Waste Management - GI Industries - Keeping Our Communities Clean

Clean diesel technology will eliminate air pollution from 90 percent - or about 13 million – of today's trucks and buses.

The Simi Landfill & Recycling Center powers 2,500 homes each day with two landfill gas-to-energy generators using methane gas.

Clean diesel engines and fuels will prevent nearly 8,300 premature deaths, along with tens of thousands of cases of bronchitis, asthma and other respiratory ailments.

Throughout the U.S., particulate matter will be reduced by 250,000 tons, and NOx by 4 million tons every year.

In California alone, particulate matter will be reduced by 110,000 tons, and NOx by 2.6 million tons every year.

Trash Disposal Goes High-tech

Many people still mistakenly believe that garbage haulers take trash to the local landfill, throw it into a big hole and leave it there. Maybe it used to be like that, before the age of environmental awareness. But times have changed. Today, landfills have become much more high-tech. (Read more)

On September 1st, Waste Management began filling its newest (and costliest) cell ever — $7.4 million at the Simi Valley Landfill & Recycling Center. The first phase of this cell was completed in 2005 with the final phases completed August 2006. The cell is designed to meet the strict federal subtitle “D” guidelines and have an estimated capacity to hold 3 years of our communities refuse.

“I don’t think people realize what kind of safety features have to be included to protect the surrounding environment,” said Scott Tignac, District Manager for the landfill. “ A great deal of engineering goes into the design, operation and monitoring.”

Some of the bells and whistles on the new cell include a primary liner that consists of a synthetic 60-80 mil-thick high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Under the primary liner is an engineered low permeability layer. On top of the primary liner is a system of geosynthetic layers and gravel used to filter and collect liquids precipitating from the refuse. All this is protected by a 2-foot thick layer of engineered soils. Together, these components of the liner system contain the refuse and protect the surrounding environment.

The Simi Valley Landfill is designed to dispose of non-hazardous solid wastes. Open refuse is minimized by the construction of daily work areas sized to handle only each day's volume, and subsequently covered and sealed with soil at the end of each day.

If you would like to learn more, we offer both on-line and in-person tours of our landfill operations. To visit the landfill in person, please contact Suzanne Sues with your name, address and phone number.

On the tour, you will see our state-of-the-art greenwaste recycling program, methane gas-to-energy systems, our innovative programs to effectively manage our operations, and the rolling acres of various habitats that buffer our landfill operations from the community. Our modern engineered landfill is an environmentally sound system for solid waste disposal. All aspects of the landfill are controlled to ensure that the health and safety of everyone living and working around the landfill are protected and the environment is secure.

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