Triple trommels at the Tajiguas Landfill – Recycling Product News

Report on Sustainable Waste Management at Tajiguas Landfill

Introduction: A Model for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

The Tajiguas Landfill in Santa Barbara, California, represents a significant advancement in municipal solid waste management, directly contributing to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through an innovative compost management system and integrated technologies, the facility operated by the County of Santa Barbara’s Public Works Department provides a replicable model for sustainable urban development and responsible resource management.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The project directly addresses Target 11.6 by reducing the adverse per capita environmental impact of the city through advanced waste management.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: By diverting organic waste and converting it into a valuable resource (compost), the facility embodies the principles of a circular economy and supports Target 12.5, which aims to substantially reduce waste generation.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: Diverting organic matter from landfills mitigates the production of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, contributing to climate action efforts.

Integrated System for Resource Recovery

Anaerobic Digestion Facility

A core component of the project is an anaerobic digestion facility designed to process the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW). This process is fundamental to achieving SDG 12 by transforming potential waste into usable products. The material is digested for a period of 35 to 40 days before undergoing further refinement.

Multi-Stage Screening Process

Following digestion, the material is processed through a strategic, multi-stage screening system to ensure the final product meets high-quality standards, a key aspect of responsible production (SDG 12). This process utilizes three Terex Ecotec Phoenix 3300 trommel screeners.

1. Initial Screening: Material is first screened at two inches.
2. Secondary Screening: The subsequent stage refines the material by screening it at five-eighths of an inch.
3. Final Screening: The last screening stage processes the material at one-quarter of an inch.

A final purification step involves a densimetric table, which uses forced air separation to remove inorganic contaminants like glass and rocks. This ensures the final compost product is of high quality, supporting SDG 15 (Life on Land) by providing a soil amendment that can improve land health and reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers.

Technological Specifications and Operational Efficiency

Terex Ecotec Phoenix 3300 Trommel Screener

The selection of the Phoenix 3300 trommel screener is critical to the operational success and sustainability of the project. Its features enable precise control and high-volume processing, which are essential for managing municipal-scale waste streams efficiently.

• High Capacity: The unit features a 30-foot 6-inch by 7-foot 6-inch drum and a 10.2-cubic-yard hopper to handle large volumes of material.
• Enhanced Control: Operators benefit from variable speed control with load sensing, an automatic feeder shutoff, and a four-wheel-drive friction grip system.
• Operational Flexibility: A 180-degree swivel fines conveyor and the ability to operate the drum in both directions allow for adjustments to be made based on material characteristics, such as inconsistent moisture content.

This advanced technological implementation ensures that the waste management process is not only effective but also efficient, maximizing resource recovery and reinforcing the facility’s contribution to a sustainable and circular economy.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• The article focuses on the Tajiguas Landfill in Santa Barbara, California, a municipal facility. The project represents an effort by a city’s Public Works Department to manage waste sustainably, directly contributing to making the urban environment safer, more resilient, and sustainable.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• The core theme of the article is sustainable waste management. By diverting organic waste from the landfill, reducing landfill volume, and turning waste into a resource (compost), the project directly addresses the need for sustainable production patterns and the substantial reduction of waste generation.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• The article highlights the use of “cutting-edge,” “advanced equipment” like the Terex Ecotec Phoenix 3300 trommel screeners and an “innovative combined project” that includes an anaerobic digestion facility. This demonstrates the upgrading of infrastructure with clean, environmentally sound technologies to achieve resource-use efficiency and sustainability.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. The entire project described, from the compost management system to the anaerobic digestion facility, is a direct effort to improve municipal waste management and reduce its environmental impact.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. The article details a system designed for “maximizing organic waste diversion” and processing municipal solid waste (MSW) into “valuable compost and clean, reusable material,” which are clear examples of reduction, recycling, and reuse.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes. The landfill’s investment in an anaerobic digestion facility and advanced trommel screeners represents a significant upgrade of waste management infrastructure with sustainable, efficient, and environmentally sound technology.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Indicators for SDG 11, Target 11.6

• Implied Indicator: Percentage of organic waste diverted from landfill. The article states that a key focus is on “maximizing organic waste diversion,” which is a measurable outcome of improved municipal waste management.
• Implied Indicator: Reduction in total landfill volume. The article explicitly mentions that the process “reduces landfill volume,” which serves as a direct measure of the project’s success in lessening the environmental burden of the city’s waste.

Indicators for SDG 12, Target 12.5

• Implied Indicator: Volume of high-quality compost produced. The end result of the process is “producing high-quality compost.” The quantity and quality of this compost are direct measures of successful recycling and reuse of waste materials.
• Implied Indicator: Amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) processed through the anaerobic digestion facility. The article states the facility is “designed to process the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW) material,” making the tonnage processed a key performance indicator for waste reduction.

Indicators for SDG 9, Target 9.4

• Implied Indicator: Adoption of advanced and clean technologies. The article’s specific mention of investing in and using “three Terex Ecotec Phoenix 3300 trommel screeners” and an “anaerobic digestion facility” serves as an indicator of the adoption of modern, environmentally sound technologies in infrastructure.
• Implied Indicator: Increased resource efficiency. The entire process of “turning waste into a resource” is a measure of increased efficiency. The ability to create “valuable compost and clean, reusable material” from what was previously waste demonstrates a significant improvement in resource-use efficiency.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: recyclingproductnews.com