At Frank R. Bowerman Landfill, initiated partnership with Montauk Renewables to build Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) facility on site.
Advancing the Vision for OC
OC Waste & Recycling continues to build the foundation of sustainable local infrastructure that will drive waste diversion, recycling, and green jobs in our local economy for years to come. Through advanced resource recovery, not only are we spearheading a first-of-its kind circular economy of the recycled byproducts, we're protecting public health and our environment in the process. In 2023, we made significant progress towards creating new markets for these resources and the overall benefit of our communities.
Prima Entrance Improvement Project
OCWR celebrated completion of a new scale house and extensive infrastructure upgrades at Prima Deshecha Landfill (PDL) in San Juan Capistrano. The $24M project marks a momentous step towards heightened efficiency, safety, and ecological sustainability. Transitioning from two lanes, the newly constructed scale booths now accommodate six lanes, complemented by a range of technological and safety enhancements. These include four additional scales, scale canopies, a modern office building, low emission flares, and landscaping for both aesthetic appeal and enhanced fire safety measures. The improvements allow OCWR to serve more customers, decrease wait times, shorten traffic queues, and centralize access to Capistrano Greenery, Zones 1 and 4, preparing the site for the next 80 to 100 years.
Valencia Greenery Groundbreaking
Celebrated the ceremonial groundbreaking of our third compost greenery in June 2023 to complete the Phase 1 foundation of organics recycling for the County.
Expansion of Bee Canyon Greenery
Initiated Phase 1B of our vision by expanding Bee Canyon Greenery to 30 acres within the site. Also began the design process to build our first Covered Aerated Static Pile (CASP) composting operation on the expanded compost pad.
Building our Pathway to a Circular Economy
RNG
Smart Landfilling
Developed foundation of Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Smart Landfilling Program (SLP) to streamline operational efficiency, provide real-time data and analysis opportunities and employ best available technologies driving future business, strategy, and operations for OC Waste & Recycling.
Renewable Diesel Fuel Conversion
Following the successful conversion of OCWR's fleet of heavy equipment to Renewable Diesel (RD) in 2021, the department continued efforts to modernize its heavy construction equipment in becoming All Tier IV Final compliant. As of January 2023, we achieved 80.7% compliance with a goal of securing 87.6% compliance by January 2024. Tier IV Final fleets are those recognized by the California Air Resources Board(CARB) as meeting the highest level of emissions standards in the off-road sector.
