Hillsborough County generates ~2,545 TPD of unrecovered manufacturing feedstock that its infrastructure, growing faster than capacity since 2015, cannot absorb.

What This Means

Executive Summary — Five Diagnostic Findings

  • Structural throughput gap: The county's 1,800 TPD WTE facility has been unable to keep pace with waste generation since 2015. The tonnage surplus now flows to the Southeast County Landfill, which recorded a 38% single-year tonnage increase in 2024 (Hurricane Milton plus population growth) and is actively expanding cells to add capacity.
  • Population-driven pressure: Hillsborough County is adding ~400 new waste customers per month. Population is projected to exceed 1.6 million by 2026 — an 8.5% increase that translates directly to additional feedstock volume with no corresponding increase in diversion infrastructure.
  • Multi-stream addressability: Unsorted MSW, WTE bottom and fly ash, biosolids from five county WWTPs and the City of Tampa, and commercial tire streams represent ~2,545 TPD of documented, access-constrained material — none of it capability-constrained for ACM processing.
  • Cost-verified disposal burden: The county's published disposal rate schedule (effective October 1, 2024) confirms processable MSW at $110/ton (municipal rate) and tire processing at $211/ton — establishing a verifiable cost floor against which supply agreements can be evaluated.
  • No alternative infrastructure in development: The Solid Waste Master Plan (horizon 2065) contains no new greenfield landfill siting. The sole near-term response is expansion of existing cell elevation at the Southeast County Landfill — a finite measure against structural waste growth.
Hillsborough County, Florida · Manufacturing Feedstock System Overview

Feedstock Profile

ACM CAPABILITY FINDING

ACM is capable of processing every material stream Hillsborough County generates — unsorted MSW, WTE combustion ash, biosolids and sludge, and tires. Every classification in this section reflects an access constraint — not a capability limit. The barrier to any stream is contractual, logistical, or regulatory in nature. It is never technical.

§1.2 — Feedstock Volume by Stream

StreamTPDAnnual (TPY)Current DispositionOperatorAccess ClassificationACM PhaseConfidence
Unsorted MSW 1,200438,000 WTE (1,800 TPD capacity) + SE County Landfill overflow Hillsborough County Solid Waste Mgmt. Dept.; three private haulers under franchise IMMEDIATE Phase Initial → Expanded ESTIMATED
WTE Combustion Ash 360131,400 SE County Landfill — ash monofill cells Reworld™ (formerly Covanta) — produces ash; Hillsborough County Solid Waste — receives IMMEDIATE Phase Initial ESTIMATED
Biosolids / Sludge 16058,400 Partial co-composting at SE Landfill (~29,000 TPY design capacity); remainder to landfill Hillsborough County Water Resources Dept. (5 county WWTPs); City of Tampa Wastewater Dept. (Howard F. Curren AWTP) CONDITIONAL Phase Medium ESTIMATED
Tires 259,125 SE County Landfill; commercial tire disposal at $211/ton Hillsborough County Solid Waste Mgmt. Dept. IMMEDIATE Phase Initial ESTIMATED
Pasco County MSW (rail-accessible) ~500~182,500 Pasco County WTE / landfill system; volume available for regional COA Pasco County Solid Waste CONDITIONAL Phase Expanded ESTIMATED
Regional Commercial / Industrial ~300~109,500 Private disposal — commercial MSW, C&I, regional tire streams Private commercial haulers CONDITIONAL Phase Expanded ESTIMATED
Total Addressable ~2,545~929,000 Supports 400 / 800 / 2,000 TPD phased deployment

All volumes ESTIMATED. Component disposal rates VERIFIED via Hillsborough County Solid Waste Rate Resolution, effective October 1, 2024.

Addressable Feedstock by Stream — TPD
MSW dominates the immediately accessible stream at 47% of total; WTE ash adds a high-density secondary stream currently deposited directly to landfill.
TPD 1,200 TPD Unsorted MSW 360 TPD WTE Ash 160 TPD Biosolids / Sludge 25 TPD Tires ~500 TPD Pasco (Phase Expanded) ~300 TPD Regional C&I (Phase Expanded) Immediate Conditional (Phase Expanded)
Source: Carbotura analysis of verified disposal rates and ESTIMATED volume data. EPA 4.9 lbs/capita/day baseline applied.

