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SPSA says AMP acceptance test exceeded contract targets; new AWD plan could divert half of regional waste
Summary
Independent testing at AMP's Frederick Boulevard facility showed acceptance standards were met and diversion in test runs ranged about 75'78%, above the 50% contractual goal. SPSA staff said the AMP/Commonwealth Sortation contract guarantees 50% diversion (20% recyclables, 30% organics-to-biochar) and could materially reduce landfill inputs.
The Southeastern Public Service Authority reported on Feb. 25 that independent engineering oversight confirmed AMP/Commonwealth Sortation met the performance standards in a three-day acceptance test at its Frederick Boulevard facility.
Bob (resident engineer, SCS) told the board the acceptance test, conducted Jan. 27'29, ran about 170 tons per day and documented material recovery and downtime. "The facility demonstrated that it met the contractual obligations by successfully achieving all the minimum acceptance standards that are in the contract," he said, adding that residue during the test ranged roughly "47 to 53 tons per day," recyclables about "40 to 46 tons per day," and biochar-eligible organics about "70 to 82 tons per day." Those figures produced diversion rates in the 75'78% range, he said, well above the 50% target in the contract.
Executive Director Dennis Bagley said the contract guarantees a 50% diversion target and splits that goal into a 20% recyclables target and 30% organics-to-biochar. "The goal in the contract is 50% — you can see we're substantially over the diversion targets in the test," Bagley said.
SPSA staff said the AMP technology combines cameras, AI, air jets and robotics to identify and separate target commodities from mixed municipal solid waste. Staff notes the facility's flexibility: operators can tune sorts to remove plastics, paper, metals, rigid containers and organic fractions that can be converted to biochar.
Zach, who presented the AWD (alternative waste disposal) overview, said the AMP contract is designed to be staged. Frederick Boulevard hosted the acceptance test; a Victory Boulevard colocation site is planned for later. Bagley said the AMP ribbon-cutting is scheduled April 2 and full processing at expanded levels will ramp over the coming months and years.
SPSA emphasized that the biochar stream is an important driver of the project's economics: processed organics converted into a stable, carbon-rich product can be marketed for soil amendments or as a carbon-sequestering product, and may produce credits that improve long-term project viability. Bagley said early commercial uses for biochar include soil amendments and potentially as an additive for construction materials.
Staff cautioned the board about variance across the region: waste composition differs by locality, so AMP's measured performance at Frederick may vary as more of the region's tons are redirected through AMP. Still, program managers said the contract contains conservative guaranteed minimums and that test results exceeded those minimums.
Next steps: staff will continue ramping AMP operations, publish monthly data on a planned transparency dashboard, and brief the board as the Victory Boulevard site is prepared for co-location. The acceptance test documentation has been provided to SPSA and the AMP/Commonwealth Sortation partners, staff said.
The board did not take a formal vote on the contract during the meeting; the acceptance test and supporting engineering report were presented for the board's information and oversight.
Ending: SPSA staff said they will track and publicly report monthly recovery and diversion metrics and return to the board with operational updates as ramping proceeds.
