FROM: Robert Thompson, General Manager
Originator: Mike Dorman, Director of Engineering
SUBJECT:
title
FOOD WASTE TIPPING FEE
end
GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
RECOMMENDATION: Recommend to the Board of Directors to:
Approve a tipping fee of $47 per wet ton of source separated organic food waste to provide to pre-processors for planning purposes.
body
BACKGROUND
The State of California passed legislation and implemented regulations to divert source separated organics such as food waste away from landfills. After pre-processing, food waste can be anaerobically digested to reduce its volume and produce methane gas. The Orange County Sanitation District (OC San) has digester capacity and the ability to convert the generated gas to energy.
The 2015 Biosolids Master Plan (BMP) evaluated the feasibility of receiving pre-processed food waste and determined that the costs to construct and operate the required receiving facilities could be offset by collecting tipping fees and power savings associated with additional biogas generation.
Staff has been engaged with Orange County Waste and Recycling to review potential options for the handling, processing, and transport of food waste that could be delivered to OC San. In parallel, OC San continues to review and update tipping fees required to offset the operational and capital expenses associated with an Interim Food Waste Receiving Facility.
RELEVANT STANDARDS
* Use all practical and effective means for resource recovery
* Ensure the public's money is wisely spent
* Maintain and adhere to appropriate internal planning documents (Biosolids Master Plan)
PROBLEM
Orange County Waste and Recycling and other potential waste haulers cannot determine the viability of potential pre-processing facility construction and operation without knowing the tipping fee they will be charged.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
Provide a current tipping fee for source separated organic food waste that can be ...
Click here for full text