South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) has approved nine permits for Orange County’s waste management infrastructure, a decision that is projected to save Orange County taxpayers $5 million. These permits, which had been pending for two years, facilitate the full deployment of a hyper-speed composting system crucial for compliance with state mandates.
The $5 million in savings stems from the elimination of a potential penalty related to an archaic regional regulation. This regulation had threatened to impose significant mitigation fees for non-permanent covered piles, potentially costing the county $5 million if not for the rule change. The successful collaboration with AQMD led to the removal of this penalty entirely, preventing Orange County taxpayers from absorbing the cost.
The approved permits enable the widespread use of Covered Aerated Static Pile (CASP) composting. This advanced technology significantly accelerates the composting process, reducing the time required from six months to eight weeks. The CASP system operates by sealing organic material under specialized covers and pumping in air to enhance natural decomposition. This method is reported to cut emissions by 90%, an environmental benefit equated to removing 40,000 vehicles from the road.
California’s Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) mandates aggressive reductions in organic waste sent to landfills by all municipalities. Orange County benefits from having its own composting processes located directly at its landfills, reducing reliance on third-party facilities for green waste processing. The new state law is expected to dramatically increase the volume of green waste intake, making the CASP system a mandatory component of the county’s waste management strategy, rather than an optional enhancement.
Orange County Supervisor Janet Nguyen, who has been on the AQMD Board of Directors since 2025, and Yorba Linda Mayor Carlos Rodriguez, an AQMD Board member since 2020, emphasized the importance of reforming the relationship between Orange County and AQMD. They noted that collaboration with AQMD historically involved significant bureaucratic delays, hindering innovative upgrades to waste infrastructure. They credit a renewed spirit of collaboration and advocacy for resolving the prior gridlock, highlighting a shift towards identifying solutions and moving permits forward efficiently. Supervisor Nguyen and Mayor Rodriguez, along with Board of Supervisors Chairman Doug Chaffee, hosted AQMD leadership on a tour of the Bowerman Landfill in Irvine to observe the composting process directly.
The implementation of the CASP system will allow OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) to continue providing free compost to participating residents. This compost has also been utilized for projects such as the renovation of OC Animal Care’s doggie play yards and can be shared with other parks throughout the county.
Beyond the recently approved permits, Orange County is actively working on clearing a backlog of an additional 53 pending permits, some of which date back six years. These include requests for landfill blowers designed to capture gas before it reaches residential neighborhoods. Officials are awaiting AQMD’s final approval to install this equipment, which is intended to support community environmental quality.
Further modernization initiatives are also underway. Orange County is exploring opportunities to capture methane gas produced at its landfills and convert it into usable energy, transforming a waste product into a renewable resource. Additionally, AQMD has allocated $756,000 in INVEST CLEAN funding to install Level 3 electric vehicle chargers at each of Orange County's three active landfills. This funding supports OCWR’s ongoing transition of its medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleet to zero-emission technology. The county is also hopeful to receive approximately $4 million in rebates through AQMD’s upcoming TEAM program, which would further support the acquisition of electric vehicles and associated charging infrastructure.
These efforts represent a multi-faceted approach to modernizing Orange County’s waste infrastructure, aiming to protect both the environment and taxpayer resources through efficient management and strategic investments. The collaboration between Orange County and AQMD is presented as a model for effective regional environmental governance.
