California county proposes $13.6M composting facility

Kern County, California, has proposed a $13.6 million operation next to the Shafter-Wasco Landfill that would take in 400 tons per day of organic waste to create compost.

As reported by Bakersfield.com, the project would deploy a micro-pore fabric to control dust, ammonia and volatile organic compounds commonly emitted during composting of waste from orchards, vineyards, discarded wood, manure and urban landscaping.

If the project receives final approval after ongoing public review and opens as planned in October 2024, county officials say the operation would help Kern County in complying with a state mandate for reducing the volume of green waste it sends to landfills.

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Finished compost may be used for landfill cover, however, the hope is that much of the compost will be sold to residents for use in gardens.

Bakersfield.com reports the proposed project would accept materials such as brush, yard trimmings, untreated wood waste, natural fiber, construction and demolition wood waste, orchard and vineyard prunings, grape pomace, crop residue, residential kitchen scraps and food waste from restaurants, grocery stores and cafeterias.

The operation plans to employ an electric-powered grinder capable of processing 180 tons of organics per day, or about 45 percent of the expected daily input. Organics would then be separated by material and formed into piles that will undergo an aerated static pile process.

The county expects to spend $7.6 million on concrete structures to hold the compost and an additional $6 million for equipment to control composting-related emissions.