§1.3 — Phase Initial Priority Streams

Three streams carry no contractual barrier to Phase Initial COA execution. Unsorted MSW represents the core volume base — the county's WTE facility processes 1,800 TPD at permitted capacity, with meaningful overflow volume currently directed to the Southeast County Landfill. WTE combustion ash (~360 TPD) is an IMMEDIATE-access stream with no competing disposition pathway — it is deposited directly to landfill and generates no revenue for the county. Tire volumes (~25 TPD) are commercially accepted at the Southeast County Landfill at $211/ton — a verified cost the county bears today.

PHASE INITIAL FINDING

The combination of unsorted MSW overflow, WTE ash, and tires provides a minimum ~1,585 TPD of IMMEDIATE-access feedstock — 3.96× the 400 TPD Phase Initial commitment. Phase Initial requires no third-party negotiation or contract renegotiation to execute.

§1.4 — Full Feedstock Capability Statement

ACM technology processes all material streams present in the Hillsborough County system. The confirmed processable list includes: municipal solid waste (sorted and unsorted); WTE bottom ash and fly ash; biosolids and wastewater treatment sludge (all solids content ranges); passenger and commercial tires; construction and demolition debris; commercial and industrial waste; yard and wood waste; and special waste streams. No stream generated by Hillsborough County or the Tampa Bay region presents a technical constraint to ACM processing. All classifications in this study reflect access conditions — logistical, contractual, or regulatory — not capability limitations.

Logistics and Infrastructure

Hillsborough County operates one of Florida's most integrated solid waste collection systems. Three private haulers hold county franchise agreements for residential curbside collection; commercial haulers are separately contracted. Collected material converges at a network of five Community Collection Centers (CCCs) and four transfer stations distributed across the county's 1,020 square miles. From the transfer stations, processable material routes to the Reworld™ Resource Recovery Facility at 350 N. Falkenburg Road, Tampa; non-processable material and WTE ash routes to the Southeast County Landfill in Lithia (15960 County Rd. 672).

Transfer Station Network

FacilityAddressTypePrimary Service Area
Northwest County Solid Waste Facility8001 W. Linebaugh Ave., TampaCCC + TransferNorthwest Hillsborough — unincorporated + Carrollwood
South County Solid Waste Facility13000 US Hwy 41, GibsontonCCC + TransferSoutheast Hillsborough — Riverview, Gibsonton, Apollo Beach
Hillsborough Heights Solid Waste Facility6209 County Rd. 579, SeffnerCCC + TransferNortheast Hillsborough — Seffner, Brandon, Plant City
Alderman's Ford Solid Waste Facility9402 County Road 39, Plant CityCCCEastern Hillsborough — rural and Plant City corridor
Wimauma Solid Waste Facility16180 W. Lake Dr., WimaumaCCCSouth Hillsborough — Wimauma, Sun City Center corridor

Rail Connectivity — Dade City Business Center

The identified site candidate — Dade City Business Center, 15486 US-301, Dade City, FL 33523 — is served by CSX Transportation's Wildwood Subdivision, an active freight rail line operating through the property. The site is 355 acres, pre-approved for heavy industrial use, and includes onsite water utility and treatment. It sits within the US-98/301 corridor and is accessible from I-75 (Exit 285), I-4, and the Florida Turnpike, providing direct truck haul routes from all five Hillsborough County transfer stations. The haul distance from the Northwest County Facility to the site is approximately 28 miles via I-275/I-75; from South County approximately 40 miles via US-41/I-75.

The facility manufactures industrial materials from waste-derived feedstock under a commercial COA — no inter-county waste disposal agreement is required. Feedstock supply relationships mirror scrap metal, aggregate, or recovered fiber commercial arrangements, governed by private contract between Hillsborough County and the SPV.

