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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0684.001 2002-2004 J~tv'~R ~7W r' ~ ~~~~~r. Barbara Bell Diree[or Harry Kim Mnyor Nelson Ho •i 1:.:--.qC•~ •re oYa•'~ Deputy Director ~aixix#~r of ~tzfurxii DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 25 Aupuni Street, Room 210 • Hilo, Hawari 96720J252 (808) 961-8083 • Fax (808) 961-8086 ~ i r_._ July 13, 2004 Mr. Joe Reynolds, Chair and Mr. Mike Tulang, Vice-Chair and Members of the Hawaii County Council Parks and Environmental Management Committee 25 Aupuni Street , Hilo, HI 96720 ~ SUBJECT: Waste Reduction Technology Request for Information Findings Dear Messrs. Reynolds and Tulang, Enclosed are the results of our initial assessment of the responses gathered from the RFI process. In order to fast track the RFP process, with the goal of a successful procurement of a Waste Reduction Technology, it is imperative that the County knows what it wants. We will be presenting recommendations and asking you for direction on policy issues. Vendors were asked for information about their process and technology. The goal of the RFI was to obtain information that was fairly easy for vendors to provide. They were not asked to tailor their information for our specific situation. Fourteen companies submitted information. They represented: (1) Aerobic Composter (3) Anaerobic Digestors (3) Incinerators Waste to Energy (similar to H-Power) (3) Mixed Waste Processors (3) Thermal Gasifiers (1) Bioreactor Landfill We have a somewhat unique issue. Generally in other municipalities, if a load is denied at one facility, it can be directed to another. Our back-up facility is approximately 80 miles away. This means any facility in Hilo must take the frill East Hawaii waste stream. Also, experts predict the clean paper recycling market will only get better. Presently we pay $40/ton to reliable paper recyclers. That is less expensive than any other method of disposal now, and will be into the future. Comm. No., jC i Hawaii County is nn equnl oppor(unity provider and employer. Ref. TO:.___JG 1J V 6 ~ v ~UUY Ref. Uate~,_.~._ Mr. Joe Reynolds, Chair and Mr. Mike Tulang, Vice-Chair and Members of the Hawaii County Council Parks and Environmental Management Committee Page 2 July 13, 2004 FINDINGS: • A Waste Reduction Technology will not, by itself, solve trucking issues. If cone-island technology is chosen, it will require hauling of all residual MSW (Municipal Solid Waste). • 12 of 14 respondents indicated a willingness to finance, own, and operate a reload building at the Sort Station facility. • 12 of 14 respondents indicated that the waste remaining after a great recycling program provides adequate quantities for their process. • Some of the respondents did not seem to comprehend that the existing Sort Station design includes the capacity to handle all MSW that would have gone into the South Hilo landfill as well as the functions of the Hilo Transfer Station, recycling, recycling processing and re- loading of MSW for transportation to another location. • Most of the vendors did not give cost information. Most generalized, saying they would be competitive. To be fair, they weren't submitting a proposal, so it would be difficult to give a realistic price that would have meaning to the County. • All responses suggested the County be responsible for providing roads and utilities to the site. • Most responses suggested that recycling, as a lower cost and best use of various materials, should be considered over use as feedstock for their technology. The obvious materials to recycle were scrap metal, greenwaste, glass and clean paper fiber. • Most responses acknowledged that recycling programs would occur and would be consistent with their process. • Most responses suggested that construction and demolition debris presented special challenges for their process. RECOMMENDATIONS: The RFP should require: • Project financing: No County bond float; no State special purpose revenue bonds. A statement in writing from financial institution stating the vendor has the abi]ity to finance the project, based on the proposal submitted. • Early construction and operation of processing facility capable of managing residual East Hawaii waste. (County Sort Station design and EIS available for vendor use.) • A company to have at least one full-scale operation in place. No experimental technologies will be accepted. • Vendor to handle all MSW that comes to them, whether or not it is their preferred composition of waste. In essence they are replacing our Hilo Transfer Station as well as the South Hilo Landfill. • Redundancy in operation, such that waste is always accepted. • A maximum fee from the County to the vendor of $100/ton. This is to be based on a 20-year operations contract, and to include tip fees and hauling of any residual, as