The Tajiguas Landfill is projected to run out of space by 2026 and according to Carlyle Johnston of the Santa Barbara County Department of Public Works, expanding the size of the landfill is the best option.
“As a staff member and also as a person, this is the least environmentally harmful and economically harmful option we have as a community,” Johnston said.
The landfill serves southern Santa Barbara County and processes around 600 tons of trash daily.
On the flip side, the landfill’s ReSource Center diverts about 20% of trash away from the landfill, according to Johnston. But that's below the projected 60% diversion expected when the ReSource Center was built.
Johnston says that's due to a couple of things: waste has become less recyclable in recent years, plus about 50% of household trash is organic and with the Anaerobic Digestion Facility and Compost Management Unit waiting to complete acceptance testing, much of the trash received daily isn't being diverted.
The Gaviota Coast Conservancy says the ReSource Center's low diversion capacity is a major issue in the landfill running out of space sooner than expected.
“Improving the ReSource Center’s performance so it hits its 60% diversion target is critical and Public Works needs to articulate a plan for hitting this target before requesting approval for a physical expansion,” said Ana Citrin, Legal and Policy Director for the Gaviota Coast Conservancy.
In addition, the average southern Santa Barbara County resident generates about twice as much waste as the average American, according to Johnston.
Currently, the county’s expansion plan would raise the landfill’s elevation by about 30 feet — from 620 feet to 650 feet — and increase the footprint from 118 acres to 132.25 acres. Construction for expansion is expected to start in the late summer of 2024, depending on permits and the completion of mitigation measures.
