Agenda - 06-26-1996 - IX-C - Laserfiche WebLink

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TRIANGLE J COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS W o r l d 100 Park Drive,P.O.Box 12276 C l a s s Research Triangle Park,NC 27709 919549.0551 FAX:919.549.9390 R e g i o n June 10,1996 MEMORANDUM TO: Gayle Wilson FROM: Judy Kincaid and Patrick Davis RE: Regional composting facility For your information and the information of members of the Orange Regional Landfill Owners Group,this memo summarizes the status of recent regional discussions.coordinated by T riangie J Council of Governments(1 JCOG) regarding a regional composting facility. Last fall, several jurisdictions within the TJCOG region decided to undertake a joint study of the feasibility of a regional composting facility for handling biosolids remaining as a result of the wastewater treatment process. The Towns of Apex,Cary,Clayton,Garner,and Zebulon;the City of Durham;the County of Durham;and Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) subsequently contracted jointly with TJCOG and E&A Environmental Consultants,Inc. to produce the resulting study report, "Regional Biosolids Composting Feasibility Study—Final Report," dated March 28, 1996. Based on this report,it is evident that local governments can realize several benefits through a cooperative interlocal approach to biosolids composting: significant economies of scale in constructing,operating, and maintaining such a facility;economies of scale and minimized competition in marketing the compost product to end users;an invaluable biosolids management option for those periods when inclement weather or other conditions prohibit the use of conventional land application as a method for biosolids disposal;and extended life for municipal solid waste landfills due to the opportunity to compost with the biosolids other organic material. The cost projections in the study report indicate that,for some jurisdictions,composting biosolids at a publicly owned regional facility could be economically competitive with current methods of biosolids disposal. Based on these cost projections, the Town of Cary and OWASA have to date formally committed to further evaluate the economic, technical, environmental, and institutional feasibility of establishing a publicly-owned regional biosolids composting facility using an aerated static pile composting technology. More specifically, these entities are currently working with TJCOG to develop (a) a set of general principles for guiding the further development of a regional biosolids composting facility;(b)recommendations concerning the legal structure for public ownership of such a facility; and (c) a draft interlocal agreement related to the foregoing. The facility size currently under discussion is one handling 20 dry tons per day of biosolids. This amounts to 111 tons per day of biosolids at 18%solids. For each of these 111 tons of biosolids,a little over half a ton of new bulking agent would be needed in the compost mix. The bulking agent should be primarily yard waste,but it could also include clean construction wood waste,and up to a third of the bulking agent could be mixed paper waste. Furthermore, once a facility was operational, food waste could also be composted in the facility, although, as with biosolids, a little over half a ton of bulking agent would have to be added for each ton of food waste. In the financial analysis of such a facility, a tip fee of$15 per ton was assumed for the bulking agent, although the biosolids would have a significantly higher tip fee. Once a facility was built, on the other hand, the marginal cost of processing a ton of food waste would be such that it is conceivable that food waste could also be accepted at a tip fee as low as $15. OWASA, the Town of Cary,and others continue to discuss the legal issues described above,and they welcome formal participation in these discussions on the part of the Landfill Owners Group. The assistance provided to date by Mr. Blair Pollock has been very valuable and appreciated.