A Change for the Better!

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  Phase I

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  Phase II

After many years of hard work and an almost $3 million dollars in capital improvements, our yard debris composting facility has undergone a complete makeover. At the end of September, the final Phase of this state-of-the-art composting facility was completed, and we are again, fully operational. Our two main aerated static pile composting pads have the capacity to process 100,000 tons per year while doing so on a very small footprint.

Special Thanks

We would like to thank all of our neighbors for their patience during this conversion process. It has been a long process, but we could not have accomplished this herculean task without the help and input of the neighborhood groups like CASE, Oregon Air and all of the residents of the Pony Ridge subdivision.

We would also like to thank the City of Tualatin and the DEQ for their help and understanding. Metro has been instrumental in making this transition possible. Their willingness to step up and hire a contractor to help lay out a plan forward was the key to keeping our recycling center open and viable for decades to come. The Metro Investment & Innovation Grant program provided a much needed financial boost.

Finally, we would like to thank the hundreds of customers who have continued to utilize the facility daily. Without your continued loyalty and patronage, none of this would have been possible!

Phase I Update

Phase I has been operational since December 2019 and has produced over 100,000 cubic yards (40,000 tons) of compost. The ability to control moisture, temperature and oxygen has been instrumental in our abilities to minimize odors. While it is impossible to operate a composting facility without producing some odors, the ability to control these variables has virtually eliminated all offensive offsite odors.

Phase II Update

The second slab is a mirror image of the first slab and is capable of converting 50,000 tons of green waste into high quality compost. 45,000 square feet of asphalt was installed on September 22nd to allow maneuvering access and the aerated slab was placed into service shortly after that.

Facility Tours

Due to the Coronavirus, our previously scheduled open house is still on hold. However, if you would like to take an individual tour, please call our office and make an appointment – limit 2 per tour. You can also see the progress by watching this short Garden Time segment: https://youtu.be/Kf5U-FSu2CU

Garden Time Phase2: https://youtu.be/tG6eeJ8WXOA

Progress Continues

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  Central Pad pour July 16

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  Ready for Compost!

Phase I Update

We have now completed 157 batches of compost (75,000 cubic yards) with the ASP system. The results continue to be very encouraging and we are producing some great compost!! The ability to control moisture, temperature and oxygen has greatly shortened our process time and virtually eliminated all offensive offsite odors.

Phase II Update

While construction during a global pandemic has been challenging, progress on the aerated Central composting pad continues as planned. Underground infrastructures and air duct systems have been installed. Concrete was poured in mid-July. The blowers have been wired and are set in place. Startup and testing are scheduled for late September, just in time for leaf season!

Facility Tours

Due to the Coronavirus, our previously scheduled open house is still on hold. However, if you would like to take an individual tour, please call our office and make an appointment – limit 2 per tour. You can also see the progress by watching this short Garden Time segment: https://youtu.be/Kf5U-FSu2CU

Metro Match Dollars at Work

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  Central Module Blowers in place

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  Manifolds & Spargers in process

Phase I Update

Including the ASP Test Bins and Phase I Module, we have completed 119 batches, approximately 58,000 cubic yards, with ASP composting. Average oxygen readings have been at 18.2%.

Phase II Update

With the Metro Match Funds from the Innovation and Investment Grants program, we have installed the blower and manifold units for the Phase II module. In addition, we are in the process of installing the lateral air manifolds and sparger tips to provide aeration to the next 8 composting zones. The concrete pour is scheduled for July 2020.

We are composting!

Phase I of our ASP conversion is running at 100% capacity and the results have been fantastic.  The new process allows us to control moisture, oxygen and temperature thus virtually eliminate offensive odors!

Phase II Construction, with the recent grant from Metro, we are hard at work on our Central module and we will post updates showing the progress to our blog.  The module will be built in nearly the same design (see our posts in June 2019) and scheduled to be finished June 30, 2020.

Open House Cancelled:

We were hoping to have an “open house” on March 27^th & 28^th but will have to be indefinitely postponed due to the COVID-19 virus.  However, you are welcome to make an appointment to come and see the site, limit 1 or 2 at a time, or if you come to drop off your yard debris, you’ll have a birds eye view of the module in action!

Coronavirus (COVID-19):

The recent spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) is impacting everyone throughout the globe in one way or another. As with many companies, we need to consider the best path for our employees, customers and community.  Nearly all of our employees work alone either in different equipment or in different locations on our property.  Our customers arrive in their vehicles one at a time, in single file. 

Customers in the drop-off area have been and will continue to be separated from each other so risk of infection is minimal.  We are very sensitive to the economic impacts of this pandemic. 

We will be open for normal business activities, especially to support our small landscapers who also work in semi-isolated situations.

Please take care during the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19

The recent spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) is impacting everyone throughout the globe in one way or another. As with many companies, we need to consider the best path for our employees, customers and community.

Nearly all of our employees work alone in different equipment or in different locations on our property.  Our customers arrive one at a time, in single file.  Customers in the drop-off area have been, and will continue to be separated from each other so risk of infection is minimal.

We are very sensitive to the economic impacts of this pandemic.  We will be open for normal business activities, especially to support our small landscapers who also work in semi-isolated situations.

We wish you all the best in this unique time.

Portland Home & Garden Show

Please visit our booth #267

Asphalt approach has been laid down

The wet weather has made it slow going for finalizing the new ASP pad. We took advantage of the short break in the weather to pave the approach to the 16 zones. We measured 9.0″ of rain in January. Next closest January was in 2012 at 8.37.

Getting Ready!

The progress on the new ASP composting floor continues and is nearing completion. Soon we’ll be loading it and composting. We were able to test the air flow last week and the results showed an air throughput exceeding the Green Mountain design specification by 30%.

Our demonstration ASP zones continue to do well, we’ve completed 51 batches since February. Air is mostly comprised of 78% nitrogen and 20.9% oxygen and the average internal oxygen reading of our test zones is 18.05%. We will have no problem maintaining the aerobic composting process with the increased air throughput of the new floor.

When we get the zones loaded and in process we will invite you for a visit.

Tualatin Free Dump Day a success!

Food donations for Tualatin Food Pantry

Nearly 600 yards of yard debris was brought in on Saturday, over 12% from Tualatin residents taking advantage of Grimm’s Tualatin Free Dump Day. Thank you for all who brought in the food donations for the Tualatin Food Pantry. Tualatin Food Pantry serves residents of Tualatin, Durham, Lake Oswego, West Linn and Wilsonville, providing emergency food boxes with up to 5 days worth of food and personal supplies to needy residents.

Tualatin Residents Free Yard Debris Drop Off Day

Bring non-perishable items for the Tualatin School House Pantry. 

Saturday, November 2, 2019 – 9:00am to 1:00pm

Grimm’s Fuel Co. (18850 SW Cipole Road, Tualatin, OR 97062)

Yard debris consists of leaves, weeds, grass clippings, branches and prunings no larger than 4 inches in diameter or 8 feet in length.

REMEMBER! Please bring: 

• Proof of Tualatin residency
• Non-perishable items for the Tualatin School House Pantry. 
• Currently, the Pantry’s most urgent needs include: canned fruits (no applesauce please), canned vegetables, canned meals (ex: spaghettios, ravioli, chili, etc), boxed macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, cereal, dried beans, bags of rice, bulk cooking/baking items (ex: flour, salt, sugar, spices), and hygiene items such as toilet paper, shampoo/conditioner, bar soap, toothpaste, feminine products, and powdered laundry soap (bulk is fine!)
• The Pantry is always in need of paper grocery bags and small/medium empty boxes 
• Please do not bring expired items!