The Composting Consortium, an industry collaboration managed by Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy, released new resources that Greg McCarron of SCS Engineers recommends to municipalities looking to start or enhance a composting program. A blueprint, “How Organics Diversion Can Help Achieve Zero Waste Goals,” offers a clear and actionable framework, including:
Policy and Program Expansion for Diverting Food Waste: This section dives deeply into effective strategies for policy development. It explores methods to incentivize resident and business participation while outlining pathways to maximize food waste diversion from landfills.
Setting Up Programs and Infrastructure: This section provides a clear roadmap for establishing new organics programs. It details best practices for collection methods, explores various processing options (composting facilities, anaerobic digestion), and offers guidance on navigating the critical process of contracting with composters.
Communication with Program Participants: This section provides a comprehensive communications toolkit. It outlines strategies for educating participants on proper sorting techniques, maximizing program participation, and fostering long-term program success.
The site also includes platforms and programs that you may find useful and help connect you with other city officials and leaders nationwide to share and discuss best practices in starting and expanding organics programs & composting infrastructure.
These free, non-commercial resources will help you appreciate and understand applying the science and practice of composting and what is critical to a successful site, design, permit, and manage municipal composting programs that support circularity and operational efficiencies – creating value for all stakeholders. Many municipalities are interested in growing their programs to help the environment and provide a useful byproduct by reducing the amount of waste being hauled away and ultimately placed in landfills.
More Composting Educational Resources:
Municipalities, regions, and private companies are turning to organic composting to divert organic wastes from landfills and reuse them as feedstock for a high-quality compost by-product. While theoretically simple, there is a logical series of processes and parameters, some specific to each site, to reach the goals communities and solid waste management organizations hope to achieve.
Whether your community or region already has composting and is scaling to include food waste, or you want to establish a new composting facility or regional composting site, these free educational resources can help. The Southeastern Connecticut Regional Resources Recovery Authority’s proposed compost facility reflects a well-thought-out strategy that leverages circularity, advanced composting technologies, and engineering best practices to create a sustainable and economically viable operation.
SCRRRA’s Executive Director, David Aldridge, walks us through his proposed regional compost facility, which reflects a well-thought-out strategy that leverages advanced composting technologies and engineering practices to create a sustainable and economically viable operation. Greg McCarron, Professional Engineer, and Certified Compost Professional, discusses hybrid systems and incorporating rigorous process controls, resulting in a forward-thinking approach to composting at scale.
These free, non-commercial resources will help you appreciate and understand applying the science and practice of composting and what is critical to a successful site, design, permit, and manage composting programs that support circularity and operational efficiencies – creating value for all stakeholders.
The Grand Slam of Composting Educational Resources:
Helpful Composting Program Resources:
On July 16, 2024, the Volusia County Council approved a contract with SCS Engineers to develop a new 271-acre Class I landfill. The landfill, located at the southeast expansion area (SEA) of the Tomoka Farms Road Landfill, is part of the County’s long-term plan to meet its Class I sanitary solid waste disposal needs for over a century. The Public Works will oversee the project, Solid Waste Division, under the guidance of the County’s Project Manager.
SCS Engineers will provide a range of engineering services, including developing a solid waste permit application package for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. They will design the landfill gas collection and capture system, supporting infrastructure, geotechnical needs, and leachate collection to protect groundwater and soil. Additionally, they will provide support services for selecting a construction contractor for the first 20-acre disposal cell at the new landfill.
SCS will collaborate with the County to identify any constraints that may impact the cost or constructability of future projects. They will also explore potential opportunities associated with this project to ensure the design complements and maximizes future development opportunities.
Landfills are complex systems integrating liquid and gas management systems to protect the environment. Volusia County selected SCS Engineers for their expertise in designing modern landfills that adhere to strict state and federal regulatory and quality control guidelines. The firm’s understanding of how current landfill operations interrelate with the development of SEA was a key factor in their selection.
Modern landfills are ecosystems that isolate waste from surrounding environments, such as groundwater, air, and rain. While the County’s reuse, recycling, and organics management programs significantly reduce waste in landfills, the SEA development provides an essential service that will continue uninterrupted as communities transition to even more sustainable programs and infrastructure to reuse landfill gas and other byproducts.
Vice President Dan Cooper, P.E., expressed his gratitude, stating, “SCS is privileged that Volusia County has entrusted us as a partner to sustainably engineer SEA’s safe and efficient development. We’re honored to assist the Solid Waste Division in their mission to support the citizens and the environment.”
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Join your fellow SCS Engineers at the Organics Waste Management Summit 2024 in Bordentown, New Jersey. With an exciting theme of “Composting & Beyond!”, this event hosts a large audience of organics processors, composters, haulers, regulators, academics, organics waste management, professionals, and more. This year’s agenda includes panels and breakout sessions discussing topics like a Macro Look at Market Challenges, Partnerships for Successful Programs, Organics Policy and Regulation, and Compost Technologies. A continental breakfast, lunch, and networking are all complimentary bonuses for your attendance.
