Compost Facility Feasibility Study Phase 2 Completed; Full Study Results Available Online 

Nov. 17 Public Meeting to Present Results and Discuss Findings

Boulder County, Colo. - The county’s Compost Facility Feasibility Study consultant, Burns and McDonnell, has completed phase 2 of the study and the full document is now available on the project webpage at www.boco.org/compostfacility. The feasibility study found that there is an opportunity for Boulder County to construct and operate a successful regional compost facility. Other important findings from the study include: 

• Facility would process approximately 63,000 tons of incoming material annually, which represents a 20,000- ton increase over current hauling and diversion.  
• The Study evaluated six composting infrastructure options and concluded centralized aerated static pile (ASP) as the most promising due to its smaller footprint, shorter material retention time and improved odor control. 
• An ASP facility processing 63,000 tons of material would produce 132,000 cubic yards of finished compost and 27,000 cubic yards of mulch annually, for which there are local markets.  
• This facility would require about 26 acres.  
• Three ownership and operational scenarios were evaluated. A County-owned facility with private operation and investment was the most financially favorable. Potentially yielding net revenue of approximately $2.8 million annually. 
• A potential facility would have gate (or tipping) fees and finished product prices in line with other facilities in the area.  

Site Analysis  

The City of Longmont recently decided not to pursue a potential land swap that could have created an opportunity to build and operate a compost facility on land known as the “Distel Property.” The Feasibility Study focused its search for a suitable site to operate a facility on the Distel Property after it was determined in Phase 1 of the study that this site had the best potential for successful compost facility construction and operation. There remains a possibility that operating a compost facility site on the nearby Tull property would also be feasible for maintaining a successful operation. Discussions about this site and other options will continue with Longmont, and the project team will also explore other viable locations throughout the area. 

Boulder County has not yet made a decision on moving forward with the next steps in creating a countywide composting facility. Project staff and county leadership will discuss options over the coming weeks and will share any decisions on moving forward through public announcements on this email list and the project webpage. 

Public Meeting Nov. 17 and How to Provide Feedback on the Feasibility Study 

Project staff and Burns and McDonnell will host a public meeting to present study findings, answer questions, and collect feedback. County Commissioners will also be in attendance to take part in the discussion.

Monday, November 17
5–7 p.m.
Boulder County Recycling Center — Education Room
1901 63rd Street, Boulder

If you cannot attend this meeting, you can use the project’s online comment form to ask questions and provide feedback about the Feasibility Study.