Stanislaus garbage incinerator — last in California — to close in December. What then?
Stanislaus County’s Covanta plant, the last remaining garbage incinerator in California, will cease operations in December, marking the end of an era for waste management in the state.
Jody Hayes, the county’s chief executive officer, said Stanislaus is in negotiations with Covanta (now Reworld) to reach an agreement with all parties involved, including the city of Modesto, to end operations at the Stanislaus Waste-to-Energy Facility.
“There are many impacts to this type of change in solid waste operations that require careful consideration for a successful transition. We are hopeful to reach a final agreement prior to December and will be in a better position to provide comments at that time,” Hayes said in a statement.
Nicolle Robles, the director of communications for Reworld, confirmed that the company will end waste services at its Stanislaus facility on Dec. 2 as it shifts focus toward expanding business operations across North America.
This closure comes after Covanta Energy, the New Jersey-based company operating the plant, warned local officials last December that the facility was losing money and struggling with increased costs. In response to Covanta’s warning, Stanislaus County and Modesto officials in February requested more time to explore alternatives.
The Covanta facility, located near Interstate 5, has been a key destination for household waste from Stanislaus County and its cities for 36 years, generating power for Pacific Gas and Electric Co.
But the December closure will force county and city leaders to reassess their waste management strategy, with the potential for a significant shift toward zero-waste efforts, recycling and other environmentally friendly practices.
“We are happy to finally see the last incinerator in California closing,” said John Mataka, a longtime advocate for environmental justice with Grayson Neighborhood Council and Valley Improvement Projects. “The West Side of Stanislaus County has been the dumping ground for incineration in the county and has suffered the cumulative health impacts of the incineration of trash and tires.”
Mataka also expressed frustration with Stanislaus County’s continued lack of transparency regarding the opening and closing of polluting industries. He said his groups are closely monitoring the 2030 development plan at the former Crows Landing air base and are concerned about the technology the county is hinting at without providing clear details.
The state previously had two garbage incinerators, but the Long Beach plant closed at the end of January after financial losses led to the termination of Covanta’s contract. Now, the Stanislaus facility will be the final one to shut down.
More reliance on landfills, recycling
County Supervisor Terry Withrow said the county and cities in the waste-to-energy service agreement will need to rely more on landfills and recycling after the incinerator closes. He said he didn’t know when the county will need a state permit for additional space at the Fink Road landfill next to the garbage burner.
“We still have space out there but I can’t tell you when that will be filled,” Withrow said.
Though people were critical of air pollutants emitted by garbage incineration, Withrow said the waste-to-energy plant served to reduce the amount of trash placed in the landfill over more than three decades. Much of the garbage in landfills creates methane gas that warms the planet.
“There is a lot of argument on both sides about how bad (incineration) is,” Withrow said. “We would have a lot more garbage buried out there in those hills if it was not for the Covanta plant. ”
Last December, Covanta informed the county that the Stanislaus plant was facing an additional $23 million in costs through 2027 due to the state’s removal of renewable energy credits for waste-to-energy facilities and more stringent air quality regulations. Covanta has operated the plant under a 15-year agreement with the county and Modesto that’s scheduled to expire in 2027.
Covanta proposed that the company, county and Modesto could agree to shut down the plant by June 30 or sooner. Alternatively, the company suggested significantly increasing the tipping fee charged for dumping garbage at the plant to cover the rising expenses from cap-and-trade regulations and ongoing maintenance.
This story was originally published October 7, 2024 at 6:00 AM.