Take advantage of this insightful opportunity to learn and grow at the Organics Waste Management Summit 2024. Register now!
The Virginia Waste Industries Association is teaming up with the NWRA Carolinas Chapter to host the Annual 2024 Mid-Atlantic Conference & Golf Tournament at the Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia. This event will be an enriching experience filled with discussions on the latest trends and challenges in the waste and recycling sector. In addition to the insightful discussions and networking opportunities, this year’s event features the highly anticipated “Pitchers and Putters” Tim Torrez Classic Golf Tournament.
Join fellow waste and recycling industry professionals for an action-packed week and register for the NWRA Mid-Atlantic Conference and Golf Tournament today!
The Southwest Virginia Solid Waste Management Association (SVSWMA) is hosting the 40th Annual Conference at the Mountain Lake Lodge in Pembroke, Virginia. Register to have the “Time of Your Life” with three full days of networking and discussing topics like solid waste regulations, recycling, operator training, and more. The agenda for the event features a golf tournament, skeet shooting activities, and a Vendor and Welcome Reception on Monday September 16th, and work sessions and tours on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Be a part of the action and have the “Time of Your Life” at the 2024 SVSWMA Annual Conference! Register today!
Join SCS Engineers at the 2024 SWANA North Carolina Chapter Fall Conference in Wilmington, North Carolina. The agenda for this event is robust with programming including a tour of the new Hanover Landfill, sessions on a range of the most prevalent topics in solid waste, young professional events, Garby award presentations, and ample networking opportunities. Seize this opportunity to spend a week with your fellow SWANA colleagues to increase your understanding of the industry and stay informed on the latest developments.
Act now and take advantage of early registration discounts and room blocks. Register for the NC SWANA 2024 Fall Conference today!
The Association for Environmental Health and Soils (AEHS) is hosting the 40th Annual International (East Coast) Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water, and Energy in Amherst, Massachusetts, October 21-24, 2024. The AEHS conference attracts participants from government agencies, environmental engineering firms, consulting companies, industry, and academia and serves as a networking hub for various associations. The program features technical workshops, presentation sessions, and an exhibit hall. It also offers continuing education credits (please check with your specific board for applicability). SCS recommends attending this conference for its valuable insights and networking opportunities.
SCS Engineers and a Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) state geologist presented a webinar as part of the Pennsylvania Council of Professional Geologists (PCPG) educational series. The educational webinar is timely as Governor Josh Shapiro recently signed Senate Bill 831 into law, creating a regulatory framework for the Commonwealth’s carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS).
The webinar, titled CCUS in the US and a Glimpse into What is Possible in Pennsylvania, Part I, includes SCS geologists from across the nation providing a technical overview of CCUS project planning, permitting, operations, and closure referencing current, active Class VI projects based on case studies. The webinar is available for a nominal fee on PCPG’s website, and professional credits (PDH or CEU) are available as allowed by your licensing state and entity.
The DCNR’s state geologist provides an overview of the CCUS work in Pennsylvania by DCNR for over 20 years, including coordinating with the Department of Energy, other states’ geological surveys, and public-private organizations to explore CCUS in the Commonwealth and neighboring states.
Questions and Follow-Up
During the live webinar, SCS received multiple inquiries from the audience, similar to our clients’ questions. We’ve created a separate video to answer them, which is available on the SCS website at the bottom of the carbon capture and DWI page. We hope you find the videos informative and valuable. Our geologists are passionate about their work and helping clients navigate regulations and implement sustainable projects.
SCS is planning Part 2 of the PCPG webinar series in Fall 2024. If there are topics you’d like to see covered during that webinar, please reach out to PA practice leader Christina Helms, PG, LSRP, at
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 831 and Other States
Our professionals continue to work on Class VI projects with multiple clients across the US where primacy has been granted, or states have regulations in place, including the outlook for CCUS in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 831 establishes the legal and regulatory framework for the Commonwealth’s potential carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS). SB831 provides “for the injection of carbon dioxide into an underground reservoir for the purpose of carbon sequestration, for the ownership of pore space in strata below surface lands and waters of the Commonwealth, for conveyance of the surface ownership of real property; imposing duties on the Department of Environmental Protection and the Environmental Hearing Board; and establishing the Carbon Dioxide Storage Facility Fund.”
View a copy of the Bill here: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?sYear=2023&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0831.
CCUS | CCS | Deep Well Educational Video Resources:
Published CCUS Resources:
On July 24, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to designate five chemicals as High-Priority Substances for risk evaluation under the nation’s chemical safety law, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). If EPA finalizes these designations as proposed, the agency would immediately move forward with the risk evaluation process. According to the current Administration this step is consistent with a commitment to understand and address environmental and toxic exposures to ensure that every community has access to clean air and water while bolstering efforts to make progress on delivering environmental justice and tackling plastic pollution.
The five chemical substances EPA is proposing to designate as High-Priority Substances are:
EPA will accept public comments on the proposed designations for 90 days after publication via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2023-0601 at the Regulations.gov page. Upon publication of the Federal Register notice, supporting documents will also be available in the docket.
