Dive Summary:

• The new facility, located outside of San Jose, California, can process up to 100 tons-per-hour of waste from multiple streams. It is expected to diver 80% of collected waste from landfills
• The plant, which took a year to build, has over 1.5 miles of conveyer belts and 307 motors.  
• Republic Services company partnered with Bulk Handling Systems (BHS) to design and build the custom facility

From the press release:

Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE: RSG ), today officially flipped the switch on the world's largest recycling operation, which can process up to 110 tons-per-hour of multiple waste streams, and sets a new standard for the recycling industry. The facility will process all of the commercial waste generated by businesses in San Jose , California. In addition, the facility is expected to divert at least 80 percent of material collected.

Until now, the system for collecting commercial waste was managed by 20 different haulers with four to six of the haulers providing standard garbage/recycling collection services. Additionally, rates varied widely for similar services and neighboring businesses with less than half of the businesses receiving recycling service. The new program views waste as a resource. It provides standard recycling services for all and introduces the recycling of organics using advanced technology that generates energy from waste.

"At Republic Services, we take our role as environmental stewards very seriously and have been dedicated to protecting the environment from the beginning," said Gil Cheso , Republic Services division manager. "We are proud that in partnership with our service cities, we have met or exceeded California 's waste diversion requirements. The improvements in our facility allow us to operate at a higher-capacity which increases the diversion rate for our recycling programs and supports our community's green initiatives. This greatly enhances our overall positive environmental impact."

City of San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed spoke at the event and discussed the importance of working together to achieve greater sustainability in our communities. "Our businesses and community will benefit from this new approach to commercial waste recycling," said Reed. "The new service will include the recycling of organic waste which will help businesses and the City alike achieve their sustainability goals. The investment in advanced waste processing facilities generates new green jobs, turns waste into energy, and once again demonstrates San Jose 's innovative leadership toward a sustainable future and moves the City significantly closer to achieving its Green Vision goal of diverting 100 percent of its waste from landfills and converting that waste in to energy."

Republic worked with Bulk Handling Systems (BHS) to design, manufacture and install the custom-designed, highly-automated system. "Republic is pleased to be working with BHS on this extraordinary project," says Mark Buntjer , general manager at Republic. "This facility is the first and largest of its kind and we're excited to be at the forefront of the industry, setting the pace globally for multi-material recovery."

Republic's commitment to advancing sustainability continues with the modernization at the Company's 342-acre Newby Island Recycling Complex. The hauling company operates nearly 70 natural gas vehicles and provides wet/dry collection service to all San Jose businesses, and residential and commercial service to the City of Milpitas ; commercial and industrial service in the Cities of San Jose and Santa Clara . The landfill recovers landfill gas and features an onsite compressed natural gas fueling station.

Today's dedication ceremony offered attendees an up-close view of the recycling operation and how the program brings uniformity and greater efficiency, with one hauler, to the collection of organics and recyclables.