well as items they simply don't want for their process. • Facility transfer to County ownership after 20 years. • Demonstration of experience of their team to handle all permitting issues in a timely fashion. • Demonstration of end markets, if it is a key part of their costs or process. Mr. Joe Reynolds, Chair and Mr. Mike Tulang, Vice-Chair and Members of the Hawaii County Council Parks and Environmental Management Committee Page 3 July 13, 2004 • The East Hawaii waste stream is the primary feedstock. • We guazantee a minimum of 1050 tons/week (an average of 150 tons/day). This can be projected with some certainty for the next 3-5 yeazs. • If land other than Government owned is desired, cost of acquisition, roads and utilities be born by the vendor. • If land suggested by County, between existing South Hilo landfill and Hilo Transfer Station is desired, County will facilitate acquisition, roads and utilities to vendor's fenceline. • Vendor should visit our operations and must demonstrate understanding of unique issues, before submitting proposal. • A firm price commitment by a purchaser for the facility's primary product, where those revenues exceed 20% of the projected product revenue. • A performance bond of $5 Million. (Approximate cost of hauling to Pu'uanahulu for five years.) A bid bond of $50,000. The County: • Moves ahead with the IFB for construction of roads, utilities, community recycling and recycling processing aeeas. • Proceeds with RFPs/IFBs for transfer station enhancements for recyclables, bottle bill implementation, reuseable items, construction and demolition, scrap metal and greenwaste, using the recyclable processing areas at the Sort Station. • Researchs Bioreactor Landfill feasibility and demonstration project withDOH/EPA, FAA, and DLNR. • Develops and implements a community process to gauge interest and acceptance of a thermal waste reduction process or an anaerobic digestion process. We believe these recommendations provide our best chance for moving forward in the most expeditious manner. Sincerely, ~A.T Barbara Bell Lono Tyson ~ Ted Vorfeld DIRECTOR DIVISION CHIEF PRESIDENT Solid Waste Division Hualalai Engineering ARROW EGOLOGY, INC. Anaerobic Digestion of wastes, producing methane for generation of electricity using engine generators, or exporting gas or making LNG. Some soil amendment for some of the residue. No real end users determined. Preprocessing of wastes to remove large extraneous material such as tires, CD, bedsprings, etc. Some type of wet shredder process is used to prepare the MS W Suggests a dirty MRF if further paper recycling desired. Claims no emissions but not possible if on site energy is generated. One module is 2-110 TPD units or 220 tpd minimum size (75,000 tpy) Starved could affect biological performance. (Bugs die?) Will BOOT Sort station desirable and might be willing to build and operate. SPRB desirable 20 year + life Annual operating cost per ton of $10-14 per ton excluding revenues, debt service or residue disposal, energy production Little or no planned outage time, hence no planned outage bypass. Energy export of 2.5 mW for 220 TPD (Roughly 273 kwh/ton?) No U. S. facilities built-75000 tpy plant in Israel started up in early 2003. No long term operation experience Proposed team has no real operating experience Litle or no permitting experience and poor understanding of air emission regulations. Pilot plant not feasible due to minimum size. Barlow Projects, inc. Process is a mass burn facility whose principal product is electric energy. Conventional ash is the residue. No preprocessing of wastes is needed. No shredding is required. No dirty MRF is desirable 40 tpd minimum size. Proposes using 200 tpd facility with two units of 60% capacity each. Will BOOT Sort station can be provided of their design and started up early. SPRB desireable-$30-40 million 25-30 year Estimates tipping fee of $55-60 excluding land cost but includes ash hauling costs. Estimates 90% diversion 2-4 weeks per year off line for major maintenance but 90% availability Energy export of 5 mW for 200 tpd 3 U. S. Facilities in operation Proposed team has good operating experience Relatively good understanding of permit issues 3 to3-1/2 years permit thru construction schedule. No pilot plant needed BRIGHTSTAR ENVIRONMENTAL Process is basically an RDP production process with highly prepared and cleaned ground up MSW "flake" and the principal output. MSW is sterilized, passed through trammel, mixed with water for wet separation, mechanically dried to 40% moisture and the dried further with high pressure steam. Metals are recovered and the non burnables like glass as well as a liquid sludge are disposed of off site. 100 tpd minimum and normal design size. Two 100 TPD units wpuld handle 80,000 TPY 1ZFI response suggest start with a 100 tpd unit and expand once the fuel is accepted and utilized 9?) Will BOOT Process includes some type of sort station but will operate the County's sort station if desired SPRB are NOT desireable Indefinite life No upping fee or operating cost provided Estimates of 87.5% diversion of MSW Estimates the energy value of the flakes is 4 mW based on 200 tpd (480 kWh/ton MSW but no buyer identified. 