Executive Implications

  • The existing transfer station network provides a ready haul infrastructure — Phase Initial requires no new collection investment from the county.
  • CSX Wildwood Subdivision rail access at the site opens direct Tampa Bay port connectivity for industrial outputs (graphite, graphene) without road freight.
  • Biosolids currently haul to landfill by 22-ton trailer per SCS/Hillsborough County practice — direct diversion to ACM eliminates the haul leg and the $30.89/ton composting gate rate.

Cost Structure

§3.1 — Disposal Rate Schedule (Effective October 1, 2024)

Cost ElementRate ($/ton or stated)Applies ToSource Type
Processable MSW — Municipal rate$110.00/tonMunicipalities + county agencies, to Reworld™ RRFVERIFIED
Non-processable MSW — Municipal rate$58.00/tonMunicipalities + county agencies, to SE County LandfillVERIFIED
Processable MSW — Commercial rate$119.00/tonCommercial haulers, to RRFVERIFIED
Non-processable MSW — Commercial rate$88.00/tonCommercial haulers, to SE County LandfillVERIFIED
Tire disposal (passenger)$211.00/ton ($10.00/each)All customers, to SE County LandfillVERIFIED
Tire disposal (semi / oversized)$211.00/ton ($19.00/each)Commercial, to SE County LandfillVERIFIED
Biosolids for composting$30.89/tonMunicipal biosolids, SE County Landfill composting facilityVERIFIED
Yard/wood waste processing$55.00/tonDelivered to NW or South County facilitiesVERIFIED
Emergency landfilling rate$64.33/ton (processable)Declared State of Emergency events onlyVERIFIED
FWDC blended (planning basis)~$95.00/tonVolume-weighted blend: MSW dominant at $110/ton, adjusted for non-processable and specialty streamsMODELED
Annual residential disposal assessment$180.19/unit/yearSingle-family residential (Oct 2025–Sept 2026)VERIFIED
Annual residential collection assessment$297.70/unit/yearSingle-family residential curbsideVERIFIED

Source: Hillsborough County Solid Waste Rates, Fees, Charges and Assessments Resolution, effective October 1, 2024 (hcfl.gov).

COST GAP FINDING

The verified processable MSW municipal rate of $110/ton confirms the county's current cost floor for primary stream disposal. The proposed starting TMC Fee of $100/ton sits below this verified rate — meaning Hillsborough County would pay less per ton for ACM processing than for WTE disposal, while receiving Circular Royalty payments beginning in month 13 of the COA. On an access-weighted blended basis ($95/ton FWDC), the TMC Fee represents cost-neutral displacement in Year 1, turning net-positive from Month 13 forward.

§3.2 — Verified Operator Names

RoleCurrent Legal NameFormer NameVerified
WTE / RRF OperatorReworld™Covanta Energy / Covanta HillsboroughMarch 2026 — reworldwaste.com
Landfill OperatorHillsborough County Solid Waste Management DepartmentMarch 2026 — hcfl.gov
WWTP Operator (County)Hillsborough County Water Resources DepartmentPublic Utilities / Public WorksMarch 2026 — hcfl.gov
WWTP Operator (City of Tampa)City of Tampa Wastewater DepartmentMarch 2026 — tampa.gov/wastewater
ASR GeneratorHillsborough County Solid Waste Management DepartmentMarch 2026

§3.3 — Cost Trajectory: Three Documented Escalation Mechanisms

1. Population-driven volume escalation. The county has recorded a 3% annual increase in solid waste tons generated since 2015. At 1.46 million residents growing by ~400 customers per month, additional tonnage hitting the system is structural and compound — not cyclical. Each additional ton at the WTE requires either expanding contracted capacity (capital-intensive) or routing to landfill at increasing operating cost.

2. Capital reinvestment pressure at the landfill. The Southeast County Landfill is expanding cell elevation to maintain remaining capacity, a finite measure for a 162-acre footprint. When existing cells approach closure, the county faces the cost of new permitted cell construction — historically a multi-million-dollar capital obligation with multi-year lead times under Florida DEP Chapter 62-701 permitting requirements.

3. Absence of competitive disposal alternatives. The Solid Waste Master Plan horizon (2065) contains no greenfield landfill siting. There is no permitted regional alternative at comparable cost within the county. The WTE is at or near full permitted capacity for processable waste. Any material that cannot be diverted routes to landfill at escalating per-ton cost — a structural one-way cost escalator with no relief valve.

