Olmsted County’s ‘Waste-to-Energy’ facility is celebrating 35 years. The facility offered tours bringing people through each layer of the operation and showing them just how waste is managed. The facility operates 24-7 and has the capacity to process up to 400 tons of garbage each day… waste that can’t be reduced, reused, or recycled. “So we do have available capacity which is good, because the population of Rochester and Olmsted County continues to grow – so this facility will be available to meet the needs of a growing population,” explains Anthony Wittmer, communication specialist for the Olmsted County Environmental Resources Department.
Energy produced through this facility is provided to over 30 buildings in the Olmsted County District Energy System, using steam for heating, cooling, and electricity. Wittmer hopes people have a better understanding of where waste goes after it’s picked up. “Seeing the actual pile of garbage makes it real,” he says. “ It doesn’t just go off somewhere, someone has to manage it, and we do our best to manage it in an environmentally responsible way.”
Next time you ‘re ready to toss it, Wittmer says think about what ways your trash can be reduced, reused, or recycled. The facility receives trash from both Olmsted and Dodge counties.