Title
State Route 85 (SR85) Landfill Update - Citywide
Description
This report provides the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Planning Subcommittee with an update on the Public Works Department operational enhancements and efficiencies implemented at the State Route 85 (SR85) Landfill.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION ONLY.
Report
Summary
The Public Works Department (PWD) plays a vital role in providing an essential health and safety service in the form of daily trash, recycling, waste diversion and disposal services for more than 420,000 households across the City. Public Works is committed to delivering excellent customer service while continually seeking ways to be safer and more efficient in our service delivery.
One of the most important assets of the solid waste utility is the State Route 85 (SR85) Landfill. Located 60 miles from Phoenix in the City of Buckeye, the SR85 Landfill opened in January 2006. This state-of-the-art facility spans an impressive 2,654 acres and is designed to meet modern waste management standards, giving Phoenix enough landfill capacity for 100 years. The SR85 Landfill incorporates advanced technologies and practices that not only minimize environmental impact, but also maximize the life of the landfill.
Operational Enhancements and Efficiencies
PWD continuously monitors landfill progress and looks for opportunities to improve design and operational efficiencies. Airspace is a crucial efficiency factor for PWD's landfill operations, as it helps reduce operating costs. When waste is processed, maximizing airspace can significantly affect overall expenses. By optimizing airspace, PWD can extend the landfill's lifespan and lower overall costs. Recently, PWD collaborated with Maricopa County to modify its airspace permit, allowing for an increase in the height of the landfill. This modification enabled PWD to reduce the depth of landfill excavation while simultaneously increasing the available airspace. As a result, both the capital costs and excavation volume-per-cell were reduced by half, saving $16 million in construction costs. By utilizing the same practice of minimizing landfill cell depth and increasing airspace, PWD anticipates future savings with cell construction costs over the life of the landfill.
PWD has also contributed to operational enhancements and efficiencies through technology. Sustainability through technology is achieved by maximizing airspace with GPS-integrated equipment, along with quarterly surveys conducted to ensure optimal operational efficiency. This practice is estimated to increase the life expectancy of the acres currently permitted for landfilling from approximately 26 years to approximately 60 years.
Environmental compliance is critical for the responsible management of landfill operations. The SR85 Landfill consistently surpasses industry and regulatory standards for the collection and mitigation of landfill gas. According to NASA’s Carbon Mapper technology, which identifies areas requiring further methane and carbon dioxide mitigation, the SR85 Landfill is among the few landfills in the United States that operate with minimal landfill gas emissions.
Current activity at the landfill includes excavation of a ten-year capacity landfill cell and the associated gas collection system.
Overall, PWD remains committed to its mission of promoting a cleaner, more sustainable Phoenix while adapting to the evolving needs of its community and being conscious of its operations. This commitment is evident through the cost savings from PWD’s landfill operations and the successful collection and mitigation of landfill gas, which promotes the health and safety of the community and ensures minimal impact to the environment.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua and the Public Works Department.