Resources Recovery Facility

Beginning commercial operations in 1985, the 77-megawatt facility is operated by Covanta Energy through a contractual agreement with the County.

The facility, which processes more than 1 million tons of waste annually, is supported by two County landfills, a co-located ash monofill and three solid waste transfer stations.

Waste delivered to the plant is processed in two separate operations: one for garbage, which is food waste or other items that come out of the kitchen; and one for trash, which can include yard waste, furniture, fixtures and other similar waste items. 

On the garbage side, ferrous and non-ferrous metals are recovered for recycling. These materials are sold to outside vendors and are a source of recycling credit for the County. The remaining garbage is shredded to produce refuse-derived fuel, which is used to generate electricity.

On the trash side, the material is sorted and shredded. Magnets separate recyclable ferrous materials and high-grade soil is removed through a series of trommels. 

The ash product resulting from the waste-to-energy process is 10 percent of the original waste-material volume delivered to the plant. This ash is placed in a monofill – a specially constructed landfill used only for ash located next to the plant. 

Power generated at the facility is sold to a private company and supplied to the electrical grid. This amount of energy is sufficient to operate the plant and to supply the electrical needs of approximately 35,000 homes.

Revenue generated from the sale of the electricity is shared equally between the County and the plant operator. The County's portion of the revenue is used to offset the plant's operational costs and to meet the community's disposal needs.

Learn more about our Disposal Fees.