Waste Characterization – Solid Waste Generation Base-Year Study, Santa Clarita, California

The city of Santa Clara retained SCS Engineers to conduct a waste generation and base-year study. The project included residential surveys for source reduction, commercial waste assessments and analysis of DRS data, and review of hauler disposal and recycling information.

A new 2000 base-year diversion rate of 42 percent was established for the City as a result of the project. The study was approved by California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB).

Tasks included:

• review of disposal data from disposal reporting system and landfills
• diversion analysis, including governmental agencies, residential surveys, and recyclers
• franchised haulers’ construction and demolition source reduction
• commercial diversion waste assessments of 100 businesses
• identification of diversion opportunities
• preparation of CIWMB Base-Year Modification Certification forms
• identification of top 10 generators
• identification of all diversion by material type and diversion type (source reduction, reuse, recycling, composting)

SCS also investigated disposal reporting discrepancies for 1999 and 2000 from the local landfill, and provided recommendations to inhibit future errors in reporting at the scalehouse.

SCS conducted this study to investigate the potential causes for the decrease in the City’s diversion and increase in disposal. The scope of work included a review of landfill weigh tickets, invoices, reporting databases, disposal collection information from the City’s major haulers, and recommendations to improve reporting at the landfill and how to report to the CIWMB for compliance year 2000.