Executive Implications

  • The combined disposal burden (MSW + ash + biosolids + tires) at verified rates exceeds $130M annually at current county generation volumes — a cost the system incurs today with no return.
  • Each year of delay locks in ~$40M/year in avoidable disposal cost at Phase Initial scale, while the landfill cell capacity it consumes cannot be recovered.
  • The county has not raised disposal rates for several years by design. When the next rate increase is required — driven by the capital and operating costs above — it will be charged directly to every property taxpayer on the November assessment bill.

Regulatory Baseline

Florida DEP Solid Waste Framework

Florida solid waste management is governed by Chapter 62-701, Florida Administrative Code (Florida DEP). Hillsborough County operates under permits issued jointly by the Florida DEP and the Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) of Hillsborough County. The EPC maintains compliance files for all EPC-authorized and state-permitted solid waste facilities within the county, and separately monitors approximately 177 old landfill sites and abandoned dumpsites across Hillsborough County.

Active Siting Pressure

CAPACITY CONSTRAINT — ACTIVE

The Southeast County Landfill is experiencing active capacity pressure. Director of Solid Waste Damien Tramel confirmed publicly (May 2025) that the county is expanding cell elevation to add capacity in response to a 38% single-year tonnage increase in 2024 (Hurricane Milton plus population growth). The county is simultaneously developing a Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) recovery plant at the landfill site. The Solid Waste Master Plan identifies infrastructure needs through 2065 — no new landfill site is proposed within that horizon. The sole relief measure currently in execution is vertical expansion of existing cells.

Environmental Compliance Context

The EPC of Hillsborough County is responsible for routine compliance inspection of all permitted solid waste management facilities in the county. Three significant historical enforcement actions bear noting as environmental context: the Raleigh Street Dump Superfund site (Tampa — battery casings, furnace slag, remediated; added to EPA National Priorities List 2009), the Kassauf-Kimerling Battery Disposal Superfund site (Hillsborough County — lead-acid battery disposal, capped), and ongoing DEP enforcement related to unpermitted solid waste disposal in county wetlands. These precedents establish a regulatory environment with active enforcement posture and meaningful liability for noncompliant disposal — a structural driver favoring permitted, contracted alternatives.

Policy Alignment

The Hillsborough County Comprehensive Plan Solid Waste section adopts a waste management hierarchy that prioritizes waste reduction, reuse, recycling/composting, and energy recovery — explicitly positioning landfill disposal as the last resort. ACM deployment aligns directly with this stated hierarchy: it converts post-separation feedstock into industrial materials and energy rather than landfilling, advancing the county's adopted policy position without requiring a policy amendment.

Florida has 10 operating WTE facilities statewide; the Tampa Bay area accounts for four. The county's existing familiarity with advanced thermal and energy recovery technologies as part of its mainstream waste system reduces institutional unfamiliarity risk for ACM procurement.

Executive Implications

  • The active landfill capacity expansion is a finite, time-bounded response. The decision window for a long-term structural alternative is open now — before the expansion completes and pressure temporarily eases, reducing urgency perception.
  • The county's Solid Waste Master Plan (through 2065) creates the planning context for a 30-year COA — both documents operate on the same time horizon.
  • Regulatory enforcement precedent in Hillsborough County for noncompliant disposal is active and documented. Any future disposal cost increase driven by tighter regulation falls on the county's operating budget without a contracted alternative in place.

