Bulky Waste Residue Facility Design

Background

Foth has served for more than two decades as the engineering and management consultant for the Recycling & Energy (R&E) Board providing strategic consulting. Foth provided technical and financial consulting input to the R&E Board for the purchase of the Recycling & Energy Center, a facility that processes 450,000 tons of MSW into refuse-derived fuel (RDF). Foth identified cost saving measures for the Board and participated in negotiations with the private equity owner. As the R&E Board evaluated the option to purchase and operate the Recycling & Energy Center (R&E Center), Foth assisted with an examination of the facility and assets that would be acquired, including a technical review of the condition of the processing facility and long term plans of the RDF market. Foth also assisted with the due diligence evaluation associated with acquisition, including review of contracts and assignments, deed and easement issues, permitting, and purchasing protocols.

As a part of the overall process at the R&E Center, bulky and non-processable materials (Bulky Waste Residue or BWR) are transferred from the R&E Center. The facility was originally designed with an infeed conveyor and two compactors to manage the BWR. This equipment was aged, in need of replacement, and not capable of maximizing transfer trailer loads.

Approach

As an alternative to replacement of the BWR compactors, Foth provided preliminary designs for a building that would allow for top loading of BWR in open top transfer trailers. The R&E then indicated they needed additional administrative space for a growing work force. Foth teamed with an architectural firm and mechanical-electrical-plumbing firm to design a 15,000 square foot, two-story building that would accommodate BWR transfer operations, provide 5,000 square feet of additional equipment storage space, and a second floor administration area with offices, cubicles and conference rooms. One conference room was also designed as a tour room to allow for observation of the tipping floor operations.

Results

The R&E Center has been able to increase their bulky waste volumes per load from 13 tons to 20 tons per load saving almost $130,000 per year. R&E Center employees are now able to enjoy a state of the art, aesthetically pleasing office space.