Organics

SCS Engineers, headquartered in Long Beach, California, has been retained by California’s Santa Clara County to study its capacity to process compost and divert organic material. The county already has progressive programs in place, such as sustainable gardening, composting education, household and small business hazardous waste, green business certification programs and more, the firm says.

The Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency (CEPA) and the Recycling and Waste Reduction Division (RWRD) of Santa Clara County have worked together to implement a comprehensive and cohesive solid waste management program, SCS says.

The SCS Engineers study will examine infrastructure alternatives in Santa Clara County that can support increasing composting and organics diversion over the next 15 years. The study will determine if there is a gap between projected capacities and anticipated material tonnages. SCS will make recommendations regarding potential solutions for additional capacity and waste reductions. The study will look at alternatives, such as anaerobic digestion, small-scale in-vessel composting, backyard composting, grass-cycling, food rescue and other methods that are sustainable and economically feasible.

“Our sustainable materials management team will identify all of the available opportunities—and gaps—in and around the county to increase composting and waste diversion,” Michelle Leonard, an SCS vice president, says. “Santa Clara County’s commitment to reducing waste sent to landfills is impressive and an important component to compliance with state regulations.”