The technology selected by the Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation for its new waste-conversion facility marks an unprecedented step forward in sustainable waste management. Developed by Green Conversion Systems (GCS) in Rye, New York, the proposed facility utilizes commercially-proven waste-treatment technologies which combine the proven benefits of a conventional materials-recycling facility (MRF) with technologies developed for the newest generation of waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities operating in Europe. As a result, the proposed plant will convert essentially all of the waste into electrical power and recyclable byproducts.
In the plant design developed by GCS, “black-bin” (post-curbside recycling) waste collected by the City of Los Angeles is treated in a two-step process:
• An advanced materials-recovery facility recovers almost 30 percent of the waste for recycling.
• The remaining waste is processed in an advanced WTE facility which produces electrical power and a range of commercial byproducts.
• More than 99 percent of the waste treated will be diverted from landfilling.
When the plant becomes operational, it will provide waste disposal at reasonable costs and several hundred direct and indirect jobs for the surrounding community.
