HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 143-06Manager’s
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS
DATE:MARCH 6, 2006 CMR:143:06
SUBJECT:SUNNYVALE MATERIALS RECOVERY ANDTRANSFER STATION
ANNUAL REPORT
This is an informational report and no Council action is required.
BACKGROUND
On October 7, 1991, Council approved a long-term refuse disposal agreement at Kirby Canyon
Landfill with Waste Management, Inc. of California. At the same time, the Council also
approved an MOU creating a partnership with the cities of Mountain View and Sunnyvale to
construct and operate the Sunnyvale Materials Recovery and Transfer (SMART) Station, in
Sunnyvale, on a ten-acre site. These two agreements assured furore generations of Palo Altans
solid waste capacity for 30 years (until September 30, 2021). Per this MOU, the City of
Sunnyvale was and is taking the lead in the construction and operation of this station. In October
1993, the SMART station began operation on time and within budget. It was designed and is
permitted to handle a maximum of 1,500 tons per day of solid waste.
DISCUSSION
The City of Palo Alto delivered approximately 47,540 tons of solid waste in FY 2004/05 to the
SMART Station. This is approximately 70 percent of the total waste stream processed by the
City. The Palo Alto Sanitation Company/Waste Management delivers the majority of the waste
with minimal use from the Palo Alto public self-haul customers. In FY 2004/05 the SMART
Station recovered approximately 8,630 tons (or 18.1 percent) of recyclables from the Palo Alto
waste stream delivered.
Each year the SMART Station contract administrator prepares a report to the community about
the cooperative venture at the SMART Station (attached). In FY 2004/05 the following
highlights of achievements include:
-The annual diversion of recyclable materials from garbage received at the SMART Station in
2004/05 totaled 18.1%, qualifying the operator of the facility for the highest financial
incentive offered in the operating contract.
-In August 2004, unresolved labor issues between GreenTearrdZanker, the contractor
operating the SMART Station, and Teamsters Local 350 resulted in a four-day strike by
SMART Station workers. GreenTeam/Zanker and the affected garbage collection companies
activated contingency plans so that operations continued without disruption of services.
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Work has begun to prepare a Request for Proposals for a new operating contract to
commence when the curr~t agreement expires on December 31, 2007.
-Work has begun to prepare a Request for Proposals to replace the materials recovery system
at the SMART Station that has roached the end of its useful life. The scope of work for this
project will be to provide the following:
Removal of the north line in its entirety and replacement with a new elevated feed
conveyor with additional pre-sorting eapabili~ and enhane2xl screening and
separating technology.
Removal of existing proprietary sorting equipmem. (The components have not
proven to be effective and are no longer supported by the mamffaemrer.)
o Modifications to the south line that include a new elevated feed conveyor with
additional pre-sorting eapab~ty, a series of disc screens for size separation and
separation of containers.
4.The addition of a new sorting line for container sepmmion by type.
5.The addition of a new baler and in-ground baler feed conveyor.
Construction is planned to begin in 2007. This construction will require closing down the
materials recovery portion of the station for approximately 7 months. During consmmfion
Sunnyvale staff has estimated that the ~t recovery rate from the materials recovery system
of 18 percent will drop to 4 pement. This will ca. use. the City of Palo Alto to dispose more waste
(3,955 tons), pay additional disposal fees, and potentially lose valuable diversion credits
(approximately 2 pereem) for calendar year 2007.
The three cities continue to create ~ through cooperative management that is built on a safe
environmentally sound spirit and cost effective management and recycling services.
ATTACHMENT
Attachment A: "Report to the Community - The SMART Station Cooperative Venture 04-05"
PREPARED BY:, t~l~~~_~*e.~
DEPARTMENT HEAD:
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
RUSSELL REISERER
GLENN S. ROBERTS
~ ~_t_~ ~Direet°r of Public
Assistant City Manager
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