Project Title: 836000 - Anaerobic Digestion and Composting Improvements Project Approved Status: Funded
Project Description/Scope/Purpose:
This project will reduce the amount of organic waste sent to landfill from the Sunnyvale SMaRT Station. It will increase the amount of organic waste recovered from 1) Source separated food scraps and 2) Mixed solid waste. The project will replace the existing equipment used to process source-separated food scraps and will add new equipment to the mixed waste processing line to recover additional MRF Fines and recyclable material.
Processed food scraps will initially be sent to Sustainable Organic Solutions (SOS) in Santa Clara to be further processed into animal feed and an additive to fertilizer. Ultimately, the City plans to send processed food scraps for co-digestion at the Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) once it can start accepting this material. The recovered MRF Fines will be sent to the Z- Best Composting Facility and recovered recyclable material will be sold as marketable commodities. The project includes the purchase and installation of the new organics processing equipment. It does not include any on-going public education, collection, processing, maintenance, composting, or anaerobic digestion costs.
Fiscal Impact:
Funding for the purchase and installation of the new organics processing equipment is provided by FY 2021/22 CalRecycle Organic Grant Funds in the amount of $3,000,000. Required matching funds towards professional/engineering services, equipment and grant administration will be covered through SMaRT NextGen project – 828260 and the Solid Waste program operating budget. On-going operating and maintenance costs will be covered through the SMaRT operating budget. New on-going costs for the food recovery equipment are estimated to be lower than the current operating costs since the new equipment will be more efficient and requires less labor to operate. Sunnyvale pays for 100% of the total operating costs of food scrap recovery. Bag opener equipment is expected to increase operating costs by approximately $5,000 per year. These operating costs will be shared between the cities of Mountain View and Sunnyvale.
Project Phase: Implementation
Year Identified: 2021
Estimated Comp. Yr: 2024/25
The existing food scraps processing equipment at the SMaRT Station reached the end of its useful life. The existing equipment loses some food scraps when separating food scraps from plastic bags and requires up to 30 minutes to unload a food scraps collection vehicle. The new equipment will more efficiently separate food scraps from plastic bags, decrease collection vehicle unloading times, and increase overall food scraps processing capacity.
Up to 40% of the bagged municipal solid waste (MSW) material is currently sent to landfill from the SMaRT Station because existing equipment is unable to open all the bags. Along with the regular garbage, other materials including compostable paper such as paper towels, cups, and plates, food waste, other organic materials and recyclables are present in the MSW bags.
The City’s strategy is to recover more MRF fines and recyclables and increase our diversion. Recovery of additional organics also supports the City’s Zero Waste Strategic Plan.
Project Evaluation and Analysis:
Project Category: Capital
Interdependencies:Report to Council Number: 22-0356
No Carryover o Prevent Inflation o Meets Capitalization Threshold þ Technology Component o Park Dedication Eligible o Art in Public Places Eligible o IT Steering Committee o Project Administration o Art in Private Development Required o Project Manager: Deepti Jain
Funding Sources:
Funding is provided by a State (CalRecycle) grant of $3,000,000.
Explanation of Change:
(FY 2023/24 Notes DJ): Project is in implementation phase and installations will be complete by end of 2023. To meet grant timeline, one of the project components has been changed from compostable fiber recovery equipment to a bag opener on the MSW processing line.
Plans and Goals:
EM - Environmental Management - EM-14: Recycling and Source Reduction Programs Project Type: Solid Waste
Council District:
Oracle Program Parent 1: 270 - Environmental Services
Project Origin: Council
Attachment 2
EM - Environmental Management - EM-15: Environmentally-Sound Disposal Expenditures Revenues Transfers
Actuals to 2021-22 - - -
Actual 2022-23 1,029,835 - -
Project Life Budget to 2023-24 3,000,000 3,000,000 -
Total Available Budget 2023-24 $ 1,970,165 $ 3,000,000 $ - Actuals
Budget/Forecast
Expenditures Revenues Transfers
Actuals to 2021-22 - - -
Actual 2022-23 1,029,835 - -
Project Life Budget to 2023-24 3,000,000 3,000,000 -
Total Available Budget 2023-24 $ 1,970,165 $ 3,000,000 $ - 836000 - Anaerobic Digestion and Composting Improvements Summary
2024 2025 Proposed Change
Budget Year Expenditures Revenues Budget Year Expenditures Revenues Expenditures Revenues 2024-25 - - 2024-25 - - - -
2025-26 - - 2025-26 - - - -
2026-27 - - 2026-27 - - - -
2027-28 - - 2027-28 - - - -
2028-29 - - 2028-29 - - - -
2029-30 - - 2029-30 - - - -
2030-31 - - 2030-31 - - - -
2031-32 - - 2031-32 - - - -
2032-33 - - 2032-33 - - - -
2033-34 - - 2033-34 - - - -
2034-35 - - 2034-35 - - - -
2035-36 - - 2035-36 - - - -
2036-37 - - 2036-37 - - - -
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Fund Total - - - - - -
Attachment 2
Related GL Fund: 6143 - SMaRT Station Equipment Replacement - Fund Award: G220356 - 2021-22 Organics Grant Program
2024 2025 Proposed Change
Budget Year Expenditures Revenues Budget Year Expenditures Revenues Expenditures Revenues 2024-25 - - 2024-25 - - - -
2025-26 - - 2025-26 - - - -
2026-27 - - 2026-27 - - - -
2027-28 - - 2027-28 - - - -
2028-29 - - 2028-29 - - - -
2029-30 - - 2029-30 - - - -
2030-31 - - 2030-31 - - - -
2031-32 - - 2031-32 - - - -
2032-33 - - 2032-33 - - - -
2033-34 - - 2033-34 - - - -
2034-35 - - 2034-35 - - - -
2035-36 - - 2035-36 - - - -
2036-37 - - 2036-37 - - - -
2037-38 - - 2037-38 - - - -
2038-39 - - 2038-39 - - - -
2039-40 - - 2039-40 - - - -
2040-41 - - 2040-41 - - - -
2041-42 - - 2041-42 - - - -
2042-43 - - 2042-43 - - - -
2043-44 - - 2043-44 - - - -
Fund Total - - - - - -
Attachment 2