Council requested staff provide an annual evaluation and update on the green waste
processing methods as part of the solid waste rate setting process. At the January 22, 2013 City
Council meeting, the Council supported the continued use of green waste as ADC as part of the
base year solid waste rate increase approval.
San Luis Garbage Company has indicated it will be submitting an interim year solid waste rate
application pending the outcome of a landfill tipping fee increase currently being considered by the
San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors. Since setting solid waste rates requires a Proposition
218 notification to property owners and customers, which must include a justification for the
increase and the percent rate increase being considered, staff is requesting confirmation that the
Council continues to support the use of green waste as ADC until a local composting alternative can
be realized or all local composting options have been exhausted without success. Though using
green waste as ADC is not the preferable, long-term option to recycle the material, it remains a
viable short-term alternative.
Meeting Date
Item Number Dec. 3, 2013
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If the Council chooses to not support using green waste as ADC, the Council will need to review the
alternatives (see Alternatives section below) and direct staff to fully analyze each option identified
and return with a recommendation to be considered by the City Council at a future meeting.
Green Waste Processing Update
During the past year, City staff, the General Manager of the San Luis Obispo County Integrated
Waste Management Authority (IWMA) and the Regional Vice President from Waste Connections
have been researching and touring compost facilities in other areas. Facility siting, deciding on the
appropriate processing technology to be used, and regulatory issues continue to be problematic.
Waste Connections has reiterated its commitment to construct and operate a local composting
facility once all these issues are resolved. Until then, Waste Connections supports the continued use
of green waste as ADC at Cold Canyon Landfill.
CONCURRENCES
The General Manager of the San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority, San
Luis Garbage Company, and Cold Canyon Landfill concur with the recommendations in this report.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact to the City should Council continue to support the use of greenwaste
as Alternate Daily Cover. City Council will consider an interim year solid waste rate application at a
future date. At that time the City Council will conduct a public hearing to consider the interim rate
application and proposed solid waste rate increases requested by San Luis Garbage Company.
ALTERNATIVE
There are two composting facilities within about 30 miles of the City of San Luis Obispo. The
green waste material could be transported to Cold Canyon Landfill then loaded into transfer trucks
to either the Santa Maria or Templeton facilities. It is estimated this would require a minimum of
230 truck trips per year to transport the 5,700 tons of green waste generated each year. While
composting the green waste material is the preferred long-term solution, trucking the material raises
sustainability issues with the environmental impacts associated with the number of truck trips it will
take to move the material to Santa Maria or Templeton. Also, moving the green waste to an
alternative facility would also shift the green waste tipping fee revenue from Cold Canyon Landfill.
Offsetting this loss in revenue may require higher landfill tipping fees in the future.
Preliminary estimates indicate that the cost of transportation and tipping fees at the facilities would
add another 1% to 2% to the rates depending on the facility selected. This equates to about $0.13 to
$0.25 increase to the average residential bill.
..\Green Waste Processing (Mattingly-Munds)
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