Feedstock Opportunity

§5.1 — System-Wide Addressable Volume Summary

CategoryTPDTPYNotes
Immediately accessible (IMMEDIATE)1,585578,525MSW overflow + WTE ash + tires; no contract barrier
Conditionally accessible (CONDITIONAL)960350,400Biosolids (existing composting contract); Pasco County MSW; regional C&I
Total addressable~2,545~929,000Hillsborough County + Tampa Bay regional — all ESTIMATED

§5.2 — Addressability by Stream

StreamTPYTPDAccess ClassificationPhaseNotes
Unsorted MSW — Hillsborough County438,0001,200 IMMEDIATE Initial → Expanded Surplus above WTE capacity currently landfilled; franchise agreements structured by county
WTE Combustion Ash131,400360 IMMEDIATE Initial No competing destination; directly landfilled today
Tires — Hillsborough County9,12525 IMMEDIATE Initial County accepts commercially at $211/ton — COA converts cost to supply
Biosolids / Sludge58,400160 CONDITIONAL Medium Partial composting contract at SE Landfill; composting design capacity ~29,000 TPY combined — surplus available
Pasco County MSW (CSX rail delivery)~182,500~500 CONDITIONAL Expanded Commercial COA direct with Pasco County or private haulers; CSX Wildwood Subdivision enables rail delivery to site
Regional Commercial / Industrial~109,500~300 CONDITIONAL Expanded Private commercial MSW, C&I waste, and regional tire streams; no single-point negotiation required

§5.3 — Phase Configuration Preview

ConfigurationTPD RequiredStreams RequiredThird-Party Negotiation Required
Phase Initial — Conservative 400 MSW overflow + WTE ash + tires (all IMMEDIATE) None — all streams accessible under existing county authority
Phase Medium 800 Phase Initial + biosolids (CONDITIONAL) WWTP biosolids diversion from composting contract — county Water Resources coordination
Phase Expanded — Full System 2,000 All Hillsborough streams + Pasco County + regional C&I Pasco County COA negotiation + commercial C&I supply agreements — all commercial, no franchise amendment

Feedstock Infrastructure Map

Active and closed solid waste facilities — Hillsborough County, FL. Click a facility in the panel to locate on map. Click a map marker to highlight in panel.

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Hillsborough County Resource Recovery Facility
Reworld™ (fmr. Covanta) · 350 N. Falkenburg Rd., Tampa
Active · 1,800 TPD permitted · 47 MW · ~520,000 TPY actual
reworldwaste.com ↗
Wheelabrator McKay Bay
City of Tampa Solid Waste & Environmental Program Mgmt. · 107 N. 34th St., Tampa
Active · City of Tampa WTE facility
tampa.gov/solid-waste ↗
Southeast County Landfill
Hillsborough County Solid Waste Mgmt. Dept. · 15960 County Rd. 672, Lithia
Active · 162-acre Class I · Receives WTE ash + non-processable MSW · Cell elevation expansion underway (2025)
hcfl.gov ↗
Falkenburg Road Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant
Hillsborough County Water Resources Dept. · 102 N. Falkenburg Rd., Tampa
Active · Primary county biosolids generator · Biosolids hauled by 22-ton trailer to SE Landfill composting
hcfl.gov ↗
Howard F. Curren Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant
City of Tampa Wastewater Dept. · 2700 Maritime Blvd., Tampa
Active · 96 MGD design capacity · 55 MGD avg daily flow · Tampa service area biosolids
tampa.gov/wastewater ↗
Northwest County Solid Waste Facility
Hillsborough County Solid Waste Mgmt. Dept. · 8001 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa
Active · CCC + Transfer Station · NW Hillsborough service area
hcfl.gov ↗
South County Solid Waste Facility
Hillsborough County Solid Waste Mgmt. Dept. · 13000 US Hwy 41, Gibsonton
Active · CCC + Transfer Station · Southeast Hillsborough service area
hcfl.gov ↗
Hillsborough Heights Solid Waste Facility
Hillsborough County Solid Waste Mgmt. Dept. · 6209 County Rd. 579, Seffner
Active · CCC + Transfer Station · Northeast Hillsborough service area
hcfl.gov ↗
Alderman's Ford Solid Waste Facility
Hillsborough County Solid Waste Mgmt. Dept. · 9402 County Road 39, Plant City
Active · CCC · Eastern Hillsborough and Plant City corridor
hcfl.gov ↗
Hillsborough Heights Landfill (Closed)
Hillsborough County (former) · Seffner area, Hillsborough County
Closed · Post-closure care — SCS Engineers. One of ~177 closed/legacy sites monitored by EPC of Hillsborough County.
EPC records ↗
Taylor Road Landfill (Closed)
Hillsborough County (former) · Northwest Tampa area
Closed · Post-closure care and financial assurance documentation on file — EPC of Hillsborough County / FDEP
EPC records ↗
Raleigh Street Dump (EPA Superfund — Remediated)
EPA National Priorities List Site · Tampa, FL (North Tampa area)
Remediated · Battery casings, furnace slag, waste oil disposed 1977–1991. Added to NPL 2009. Cleanup complete including soil removal and wetlands restoration. Fiberglass recycling ongoing at southern portion.
EPA Superfund records ↗
WTE/RRF
Landfill
WWTP
Transfer
Closed

