Regional Composting Infrastructure

Transcription

1 Washington County Solid Waste & Recycling Washington County Solid Waste Advisory Committee Meeting July 12th Regional Composting Infrastructure Justin Gast and Thomas Egleston

2 Why Compost Food Scraps? Globally, one-third of all food products purchased worldwide go uneaten, amounting to 1.3 billion tons of edible goods being discarded each year. Nationally, organic materials (yard debris and food scraps) are the second largest component of our nation s Municipal Solid Waste stream, behind paper. An estimated 60 percent of the nation s yard debris (~20 million tons) was recovered for composting in Any guess on food scraps? Food scraps produce methane in a landfill. Methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Landfilling food scraps is a loss of valuable nutrients, nutrients that, when composted with other organic material, could be used in area gardens and in many landscaping, agricultural and direct-land applications.

3 Why Compost Food Scraps? In Oregon Recovery of food scraps in 2010 increased by 80 percent reflecting the increased number of collection programs coming on-line. ~ 40,000 tons of food scraps were recovered in Oregon in 2010 (roughly 16 percent). ~ 55 percent of the Portland Metro region s disposed food is from the commercial sector. 40 percent from full-service restaurants 20 percent from grocers Metro took in 24,000 tons of commercial food scraps in percent was processed at Nature s Needs and the other 30 percent at Pacific Region Compost in Benton County. In Washington County, 90,000 tons of commercially-generated garbage was collected in 2010, with targeted compostables making up roughly 34,000 tons of that volume.

4 Why Compost Food Scraps? Increasing food-scrap composting has the potential to significantly boost diversion rates not only here in the Metro region, but throughout the state. The Metro wasteshed s 2009 diversion goal is 64 percent - we re currently at 57.9 percent. Because of health and vector issues, many food items cannot be composted through residential practices (e.g., meat, dairy, many postconsumer foods, etc.). A chance for commercial businesses to decrease their waste level.

5 Background on Regional Programs Food scraps collection programs (including pilots), residential and/or commercial: Portland, Gresham, Corvallis, Salem, Keizer, Eugene, Bend, Hood River and The Dalles. Each of the five jurisdictions in the Portland Metro area, Clark County and the City of Vancouver, are either expanding or developing collection programs to capture pre-and post-consumer food scraps from residential or commercial generators. At this time, only Portland has a long-standing (almost seven years) full-fledged food-scraps collection infrastructure. Currently, there are approximately 700 businesses participating in Portland s openmarket, commercial program, representing approximately 10,000 tons of food scraps collected annually. The city s residential program came on-line October 31, 2011, after an 18-month pilot involving 2,000 households.

6 Regional Composting Facilities Current In-State Infrastructure 47 permitted facilities statewide, with 11 permitted for food scraps handling. Pacific Region Compost was the first commercial-scale food waste (Type 3) composting facility to be permitted by DEQ, in spring Nearly a year ago, the six-year-old processing contract Cedar Grove Composting had with Metro (to process material generated by the City of Portland s commercial Portland Composts! program) ended. The majority of the material generated within the Metro region is now taken to two facilities: Nature s Needs in Washington County Pacific Region Compost (PRC) in Benton Co.

7 Regional Composting Facilities

8 Regional Composting Facilities What Materials Can These Facilities Take? In Oregon, composting facilities have the ability to process three types of feedstocks (as established by DEQ): Type 1: 1 Includes source-separated yard and garden wastes, wood wastes, agricultural crop residues, wax-coated cardboard and vegetative food wastes. Type 2: 2 Includes Type 1 materials, as well as manure and bedding (e.g., hay, straw, etc.) Type 3 Type 3: Includes Type 1 and 2, plus animal mortalities, meat and sourceseparated mixed food scraps and industrially produced non-vegetative food scraps.

9 Typical List of Acceptable Items All Food Fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, shellfish, bones, rice, beans, pasta, bakery items, cheeses, and eggshells. Food-Soiled Paper Waxed cardboard, napkins, paper towels, uncoated paper plates, tea bags, coffee grounds and filters, wooden crates, and greasy pizza boxes. Plants Floral trimmings, tree trimmings, leaves, grass clippings, brush, and weeds. Liquids, grease, cooking oils, plastics, Styrofoam, glass and metal ARE NOT accepted.

10 Washington County Program The County plans to eventually roll out a food scraps collection program to the commercial sector. The timeframe for rollout of this program is dependent upon processing capacity at Nature s Needs. Food-scrap collection would occur, at a minimum, on a weekly basis. Early adopter rollout program would involve businesses already receiving food-scraps collection, as well as businesses, organizations and institutions that have expressed interest in receiving such a collection service, but have held off until a more formal program is in place. Lists and interactive maps of potential program participants (approximately 100) can be provided upon request. The county, with the help of collection haulers, city staff and business participants, will identify businesses to participate in the program, with a targeted group of about 20 participants in the rollout program being studied related to service levels, material volumes, and collection costs, as well as other data as applicable. A focus group consisting of county and city staff, haulers and interested reps of the 20+ selected businesses and SWAC would be established to address potential service issues and create BMPs for the eventual countywide program.

11 Importance of Columbia Biogas Columbia Biogas would have the capacity to handle roughly 194,000 tons per year, more than twice as much commercial material than Nature s Needs (80,000- ton per-year capacity). The facility would only process material generated from such commercial businesses as grocery stores, restaurants and institutional cafes, food distributors and food processors. Material accepted at the facility would mimic Portland s current commercial program, except that customers providing material to the plant would also be able to include liquid waste, such as grease trap waste, fats, oils, and other liquid waste, items which are currently unacceptable in the commercial composting stream. NO YARD DEBRIS OR NON-FOOD RELATED GARBAGE AND PACKAGING WOULD BE ACCEPTED.

12 Questions? Justin Gast Program Educator Washington County, Recycle at Work (503) Thomas Egleston Program Coordinator Washington County (503)