Local Action Plan to Reduce Emissions of Greenhouse Gases

Sustainability steps of the Utilities Division

Existing Reduction Measures in Winston-Salem Government Operations

Utilities Division, Solid Waste - Core Operations

• Conducts master planning in solid waste disposal, composting, and recycling.
• Extracts & combusts methane-containing landfill gas from Hanes landfill to produce electricity.
• Extracts and flares methane-containing landfill gas from Ebert Road landfill.
• Provides limited recycling of construction & demolition debris at Hanes Mill Road Landfill supporting LEED certification for construction projects.
• Extracts and recycles CFCs from used appliances.
• Recycles used appliances and other metals.
• Recycles used tires.
• Accepts and composts or reuses all yard waste and leaves collected by the City of Winston-Salem Sanitation Division and some amounts from private companies.
• Funds and provides, under contract, 3 drop-off recycling centers for use by all residents of Forsyth County.
• Funds and provides, under contract, household hazardous waste collection and disposal program for use by all residents of Forsyth County.
• Funds and provides, under contract, the City of Winston-Salem’s curbside recycling program for use by residents of the City of Winston-Salem.
• Maintains required certifications for staff to insure proper waste management.

Utilities Division, Solid Waste - Utilities/Information Systems

• Teleconferences meetings when appropriate.
• Prints many documents double-side when appropriate.
• Encourages double-sided printing on all copies and printed materials.
• Reduces ambient, overhead lighting by using fewer fluorescent tubes in each fixture.
• Encourages the use of non-disposable tableware and serving pieces in kitchen areas at all facilities.
• Uses energy-saving compact fluorescent lights in offices where appropriate.
• Recycles all printer and copier toner cartridges.
• Turns off all personal computers at night.
• Turns off all unnecessary lights at night.

Utilities Division, Solid Waste - Community Education/Awareness

• Provides volunteers to work at environmental events such as Piedmont Earth Day Fair, American Recycles Day and other environmental initiatives.
• Provides educational speakers to the community for environmental issues related to recycling and waste reduction.
• Provides tours of facilities to encourage and foster greater environmental awareness of recycling, composting and solid waste disposal.
• Collaborates with environmental groups such as the Piedmont Environmental Alliance, the Sierra Club and others to exchange ideas and foster more cooperation for greater environmental benefits.
• Subscribes to listservs dedicated to pollution prevention, recycling, waste reduction and waste management.
• Subscribes to trade journals dedicated to pollution prevention, recycling, waste reduction and waste management.

Utilities Division – Water and Sewer Operations

• Since 1985 the Muddy Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant has utilized 100% of the methane produced to fuel engine blowers that supply air to the activated sludge basins and boilers that heat the digesters at the plant.
• From 1958-1995 the Elledge Wastewater Treatment Plant utilized 100% of the methane produced to fuel engine generators that powered the plant operations. The heat generated from these engine generators also heated the digesters at the plant.
• From 1995-2008 the Elledge Wastewater Treatment Plant utilized methane to heat the digesters at the plant. The surplus methane was flared.
• In 2008, 100% of the methane produced at the Elledge Plant began being utilized to fuel a biosolids dryer that converts liquid biosolids into a pelletized product that can be marketed.
• The biosolids processing at the wastewater treatment plants has now been converted from a totally liquid product (4% solids) that was trucked to farms for application to a pelletized product (~100% solids) that is trucked to farms and applied. This conversion has removed 25 tanker truck loads of liquid biosolids from the highway and replaced it with a single truck load of pellets.
• In 1996 a competitive assessment of wastewater treatment was conducted to identify areas that could be optimized and thus reduce costs resulting in annual electrical cost savings of over $1.5 million at the wastewater facilities for each of the last 10 years.
• In 2001 a competitive assessment of water treatment was conducted to identify areas that could be optimized and thus reduce costs resulting in electrical costs savings due to off-peak consumption of electricity. Cost savings achieved to-date has provided for the addition of the Northwest Water Treatment Plant to come on-line in 2004 with only a $300,000 increase in total electrical cost.
• Every 10 years a hydraulic master plan of the water distribution system is performed that evaluates energy consumption at the water pumping stations. As conditions have changed and pumps have become less efficient, the master plan recommends upgrades and modifications that optimize the energy consumption needed to efficiently supply water to meet current and future demands.

Utilities Division, Solid Waste - Fleet/Transportation

• Staff uses an ultra low emissions vehicle CNG vehicle in its fleet.
• Equipment idling time is limited to save fuel and reduce emissions.
• Total Maintenance and Repair insurance on all major off-road equipment is provided to insure optimum performance.
• Staff carpools to other locations when appropriate.
• Provides kitchen area at many facilities so staff can bring lunches to reduce vehicular traffic during lunch hours.

Future Reduction Measures for Winston-Salem Government Operations

Utilities Division, Solid Waste - Core Operations

• Increase the amount of used latex paint used in the landfill daily cover process.
• Further study expansion of construction & demolition recycling
• Investigate the recycling of leachate in daily cover application
• Expand landfill gas extraction and combustion systems when and where appropriate

Utilities Division, Solid Waste - Fleet/Transportation

• Reduce the number of hours that solid waste facilities are operated, thus saving fuel.

Utilities Division, Solid Waste - Utilities/Information Systems:

• o Increase the use of non-disposable or compostable tableware, serving pieces, etc. in the kitchen areas at all facilities.

Utilities Division – Water and Sewer Operations:

• Replacement of the +80-year-old Thomas Water Treatment Plant will provide a modern more energy-efficient facility to meet current and future demands for water for the next 50 years.
• The new Thomas Water Treatment Plant operations building will be built with many of the LEED certification requirements.
• The new Elledge Wastewater Treatment Plant headworks and primary clarifier improvement project will replace 50-year-old infrastructure with a modern, more energy-efficient facility that will meet the current and future growth for the next 25 years.
• The new administration building at the Elledge Wastewater Treatment Plant will be built with many of the LEED certification requirements.
• Future water distribution master plans will continue to evaluate energy consumption and recommend improvements that reduce energy costs.
• Mobile solutions for work management will be implemented to reduce redundant vehicular trips for field operations.
• Automated Meter Reading technology is currently being piloted to evaluate its implementation over the next 10 years. This potentially could eliminate 8 meter reading vehicles per day from the City/County roadways.

Read the Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Local Action Plan to Reduce Emissions Report July 2008 [pdf/1mb/43p] 

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