1 small facility in Australia used for pilot testing only o£ indeterminate size Proposed team has limited operating experience Poor understanding of permit issues 1 year permit and construction time Would welwme a pilot plant CANADA COMPOSTING INC. An anaerobic digestion process involving extensive pre-treatment by wet pulping and separation, mechanical dewatering and anaerobic digestion whose principal product is compost with some biogas for self powering and some export. No preprocessing is required, but extensive processing is necessary within the facility, including hand sorting io remove undesirable elements. Would prefer the County implement Source Separation Options Preparation consists of wet pulping and wet separation. Pulp is then sent to open trenches for composting A dirty MRF would be necessary to protect the pulping equipment presumably Practical minimum is 25,000 tpy-maximum is 200,000 tpy. Likely will BOOT Sort station can be included and early start is possible SPRB is desirable 20 year design life $73 per ton tipping fee estimate excluding capital cost and landfill for residue. Estimates the process will compost 40-50% of mixed waste. Estimates that ttal diversions will be 84%, with l6% going back to landfill No outage time Estimates 200 kWh export per ton of waste 26 foreign plants operating, none in U. S. Proposed team has fair operating experience Poor understanding of the permit issues 15 months from contract to start up. 30 months from aard to full capacity Amenable to pilot project EAC OPERATIONS, INC. Process appears to be a mass burn facility whose primry product is electric energy. Conventional ash is the residue. Apparently the company also has a larger RDF type system. No preprocessing of waste is required. It is not clear if the process has a shredder for MS W but the response indicates shredding of oversize materials from a Sort station might be advisable. No dirty MRF is needed Minimum module size appears to be 140 tons per day. Processed fuel system goes up to 500 tons per day. Will BOOT Sort station can be provided with early start SPRB is good idea 30 yeaz design life No estimates on tipping fee until RFP No specific diversion quoted but appeazs to say only ash will leave plant except for 10-14 day TG outage every 5 years Claim of 600 kWh per ton MSW (7) for larger plants Excellent operating and design experience 3 U.S. facilities in operation Excellent understanding of permit issues Anticipates 18 months for PSD air pernut and 28-30 months for financing and construction. NO pilot plant needed ENTECH RENEWAB~,E ENERGY Process is a thermal gasification process claiming pyrolitic gasification (but also claims a starved air system). Appears that gas is combusted on site to produce steam or electric energy. Provider is an equipment supplier only. No preprocessing of wastes is needed NO shredding appears to be required 1 tpd minimum up to 500 tpd maximum Wi 1 no BOOT, system appears to be leased form supplier Will NOT supply and operate SORT station No estimate of Life No estimate of tipping fee Claims 100% diversion (?j Major maintenance of refractory liner every 7 yeazs No estimate of energy export quantity NO U. S. facilities referenced. References are generally for small foreign gasifiers producing steam. Poor understanding of permit issues 6 months for permit and 12-18 months for fab/install/start up. Pilot plant offered THE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP Process is a wet pulping operation producing some type of compressed building materials and compost. No preprocessing of waste required Double shredding is used Dirty MRF is advised Minimum size appears to be around 16-48 tpd, maximum size is "unlimited" Will BOOT Will build and operate Sort Station SPRB not needed 25 years + life Tipping fee not clear-indicates $70 per ton-operating vests don't appear to include debt service. Projections based on 32 tpd unit Estimate of 99.7% diversion With redundancy, no off line periods No energy export No U. S. facilities referenced Poor team experience No understanding of permit issues Claims 6 months to build and start a 50 ton per shift (150 tpd?) plant. Would like to provide pilot plant H?;RHOF-CANADA TECHNIK, INC. Process is an aerobic composting system whose primary pt+pduct is compost which is cured in pen windrows after processing in closed vessel. Appears to prefer source-separated organic material Dces not appear to include any type of shredding Does not discuss dirty MRF 3,000 metric tpy