City Council
259 N. Wilma Avenue
Ripon, CA 95366
MEMO
To: Honorable City Council
From: James Pease, Public Works Director
Date: 03/11/2025
Subject: Dart CARE LLC Donation
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Accept the donation of a foam densifier and grinder from Dart CARE LLC (donation value:
unknown).
BACKGROUND:
Dart CARE LLC is proposing to donate one (1) Matrix PolyMax 2500 densifier and one (1) PH650 grinder to the City of Ripon. The City of Ripon recycling center previously accepted styrofoam although finding an outlet has been a challenge over the last three years for various reasons.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
Dart Container Corporation is a company that manufactures foodservice packaging, including foam cups and containers. They are in the process of closing their Lodi facility and would like to donate the foam densifier/grinder they use at this location. Public Works staff has inspected the equipment and found it to be in good working order.
Staff plans to install the donated densifier/grinder at the recycling center once a viable outlet for styrofoam is found. If no viable outlets are found, the City can surplus the equipment at a later date to be sold at auction. The Greater Valley Conservation Corps staff will operate the densifier/grinder as the collection bins fill up, based on the previous trend of styrofoam received at the recycling center this would occur one day every two weeks.
At the time the equipment is installed, the densifier/grinder would need a shelter/cover and an electrical feed to its location, the costs associated with the installation would be brought back to the City Council for consideration prior to proceeding. Staff estimates this future cost to be approximately $15,000.
The densifier/grinder has the capability to condense approximately seven 40-yard roll-off bins full of loose styrofoam down to the size of a single pallet about 8 feet in height. This would significantly reduce the number of trips necessary for transport and reduce the overall operating cost. The last full year accepting styrofoam at the recycling center in 2023 there were 44 trips with a 40-yard roll-off bin made, this could be reduced to a single trip with the styrofoam condensed.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is a one-time expense of $650 to transport the foam densifier/grinder from the Dart facility in Lodi to the City of Ripon, which will be paid for through the Garbage Operating Fund. If the City did move forward with full implementation of the foam densifier/grinder, the approximate expense of $15,000 to install the cover and electrical is projected to be recovered after reducing the number of trips to haul the unprocessed styrofoam over a 2-5 year time frame.
Attachments:
1. Donation Proposal
2. Donation Agreement