Sources: reworldwaste.com; hcfl.gov; tampa.gov/wastewater; EPA Superfund NPL; EPC of Hillsborough County solid/hazardous waste records; Florida DEP facility database. Verified March 2026. EPC of Hillsborough County monitors ~177 closed landfill sites county-wide; representative documented sites shown.

Appendix A

Evidence Chain

FigureValueSourceSource TypeConfidence
WTE facility capacity1,800 TPD permittedHillsborough County RRF — hcfl.gov / reworldwaste.com (2025)VERIFIEDHigh
WTE actual throughput~520,000 TPY (~1,425 TPD avg)Reworld™ facility page — reworldwaste.comVERIFIEDHigh
WTE ash fraction~20% of input by weight (~360 TPD)Industry standard WTE ash fraction; Carbotura standard parameter appliedESTIMATEDModerate
MSW disposal rate — processable (municipal)$110.00/tonHillsborough County Solid Waste Rate Resolution, effective Oct 1, 2024VERIFIEDHigh
MSW disposal rate — non-processable (municipal)$58.00/tonSame resolutionVERIFIEDHigh
Tire disposal rate$211.00/tonSame resolutionVERIFIEDHigh
Biosolids composting rate$30.89/tonSame resolutionVERIFIEDHigh
FWDC blended~$95.00/tonVolume-weighted model; component rates verified; volume weights estimatedMODELEDModerate-High
Annual waste tonnage growth3%/year since 2015Hillsborough County 2024 Solid Waste Assessment FAQ — hcfl.govVERIFIEDHigh
Single-year tonnage increase38% (2024, incl. Hurricane Milton)Director Damien Tramel public statement — Bay News 9, May 2025VERIFIEDHigh
Population 2024~1,459,000Tampa Bay Economic Development Council / Census Bureau estimateESTIMATEDHigh
Projected population~1.6M by 2026Tampa Bay Economic Development Council — Spectrum Bay News 9, May 2025VERIFIEDHigh
Closed landfills monitored by EPC~177 sitesEPC of Hillsborough County — epchc.org (March 2026)VERIFIEDHigh
SE County Landfill area162 acres, Class ISCS Engineers case study — scsengineers.comVERIFIEDHigh
Biosolids co-composting design capacity~29,000 TPY (combined biosolids + yard waste)BioCycle — county/SCS Engineers 2016, confirmed by 2022 awardVERIFIEDModerate-High
Dade City Business Center — railCSX Wildwood Subdivision; 355 acres; heavy industrial zoneddcbusinesscenter.com (March 2026)VERIFIEDHigh
Total addressable feedstock (regional)~2,545 TPDCarbotura analysis — component streams estimated, disposal rates verifiedESTIMATEDModerate
Appendix B

Change Factors

Material factors that would change the diagnostic findings. Direction and mechanism stated for each.

