Designs for resource recovery parks (RRPs) are evolving. As new technologies and approaches appear, they build on tested ideas of how to manage discarded resources for best use end-markets. This has been the case in the development of our resource recovery park in Crescent City.
This particular story begins in the early 1990s following a decision to close the local landfill in the region of Del Norte County, Northern California. The problematic, decades-old unlined dump was east of the county’s pristine beaches and also close to huge groves of ancient redwood trees, both major tourist attractions. By the time the decision was taken to shut down the landfill, it was significantly affecting the local environment, notably as groundwater moved leachate toward the sea just below the surface.
The state cracked down on unlined landfills, and Del Norte County’s had to close. But, something new had to take its place. So, at the instigation of local government officers, some of California’s most experienced recyclers were brought together, and a plan emerged to replace the landfill with a comprehensive discard management facility operated by a new authority dedicated to zero waste.
This approach made a great deal of economic as well as environmental sense because the closest landfill after the county’s shut down would be near Grant’s Pass, Oregon, three hours away by highway. With no local permitted space to fill, wasting was not cheap anymore. Disposal economics had tilted suddenly in favour of materials recovery.
Besides being cheaper to operate, reuse, recycling and composting could supply steady flows of refined resources to diversify an economy where logging and fishing were declining. Several local businesses expressed interest in being part of the disposal service plan.
So, with a broad base of local support, the county created a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) to own and manage the facility, as well as oversee its construction and the result is a user-friendly RRP on 14 acres near Crescent City equipped with twin weighbridges which allows staff from the JPA to weigh vehicles in and out, and to charge customers disposal service fees precisely according to what they are delivering, either for recycling or for wasting.  The disposal prices are published on a large sign near the entrance. Unsurprisingly, recycling is generally the cheapest option.
The system is safe and pleasant to use. People unloading plant debris have an area dedicated to handling that specific material, concrete and asphalt go to a different place and so on. Some materials are grouped because collecting them for markets uses similar equipment. Currently, there are 12 master commodity categories provided for, which include: reusable goods; plant debris; ceramics; soils; metals;
glass; textiles; putrescibles; polymers; chemicals; wood; and paper. We consider that if all 12 material types are collected fully, be that either for recycling, reuse or composting, the result should be zero waste to landfill.  
The full article detailing how he resource recovery works with each material is available to subscribers. Click here to find out more