Biodiesel Trucks, Solar Panels and Emissions Reductions Win Scavengers Sustainability Award

South San Francisco Scavenger Company didn’t win a Sustainable San Mateo County Award this year for keeping garbage out of a landfill. That’s to be expected from a waste hauler.

South San Francisco Scavenger earned the green honor for going above and beyond the call of duty. The company runs many of its trucks on biodiesel, powers more than a third of operations from solar panels and has already made a significant reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions.

“Some businesses incorporate sustainability because it is the right thing for their business,” said Kari Binley, executive director of Sustainable San Mateo County. “They’ve gone over and above what was right for their business.”

South San Francisco Scavenger is one of eight businesses and projects that will be honored at the 12th annual Sustainable San Mateo County and Green Building Awards benefit Thursday at the South San Francisco Conference Center.

Established in 1914, South San Francisco Scavenger serves South City, Brisbane, Millbrae and SFO.

The trash, compost and recyclables are hauled to the company’s Blue Line Transfer Station overlooking San Francisco Bay.

While leading a tour of the facility, Recycling Coordinator Barbara Bernardini said the company’s fleet uses biodiesel for fuel and they are in the process of converting to compressed natural gas. Two of the delivery trucks are hybrid vehicles, Bernardini said.

Inside the transfer station, workers sort construction debris, separating out wood and metal. The wood is chipped and then burnt for fuel; sheet rock is used for soil amendment, Bernardini said.

The station also collects electronic waste and sterilizes all international waste that comes from SFO, she said.

Each jurisdiction has a different diversion rate, Bernardini said, with South San Francisco keeping about 55 percent of its waste from the landfill while SFO diverts 75 percent.

South San Francisco Scavenger uses its 4R Learning Center to educate school children about recycling and protecting the Bay.

Since 2006 the company has been reporting its greenhouse gas emissions and has reduced it emissions by nearly 18 percent, already meeting the state’s reduction targets set under AB 32. 

By closely monitoring and coming back on electricity and energy use, South San Francisco Scavenger is seeking LEED status for it administration building.

“We don’t want our operations to have a negative impact,” Bernardini said. “We want to make sure we do our best to lower our emissions.”

South San Francisco Scavenger was also recognized for being a good employer. Many of the company’s 100 employees have been there for 20 or more years. The company pays prevailing wages and benefits, according to Sustainable San Mateo County.

“We do our best to hire locally,” Bernardini said. “We feel it’s important to be involved and to give back to our community.”