The Polk County Solid Waste Division will be implementing two new “Green” projects focused on sustainability and renewable energy. The Solid Waste Division is doing its part to focus on “reducing” and “reusing” to pave the way for a cleaner, greener Polk County.
Many people recognize the logo linked to recycling with its triangle of arrows forming a closed loop. Three arrows in that logo represent the three Rs of the waste management hierarchy. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. While recycling is important, all three components are necessary for proper waste management.
Reducing focuses on minimizing the amount of waste that is created. For example, choosing products with less packaging or using items that are durable instead of disposable. Reusing aims to find new uses for products that might otherwise be thrown out. Using plastic containers as planters is a great example of reusing.
Recycling takes used materials and processes them into new products. You can find information about recycling in Polk County, Florida at the Solid Waste Division’s Recyclable Material Collection. This includes details about what materials you can recycle and where to recycle them.
Though recycling gets the lion’s share of attention, the other two should take priority. Reducing waste is the first step, and that is something that can be controlled based on our purchasing decisions. The second step is to reuse any items that can be repurposed. This could be as simple as donating clothes and other items we are no longer using. Then, and only then, when those options are no longer available, does recycling come into play.
Reduce: Leachate Treatment Facility
The Leachate Treatment Facility at the North Central Landfill is set to begin operations on Oct. 11. This facility, built by Thalle – with the help of the University of Florida’s Sustainable Materials Management Research Laboratory – will allow for the treatment of leachate in an environmentally-friendly way.
But what is leachate and why does leachate treatment matter? Leachate happens when rainwater seeps through garbage in landfills. Leachate accumulates on the landfill base liner where it must then be collected and treated.
Right now, Polk County spends about $2.5 million a year to ship its leachate to a wastewater treatment plant. This not only costs the county money, but it also means more carbon emissions from the trucks that deliver the leachate. Having a facility at the Polk County landfill to treat leachate naturally will save money and help the environment.
The facility mimics natural wetlands, taking the leachate through several filtering processes until it ends up in a zero-discharge industrial wastewater pond. This process brings the water to acceptable quality levels.
This facility is expected to pay for itself within five years. Dale Henderson, Director of Polk County’s Solid Waste Division, stated, “Polk County residents should then begin to see decreased landfill operating costs as a result. More importantly, we’re going to have a positive impact on the environment.”
Reuse: Renewable Natural Gas Plant
The second project is the Renewable Natural Gas Plant at the North Central Landfill, which will begin operating at the end of September. This facility, owned and operated by Opal Fuels, will take biogas produced by the landfill, process it as renewable natural gas and turn it into compressed natural gas (CNG).
As organic materials decompose in the landfill, they produce biogases, including methane. Right now, by government mandate, biogas is flared into the atmosphere which releases carbon dioxide.
The new plant will collect biogas and remove moisture, sulfur, carbon dioxide and other impurities from it. During this process, the biogas is turned into a usable low-carbon CNG fuel. This will help reduce carbon emissions, turning what used to be a pollutant into a valuable energy resource.
Polk County’s two waste collection service providers, FCC Environmental and GFL Environmental, power their vehicles using CNG. Henderson explained, “This creates an environmentally friendly closed loop. First, landfill trash creates biogas, which Opal Fuels converts into renewable natural gas and then into CNG. FCC and GFL use CNG to fuel the vehicles picking up the county’s garbage. By turning our biogas into CNG, we are helping our service providers avoid using diesel fuel.”
Polk County Leading the Way
These sustainability projects position Polk County as a leader in the waste management industry.
“The Leachate Treatment Facility and the Renewable Gas Plant will have a significant and positive impact on the environment in Polk County,” Henderson emphasized. “These initiatives establish Polk County as a waste industry leader. We’re investing in the well-being of our community.”
As these two facilities begin operations in October, Polk County residents can count on a more environmentally friendly approach to waste management. These projects show that there is more to being “green” than just recycling. By reducing waste and reusing resources as well, we can make a positive impact on our environment.