Chemicals Proposed as High-Priority Substances for Risk Evaluation
All five chemicals were selected from the 2014 TSCA Work Plan, which is a list of chemicals identified by EPA for further assessment based on their hazards and potential for exposure. In proposing these five chemical substances as High-Priority Substances for risk evaluation, EPA had to consider the chemicals’ conditions of use and production volume or changes in conditions of use and production volume over time, impacts to potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations including children and workers, and the chemicals’ potential hazards and exposures. EPA also considered more specific criteria such as the chemical’s bioaccumulation and environmental persistence and whether the chemical is stored near significant sources of drinking water.
Vinyl chloride is used primarily in the manufacturing and processing of plastic materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), plastic resins, and other chemicals. Many of these materials are used for pipes and insulating materials. This chemical was also involved in the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Vinyl chloride is a known human carcinogen and can cause liver, brain, and lung cancer in exposed workers. Short-term exposure to vinyl chloride can also result in other health effects such as dizziness, nausea, and eye and skin irritation. Vinyl chloride exposure can also damage genetic material in cells, which can lead to numerous adverse health effects. In the 1970s, the White House Council on Environmental Quality and EPA officials raised serious concerns about the health impacts of vinyl chloride as an example when the Nixon Administration asked Congress to write a law to ensure chemicals were made and used safely, which led to passage of the “original” TSCA in 1976.
Acetaldehyde is used primarily in the manufacturing and processing of adhesives, petrochemicals, plastic and other chemicals, as well as intermediates for products such as packaging and construction materials. Acetaldehyde is a probable human carcinogen. Specifically, animal studies have shown that exposure to acetaldehyde can result in the formation of nasal and laryngeal tumors. Short-term exposure can also result in health effects such as irritation of the respiratory system and reduced heart function. Data further shows that acetaldehyde exposure can damage genetic material in cells, potentially leading to numerous adverse health effects.
Acrylonitrile is used primarily in the manufacturing and processing of plastic materials, paints, petrochemicals, and other chemicals. Acrylonitrile is a probable human carcinogen and can cause lung and brain cancer in exposed workers. Short-term exposure to acrylonitrile can also result in health effects such as eye, skin, and respiratory irritation. Long-term exposure can result in reproductive effects such as reduced sperm count and developmental effects such as slowed fetal growth.
Benzenamine is used in the manufacturing and processing of dyes and pigments, petrochemicals, plastics, resins, and other chemicals. Benzenamine is a probable human carcinogen and can cause bladder tumors and pancreatic cancer in workers. Long-term exposure to benzenamine can result in a range of adverse health effects such as difficulty in breathing, tumor growth in the spleen, and possible reductions in fetal viability.
MBOCA is used in the manufacturing and processing of rubbers, plastics, resins, and other chemicals. MBOCA is a probable human carcinogen. Specifically, animal studies have shown that exposure to MBOCA can cause liver and urinary bladder cancer. Short-term exposure to MBOCA can result in eye and skin irritation. Data further demonstrates that MBOCA exposure can damage genetic material in cells, potentially leading to numerous adverse health effects.
EPA Prioritization Process
Prioritization is the first step under EPA’s authority to regulate existing chemicals currently on the market and in use. EPA’s proposed designations are not themselves a finding of risk. If EPA finalizes these designations, the agency will initiate risk evaluations for these chemicals to determine whether they present an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment under the TSCA conditions of use (the way the chemical is made and used), which the agency is required to complete within 3-3.5 years. If at the end of the risk evaluation process EPA determines that a chemical presents an unreasonable risk to health or the environment, the agency must begin the risk management process to take action to eliminate these unreasonable risks.
EPA began the process of prioritizing these five chemicals in December 2023 and also announced that it expects to initiate prioritization on five chemicals every year, which will create a sustainable and effective pace for risk evaluations. According to EPA, the agency has continued to improve the prioritization process by investing in cutting-edge software to review more information earlier in prioritization. EPA has also implemented improvements to its systematic review approaches as recommended by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) by incorporating additional data sources such as assessments published by other government agencies to identify potential hazards and exposures, clarifying terminology to increase transparency in the systematic review process, and presenting interactive literature inventory trees and evidence maps to better depict data sources containing potentially relevant information.
EPA has conducted a preliminary screening and technical review of large data sets to more efficiently identify relevant information for prioritization and risk evaluation and can easily flag information that may be useful to retrieve later in the risk evaluation process. As a result, EPA now has a head start on risk evaluations. At this proposed designation stage, EPA has a much fuller understanding of how these chemicals behave in the environment and their potential hazards and exposures than it had at this point in the process in the previous prioritization cycle conducted in 2019. That has also enabled EPA to make considerably more information available to the public a year earlier than occurred for the first 30 chemicals designated for risk evaluation under TSCA. The public will be able to see which studies and what information EPA considered in its screening review for proposed designation and submit any additional information they would like EPA to consider via public comment.
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