And Greenhouse Gases CO 2 CH 4 N 2 O Organic Waste Management

Compost Pile 1 ton Carbon => 3.6 Tons CO 2 Carbon-rich organics Soil-enriching compost

Incineration CO 2 H 2 O CO C N 2 O

Anaerobic Decomposition Carbon/Water to CO 2 Carbon/Water to CH 4 Sequestered Carbon

Palo Alto Composting & CO 2 21,000 tons/yr (60% water) 8,400 tons dry, 50% Carbon Methane production is negligible 15,120 tons of CO 2 Biogenic CO 2 , not counted in “footprint” Transportation Concerns: 1,100 tons additional if trucked to Sunnyvale then Gilroy Anthropogenic, counted in “footprint” Traffic impact; Roadway maintenance

21,000 tons/yr (60% water)

8,400 tons dry, 50% Carbon

Methane production is negligible

15,120 tons of CO 2

Biogenic CO 2 , not counted in “footprint”

Transportation Concerns:

1,100 tons additional if trucked to Sunnyvale then Gilroy

Anthropogenic, counted in “footprint”

Traffic impact; Roadway maintenance

Carbon Credit prices vary, but center around $20 / metric ton Added to costs of trucks, fuel, drivers, & acceptance fees. What’s 1,100 Tons Worth? $22,000 / year

Carbon Credit prices vary, but center around $20 / metric ton

Added to costs of trucks, fuel, drivers, & acceptance fees.

1,100 tons = + 0.15%

Landfilled Compostables tons tons tons Compostables are 29% of Palo Alto’s “black bin” waste. 22,737 Tons of

Modern Landfill Design

Palo Alto Food and Green Waste in Landfill 15,934 tons wet (60% water) 2,692 tons of Carbon (40% of dry is carbon) 1,346 tons Carbon released in 1st year 50% into CO 2 : 2,424 tons CO 2 50% into CH 4 : 50,880 tons CO 2 Equivalent 1,346 tons Carbon remaining

15,934 tons wet (60% water)

2,692 tons of Carbon (40% of dry is carbon)

1,346 tons Carbon released in 1st year

50% into CO 2 : 2,424 tons CO 2

50% into CH 4 : 50,880 tons CO 2 Equivalent

1,346 tons Carbon remaining

Palo Alto Landfilled Compostables, after Cap 1,346 tons Carbon from food/green waste carryforward 2,457 tons Carbon from other compostables (based on 45% carbon in dry weight) Total: 3,803 tons carbon 70% decomposes (2662 tons carbon) 85% captured and combusted to CO 2 8,146 tons of CO 2 15% escapes capture 719 tons CO 2 15,099 tons CO 2 Equivalent (methane)

1,346 tons Carbon from food/green waste carryforward

2,457 tons Carbon from other compostables (based on 45% carbon in dry weight)

Total: 3,803 tons carbon

70% decomposes (2662 tons carbon)

85% captured and combusted to CO 2

8,146 tons of CO 2

15% escapes capture

719 tons CO 2

15,099 tons CO 2 Equivalent (methane)

Total GHG Emissions from Landfilled Compostables For one year’s waste: 79,262 tons CO 2 Equivalent ! If diverted and composted: 18,534 tons CO 2 Full diversion would reduce PA Carbon Footprint by 60,728 tons of CO 2 e! 2.7 tons CO 2 e per ton food/yard waste (carbon credit value $54)

For one year’s waste:

79,262 tons CO 2 Equivalent !

If diverted and composted:

18,534 tons CO 2

Full diversion would reduce PA Carbon Footprint by 60,728 tons of CO 2 e!

2.7 tons CO 2 e per ton food/yard waste

(carbon credit value $54)

Single Family vs MF/C Greenwaste Palo Alto Target: 9000 tons (comm/mf) $70/ton +/- 13,700 tons still going to landfill 37,000 tons CO 2 e

Greenwaste Palo Alto Target:

9000 tons

(comm/mf)

$70/ton +/-

13,700 tons still going to landfill

37,000 tons CO 2 e

Organics GHG Reduction Part of the Zero Waste Plan Execution of plan is what matters What we do matters more than where Attention, Measurement, Reporting, Evaluation, & Improvement

Part of the Zero Waste Plan

Execution of plan is what matters

What we do matters more than where

Attention, Measurement, Reporting, Evaluation, & Improvement

Organics GHG Reduction #1 Move Aggressively on MF/Commercial Food Waste Collection! (& 3500 tons of leaves & grass) (‘000s tons CO 2 e reduction)

#1

Move Aggressively on MF/Commercial Food Waste Collection!

(& 3500 tons of leaves & grass)

(‘000s tons CO 2 e reduction)

Organics GHG Reduction #2 Implement Residential Food Waste Collection! (‘000s tons CO 2 e reduction)

#2

Implement Residential Food Waste Collection!

(‘000s tons CO 2 e reduction)

Organics GHG Reduction #3 Transform to BioChar/Bioenergy! All green bin contents = minus 7,000 tons CO 2 e 50% blackbin compostables = - 4500 tons CO 2 e Wastewater sludge = - 6,000 tons CO 2 e C CO 2 CO 2

#3

Transform to BioChar/Bioenergy!

All green bin contents = minus 7,000 tons CO 2 e

50% blackbin compostables = - 4500 tons CO 2 e

Wastewater sludge = - 6,000 tons CO 2 e

Organics Management Passive Criteria: lowest cost disposal diversion mandates Active Criteria: Resource recovery GHG minimization Long-term cost ?

Passive

Criteria:

lowest cost disposal

diversion mandates

Active

Criteria:

Resource recovery

GHG minimization

Long-term cost

Organics Management Passive Active Palo Alto Operation Multi-city Partnership Contracted Location & Technology

Organics Management Control Economies of Scale City-Owned Multi-City Contracted

Multi-tech Organics Approach Composting Digestion Soils Restoration Sequestration Green Energy Green Bins Wastewater Black Bins Pyrolysis

Location Possibilities Expansion of WWTF Industrial sites in Palo Alto Industrial sites elsewhere Energy/GHG Efficiency tradeoff: Large scale operations vs Local operations

Expansion of WWTF

Industrial sites in Palo Alto

Industrial sites elsewhere

Energy/GHG Efficiency tradeoff:

Large scale operations vs

Local operations

GHGs in Perspective Compost just a small piece of the opportunity What more important than where . Audit, execute, and improve. Regional partnership (we are not alone)

Compost just a small piece of the opportunity

What more important than where .

Audit, execute, and improve.

Regional partnership (we are not alone)