Z Best Products

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Z-Best Composting Facility
The Z-Best Composting Facility (Z-Best) that is located in Santa Clara County near the City of Gilroy. Z-Best was opened in 1997 for composting and can receive up to an average of 1,500 tpd average of green/yard waste. The Z-Best composting permit was revised in 2001 to include up to 600 tpd of “in-vessel” municipal solid waste/food wastes (MSW) composting and currently has an average recycling rate of 78 percent for this MSW composting process.
Yard Trimmings Composting
Yard trimmings arriving at Z-Best are weighed and recorded and off-loaded directly In the composting area. The yard trimmings are loaded into a horizontal grinder, shredded and placed directly into windrows which are trapezoidal in shape, approximately 20’ wide at the base, 12’ high, and 400’ long.
During the 14-18 week composting period, windrows are monitored daily for temperature and moisture. Records are maintained on site and include daily temperature readings, turnings, and documentation of the fifteen-day pathogen reduction period as required by state law. The windrows are turned 1-2 times per week and watered as needed.
When fully composted, the materials are transported to a screen for final processing.
Municipal Solid Waste Composting/ Food Waste (MSW) Composting
In January 2001, Z-Best began its MSW composting program after applying for and obtaining a full solid waste facility permit from the California Integrated Waste Management Board. Currently the facility accepts up to 350 tons per day of MSW compostable wastes from commercial establishments and area Cities.
At the Z-Best facility, all materials are processed in an enclosed 20,000 square foot building to remove non-compostable items. The compostable items are then shredded and transported to the composting area where they are ejected into a 350-foot long bag that houses all the compostable wastes. PVC pipes are also introduced into the bag and used to aerate the compostable materials.
Retention time in the bags is about four months, then the contents are removed, turned and cured prior to screening. The materials are then transported to a screening system that is used to remove any larger materials which are then disposed. The smaller compostable materials are stockpiled and cured for an additional four weeks before being screened.

Both operations produce compost products that are sent monthly to an independent laboratory to be tested for nutrient value, contamination and pathogen reduction. The compost is sold primary to farmers in the area as well as material yards and landscapers. In 2009 Z-Best sold over 120,000 tons of compost product.