minimum to 80,000 metric tpy maximum BOOT* Sort station * SPRB Life tipping fee Estimate of diversion No annual outage required No energy export Claim to have 48 installations operating, 6 on MSW, none in U.S. Qualifications of design staff fair-no operating experience staff listed. States that permitting is in place 0 months for permitting, 18-24 months for construction No pilot plant recommended * PROPOSER IIAS INDICATED TffiS II~IFORMATION IS CONFIDENTIAL OR PROPRIETERY JDUGEOPLASMA Process is a plasma arc process whose primary output is electric energy through steam production. Vitrified ash is the residue. No preprocessing is required Shredding of some sort is included No dirty MRF is advised 25 tpd minimum up to 500 tpd maximum module size. Minimum of two modules are recommended Will BOOT May provide and operate Sort Station SPRB are necessary 30 years design life Under $100 per ton, excluding land and assuming 1000 tpd Estimates 100% diversion with markets for vitrified products. Estimates 85% up time, historical is 90% (7) Export 9 mW at 500 tpd (432 kWh/ton No U. S. facilities. Three Japan facilities claimed to have been built or operated by JDUGeoplasma (7) Proposed team does not include operating experience Fair understanding of permit issues. 12-18 months for permits and 18 months for design/construction No pilot plant recommended NORTON ENVIRONMENTAL Procass appears to be a composting facility of some type and includes a dirty MRF No preprocessing of waste sis necessary Unclear how process works and what it includes. Dirty MRF included Recommends 300 tpd recommended minimum, 800 tpd maximum Will BOOT Sort station can be provided SPRB approximately $15-19 million required Design life-30 years buildings; 10-15 years processing equipment; 10 years composting equipment No tipping fee given Estimates are 40-50% diversion No major maintenance outage indicated No energy export Two U. S. facilities listed 50-550 tpd Proposed team indicates fair to poor operating/designexgerience. Poor understanding of permit issues 12-16 months excluding any permit time Would set up a pilot plant or substitute Medina County plant as an example SSFM Process is a mass burn with electric energy as the principal product. No preprocessing of waste needed No shredding is required No dirty MRF is necessary but can be provided 50 tpd minimum module size, 200 tpd maximum module size. 105 tpd minimum recommended Will Boot Did not indicate Sort Station could/could not be included SPRB desirable Design life not specified No estimate of tipping fee Diversion of 90% Off line periods will not require landfilling Energy export is 384 kWh per ton No U. S. facilities listed Proposed team has fair design and operating experience Good understanding of permit issues 12 months for permitting, 18 months for construction No pilot plant recommended 'I'U'D Process is a gasification process requiring preparation of RDF. Waste is "oxidized in the absence of oxygen" (7) No preprocessing of wastes is indicated.; however some type of sorting is suggested. Shredding appears to be required A dirty MRF is implied 25 tpd minimum unlimited maximum Does not appear willing to finance or BOOT Sort station will not be part of project. Estimates tipping €ees of $80-85 per ton MSW Estimates are approximately 76% conversion to energy, 12% recyclables removed prior to gasifying, 12% ash to landfill. No effective off line bypass required due to short maintenance periods (7) and stprage. Export of 836 kWh per ton MS W is projected {7) No facilities built Proposed team has N~ system operating experience Poor understanding of permit issues 3-15 months for permitting, 18-24 months for constnution 25 tpd pilot plant recommended WASTE MANAGEMENT HAWAH Process is the densification of existing landfills using in-place anaerobic digestion (bioreactor) No responses are provided as this is basically a development program which has yet to be commercialized. WASTE RECOVERY SYSTEMS, INC. Process is an anaerobic digestion process which produces a combustible gas and compost. Source separation is recgmmended or haulers must `pre-prepare' to exclude furniture, mattresses etc. No indication that shredding is required (7) If source separation is not available, then a dirty MRF would be necessary No clear minimum or maximum size, but prefer a minimum of 100 tpd and is building a plant that processes 850 tpd. Appears willing to BOOT May build and operate the Sort station Would consider SPRB 20+ year design life No estimate of tipping fee, but estimates of $45-50 operating costs which includes disposal, O&M and debt service. Estimates 65% diversion NO annual shutdown Energy export of 124 kWh per ton MSW 13 facilities in Europe, none in U.S. Proposed team has fair design and poor operating experience Poor pernutting experience 7 for permit and 18-24 months for wnstruction