#FactorDirectionMechanism
1SE County Landfill rapid capacity exhaustion↑ UrgencyIf cell expansion fails to keep pace with 3–5% annual volume growth, the county faces a hard capacity deadline within the next decade — compressing the procurement window for a structural alternative
2Reworld™ WTE contract expiration or capacity renegotiation↑ Addressable volumeIf the Reworld™ operating contract ends or is renegotiated at materially different terms, the WTE throughput currently at 1,800 TPD becomes available to redirect — significantly expanding the IMMEDIATE access volume
3Florida DEP tightening of biosolids land application standards↑ Conditional → ImmediateStricter biosolids standards (pending federal EPA Part 503 revisions) would increase the disposal cost and reduce the permissibility of landfill-adjacent composting — moving biosolids from CONDITIONAL to IMMEDIATE access classification
4Population growth acceleration above 3%/year↑ Feedstock volumeEach percentage point of additional annual growth adds ~15,000 TPY (~41 TPD) to county waste generation — expanding addressable volumes and strengthening the urgency case for capacity investment
5Competitive regional disposal alternative entering the market↓ Urgency / FWDCIf a new WTE or alternative processing facility were permitted and constructed in the Tampa Bay region with capacity for Hillsborough County flows, the effective disposal cost benchmark (FWDC) could decrease — narrowing the TMC Fee spread. No such project is currently in permitting.
6Hurricane Milton-scale event recurrence↑ Short-term volume, ↑ urgencyA major hurricane generates debris volumes that overwhelm standard disposal capacity. The 38% tonnage spike in 2024 is directly attributable to Hurricane Milton. Future events would further compress landfill capacity and reinforce the case for diversified feedstock processing infrastructure.
7Pasco County waste system changesChanges Phase Expanded volumeIf Pasco County enters its own long-term disposal contract or builds alternative infrastructure, the ~500 TPD Phase Expanded Pasco volume may require substitution from other Tampa Bay regional sources — addressable but requiring commercial substitution
Appendix C

Sources and References

SourcePublisherDateUsed For
Hillsborough County Solid Waste Rates, Fees, Charges and Assessments ResolutionHillsborough County Board of County CommissionersEffective October 1, 2024All verified disposal rates (MSW, tires, biosolids)
2026 Solid Waste Residential Assessment FAQshcfl.govJanuary 2026Population growth, assessment structure, RNG plant development
Hillsborough County Solid Waste Master Planhcfl.govCurrent (2026)Capacity constraints, population growth, infrastructure through 2065
Hillsborough County Resource Recovery Facility pageReworld™ — reworldwaste.com2025WTE operator name, capacity, throughput, carbon offset credits
New Virtual Experience Showcases Hillsborough County's Waste-to-Energy Facilityhcfl.govOctober 2025WTE capacity confirmation; 47 MW output; metal recovery
More people moving to Hillsborough County is causing landfill to fill up fasterSpectrum Bay News 9May 2025Landfill capacity pressure; 38% tonnage increase; cell expansion; Director Tramel statement; population projection
Waste-to-Energy Facility Powers Hillsborough CountyCDM SmithAccessed 2026WTE capacity expansion history ($126.5M); original 1,200 to 1,800 TPD upgrade
County Departments Reduce Costs With CocompostingBioCycleMarch 2016Biosolids composting capacity; 29,000 TPY design; Falkenburg AWTP primary generator
Excellence Award — Hillsborough County Biosolids Composting FacilitySCS Engineers2022–2023Biosolids composting confirmation; cost savings; SE Landfill location
Water Resources Departmenthcfl.govAccessed March 20265 county WWTPs; biosolids facility; 45 MGD wastewater treatment
Howard F. Curren AWTPCity of Tampa — tampa.gov/wastewaterAccessed March 2026City AWTP capacity; 55 MGD average flow; City of Tampa WWTP operator
Old Landfills / Historic Disposal SitesEPC of Hillsborough County — epchc.orgAccessed March 2026~177 closed landfill sites monitored; Director's Authorization requirement
Landfill Services — Solid Waste Consulting (Hillsborough, Florida)SCS EngineersAccessed March 2026SE Landfill 162 acres; Class I; post-closure care for Hillsborough Heights and Taylor Road Landfills
Superfund Sites in Reuse in FloridaUS EPA — epa.govAugust 2025Raleigh Street Dump and Kassauf-Kimerling Superfund sites documentation
Dade City Business Centerdcbusinesscenter.comAccessed March 2026Site candidate: 355 acres, heavy industrial zoned, CSX rail, onsite water utility
Miami-Dade County, Florida, to consider FCC, Reworld incinerator proposalsWaste DiveOctober 2025Reworld™ Florida market presence; Covanta rebrand confirmation
Appendix D

