The County of Santa Cruz
contracts with Green Waste Recovery to collect curbside
yard trimmings and wood waste in green carts. Only “clean green” yard trimmings
and unpainted, untreated wood are accepted and there
are size limitations. Green cart service is available
to refuse customers at no cost, and to non-customers
and businesses for a nominal fee. Material collected
is transported to processing sites at Santa Cruz County’s
Buena Vista Landfill and Ben Lomond Transfer Station. Yard
trimmings and wood waste are also brought to the sites
by private haulers, including landscapers, construction
professionals and others.
From this material Vision Recycling produces soil
products, primarily from yard trimmings, and bio-fuel,
primarily from wood waste.
In 2003, over 38,000 tons
of yard trimmings and wood waste were received at
Santa Cruz County’s Buena
Vista Landfill and Ben Lomond Transfer Station. Collection
in curbside green carts totaled 11,000 tons and 27,000
tons were brought in by private haulers. From
this, about 23,000 tons of mulch and compost feedstock
and 15,000 tons of biofuel were produced.
Collection and Processing