Inside the WPWMA Facility Tour and Forum

On Monday, June 22nd, waste and recycling stakeholders from Placer County jurisdictions and surrounding communities gathered in Roseville for a facility tour and forum hosted by Western Placer Waste Management Authority (WPWMA). It was a unique event where R3 and local solid waste managers were joined by leaders in the industry, including CalRecycle department heads.

Established in 1978, WPWMA owns and operates a sanitary landfill and a regional solid waste Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), sorting both recyclables and organics out of the waste stream. For many years, R3 has been an active WPWMA stakeholder, having participated in the procurement process to award the design, construction and operation of the updated facilities [targeting to be a High Diversion Organic Waste Processing Facility (HDOWPF), per SB 1383]. Additionally, a number of R3’s clients are either member agencies, have their material flow through the facility, or have been contemplating sending some portion of their material to WPWMA for processing.

The event was spurred by the fact the MRF was actively undergoing its second HDOWPF audit, to confirm the facility is diverting 75% of the organic fraction of the mixed waste stream. WPWMA passed its first audit, held in March, and must pass three more quarterly audits in order to officially be designated as a HDOWPF. (Spoiler – we’ve heard early news they have also passed their second audit!)

The day opened with introductions and an overview from General Manager, Scott Scholz, who gave an update on the nearly-complete $120 million site-wide improvement project touching the MRF, the C&D facility, and its composting operations. This was followed by a brief presentation on the HDOWPF audit from Melissa Baxter of Nothing Wasted, the third-party team tasked with conducting the audits. From there, attendees moved into the facility itself for a guided tour paired with an SB 1383 HDOWPF audit observation. This comprehensive tour provided a rare firsthand look at how the state’s organic waste reduction mandate plays out on the tipping floor, sorting lines, and composting yard – not just on paper.

After a networking lunch, the forum shifted to policy and technology. Circular Action Alliance (CAA) led a presentation and Q&A on SB 54, California’s extended producer responsibility law for plastic packaging. CAA’s attendance itself was a great benefit, offering jurisdictional staff a direct contact as we begin implementation of these regulations. The CAA presentation was followed by a presentation from Scott Smithline from Mill Industries, a waste prevention technology company. Scott shared successes from municipal pilots, and gave the group a sneak-peek into forthcoming technologies for the commercial sector. Van Dyk Recycling Solutions rounded out the day with an eye-opening presentation on sorting and processing technology. Hearing about the requirements associated with SB 54 and ending with the technology needed to sort the covered materials post-collection offered plenty of food for thought.

The whole day brought together individuals from different edges of waste (and its solutions) in California, placing policy, technology, operations, innovation, and enforcement all in the same room. R3 was delighted to be an active participant in the day and is grateful to WPWMA for extending the invitation to a few of R3’s clients.

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The event came together organically (pun intended), and it got us thinking; how can R3 continue to bring resources and networking opportunity to our clients? Would YOU be interested in participating in regional gatherings with R3 and the innovators, partners, and regulators in your area? Let us know! And if you’d like to learn more about WPWMA or any of the speakers that participated in the day, please drop us a line here: r3cgi.com/contact. We’ll be happy to provide you with information or put you in contact with the right person.