The Garbage Odyssey
How Does the County Convert Trash into Recyclables and Compost?
ReSource Center at Tajiguas Landfill | Credit: Heather Hope
I was disappointed when the volunteer at the Saturday morning Santa Barbara Farmers Market announced that she would no longer be collecting food scraps for composting. How sad for the environment, I thought. Food in a landfill turns to methane, a flammable toxic gas that heats up the atmosphere. Then she surprised me: “It’s good news! The county will now be sorting through all of our trash, separating out food to make compost and energy.”
“What? That must be a gross job,” I blurted.
Smiling widely, she said, “A machine does it!” Sensing I was dubious, she added, “You can actually see it on a tour.”