Authoritative Glossary

Advanced Circular Manufacturing (ACM)
A thermomechanical conversion technology that processes waste-derived feedstock — including unsorted MSW, ash, biosolids, and tires — into industrial materials including graphite, graphene, hydrogen, and ultrapure water. ACM addresses all material streams; addressability is determined by access constraints only.
Feedstock
Any material stream delivered to an ACM facility under a COA for conversion into industrial materials. Includes MSW, WTE ash, biosolids, tires, and C&I waste. Referred to as "manufacturing feedstock" to reflect its productive industrial use.
Access Classification
The access condition for a feedstock stream. IMMEDIATE: no contractual, logistical, or regulatory barrier. CONDITIONAL: barrier present but surmountable within standard commercial timelines. ACCESSIBLE: barrier present, addressable in Phase Expanded. Never reflects a capability limitation.
Full Weighted Disposal Cost (FWDC)
The volume-weighted blended cost per ton that Hillsborough County currently pays to dispose of its waste across all streams and disposal routes. Used as the baseline cost reference against which ACM supply economics are evaluated. FWDC for Hillsborough County is MODELED at ~$95/ton based on verified component rates.
Commercial Offtake Agreement (COA)
The commercial supply contract between Hillsborough County and the Carbotura SPV under which the county delivers feedstock to the ACM facility and receives the TMC Fee credit and Circular Royalty payments. Governed by private contract — not a municipal waste disposal franchise.
TMC Fee
Thermomechanical Conversion Fee — the per-ton payment from Hillsborough County to the ACM facility under the COA. Starting at $100/ton, escalating at 2.5%/year. Hillsborough County's current processable MSW disposal rate is $110/ton (verified) — the TMC Fee is below this rate from inception.
Circular Royalty
A revenue-sharing payment from the ACM SPV to Hillsborough County, structured as a percentage of the TMC Fee received in a prior month. The royalty begins 13 months after the corresponding TMC Fee payment (rolling lagged cash flow structure), starting at 120% of Year 1 TMC and escalating by 1 percentage point per year. At steady state, the Circular Royalty is designed to exceed the TMC Fee on a per-ton basis.
Pre-Royalty Period
The first 12 months following first feedstock delivery, during which the county pays the TMC Fee and receives no Circular Royalty. Royalty payments begin in Month 13 on a rolling basis keyed to the initial feedstock delivery month.
Reworld™
Current legal operating name of the company formerly known as Covanta Energy and Covanta Hillsborough that operates the Hillsborough County Resource Recovery Facility (WTE) at 350 N. Falkenburg Rd., Tampa under contract with the county. Rebrand confirmed April 2024.
Resource Recovery Facility (RRF)
A waste-to-energy facility that combusts processable solid waste to generate electricity. The Hillsborough County RRF, operated by Reworld™, is permitted at 1,800 TPD and produces 47 MW. Generates ~20% by weight in bottom and fly ash, which is deposited to the Southeast County Landfill.
Southeast County Landfill
The county-operated Class I solid waste landfill at 15960 County Rd. 672, Lithia, FL — 162 acres. Primary receiver of WTE ash and non-processable MSW. Experiencing active capacity pressure; undergoing cell elevation expansion (2025). Also hosts the county biosolids co-composting facility.
ESTIMATED (badge)
A data classification indicating the figure is derived by calculation, modeling, or informed inference from proxies. Not independently confirmed by a public official source. Carries a yellow ESTIMATED badge in all financial and volume tables.
VERIFIED (badge)
A data classification indicating the figure is drawn directly from a confirmed public source — a county resolution, official rate schedule, DEP permit, or equivalent primary document. Carries a green VERIFIED badge.
MODELED (badge)
A data classification indicating the figure is derived through a documented calculation or blending methodology using verified inputs. The FWDC blended rate is MODELED — component rates are VERIFIED, but volume weights are ESTIMATED.
SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle)
The Carbotura-affiliated entity that designs, builds, finances, and operates the ACM facility. The SPV enters into the COA with Hillsborough County, accepts feedstock delivery, makes TMC Fee credits, and pays Circular Royalties. Financed through a combination of equity (20%), grant (15%), and senior debt (65%).
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