Yesterday's Trash, Today's Electricity
Redwood Landfill is closing the loop on Marin County's trash by turning landfill gas into enough renewable electricity to power 5,000 homes in Marin, Napa, Solano and Contra Costa counties.

Waste Management invested $14.5 million to construct this new, renewable power source which provides an environmentally friendly, sustainable solution to power generation. And, unlike wind turbines, solar panels and hydroelectric dams, this biogas power plant can operate day or night and in any weather condition.

"This plant demonstrates Waste Management's investment not only in Marin County, but in our dedication to finding environmentally sustainable solutions to our operations," said Paul Pabor, Waste Management's vice president of renewable
energy.

It's also helping the North Bay meet its climate change goals. The plant dispaces an estimated 8,900 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions a year when compared to traditional fossil fuel power generation plants. Further, this state-of-the-art facility incorporates technology that results in it having the lowest emissions of any landfill gas facility.

Marin County Supervisor Judy Arnold, whose district includes Redwood Landfill, summed up the day's events best:

"It's not often when someone would say they want a landfill in their district, but I'm proud to represent a district that includes the Redwood Landfill. This landfill serves as an example of what can be done when we act together to build a greener future for our communities."

The opening of this plant sparks a new partnership between Waste Management and MCE, a not for profit public electricity provider that provides customers with renewable power options.

"We're proud to be able to work with Waste Management to offer renewable energy to all our customers that's not only generated locally, but also demonstrates the type of innovation and ingenuity we need to achieve our mission to address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions," said Dawn Weisz, CEO of MCE.

You can get a video tour of the power plant by clicking here.

Following are some media clips about the opening of our power plant.



Reducing Waste Tips: Halloween Edition


It's hard to imagine, but Halloween is just around the corner. We have some tips to help ensure you minimize waste while celebrating:
  • Pumpkins - Compost your old pumpkins by placing them in your yard waste cart!
  • Candy - Wrappers on individual candy must be placed in the trash, they are not recyclable. However, the candy itself can be placed in your green
     waste cart.
  • Decorations - Try using ornamental gourds or corn to decorate your house. They are both compostable and help reduce waste!
A History of Giving

Out top goal at Redwood Landfill is to be a good neighbor for all in Marin and Sonoma counties.

We do this by investing in projects that will benefit our community, like the new landfill gas to energy power plant.

We open our landfill to tours to help provide residents and business owners with a deeper understanding of our operations and how we all can work to reduce waste and recycle as much as possible. In the last year alone, we hosted numerous groups including the Novato Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class, the Marin County Master Gardeners and numerous school groups! If you'd like to schedule a tour, contact Alisha McCutcheon at 415-408-9055 or amcutch@wm.com.

We also provide compost donations to area nonprofits and schools to promote gardening and help spread the word about the importance of composting yard waste and food scraps.  In the last year, we've donated to dozens of organizations from schools to gardening clubs. To request a donation complete the online form here.

Pictured are a few examples of how our donations were used and follow this link for a story about a donation we made to a Novato public schools.