Proposed Gate Fee at the Organics Recycling and
Composting Facility for Commercial Debris
City of Bakersfield
Mt. Vernon
Organics Recycling and
Composting Facility
Mt. Vernon
Organics Recycling and Composting Facility
• 96 acres (75 acres utilized for City organics
recycling and composting operations)
• 450 tons of daily incoming curbside organic
waste and commercial food waste from City &
County combined.
• In 2024, facility had a flow of 94,000 vehicles
and accepted/processed over 218,000
inbound tons organic waste.
• County currently reimburses 62% of
operational expenses.
Charges
• Effective FY 24/25, Council approved
Organic Facility Gate Fee ($59.25/ton) for
3-axle vehicles and above.
• Only $3,008 of additional revenue was
generated in FY24/25.
• Commercial landscaping trucks and trailers
are not currently charged for the organic
waste they bring in because they switched
their equipment to two-axle vehicles.
Changes
• County Organic Fee Charge as of July 1, 2024
@ $65.15 per ton (Proposed $67.25 per ton
FY25/26)
• Processing more material due to Senate Bill
1383
Market has since been flooded with recycled organics
products, such as compost and mulch.
• Limited buyers for end products (i.e., mulch and
compost)
Presently, the facility freely gives these products away, and still has difficulty moving the products in comparison to producing them
• With the increase in staffing workload, and
inability to move products, it has created
additional operational costs that are no longer
even minimally offset by product sales.
Proposed Organic Facility Changes
FY25/26 to include all commercial vehicles. Commercial landscaping trucks and trailers are not currently charged for the organic waste they bring in because they switched their equipment to two-axle vehicles. 2-AXLE COMMERCIAL
3-AXLE/ 4-AXLE COMMERCIAL
Budget
FY25-26 Additional Revenue for 101,200 Tons = $6,500,000 Due to the City/County agreement, the City's net revenue will be lower, as the County will receive 62% of the total revenue.
City Net Revenue: $2,470,000
The City's share of the revenue will be allocated to the master planning project, focusing on sustainability, maximizing efficiency, and creating redundancy. Preliminary projections estimate the cost to be between $15 million and $20 million that will be phased in over time. Master planning document should be completed in FY 25/26.
Questions?