El Dorado County officials agreed to examine alternatives to the proposed site for a new recycling center strongly opposed by residents and businesses in the Diamond Springs area.

The call for other options came last week as the Board of Supervisors reviewed a consultant's study of solid waste rates and services in the county.

El Dorado County is under pressure to reduce the amount of materials going into landfills. It meets the current state requirement to recycle or compost 50 percent of solid waste. But proposed legislation would increase the diversion rate to 60 percent by December 2012 and to 75 percent by Jan. 1, 2020, said Gerri Silva, environmental management director.

To achieve the higher diversion rates, a study by the consulting firm NewPoint Group concludes that the county must enhance its curbside recycling programs and update waste management facilities, including the west slope recycling center.

A plan by Waste Connections Inc., the franchise company serving much of western El Dorado County, to relocate and upgrade its recycling center, known as a materials recovery facility or MRF, has met with an outpouring of opposition from Diamond Springs residents who object to the proposed 17-acre site on Industrial Drive.

"I don't think it's proper for the county of El Dorado to be held hostage by a monopoly," Leonard Stroud, president of the citizens group Residents Involved in Positive Planning Inc., told the supervisors.

The group formed to fight the project, and Stroud said about 3,400 residents and 147 businesses had signed petitions opposing the Industrial Drive site.

They argue that the property is surrounded by homes, schools, churches and businesses, and trucks traveling to and from a recycling facility would significantly increase traffic on heavily traveled Missouri Flat Road.

Dave Machado, a member of the county Planning Commission, called for the board to take the leadership role in determining the best place for the facility, rather than leaving it to the franchise company.

Stroud and several other residents urged the supervisors to locate it at the former Union Mine Landfill and to use methane from the former county dump to generate electrical power for the recycling operation.

Diamond Springs resident Bob Smart said the county needs to determine where the refuse comes from and where it goes after it is collected.

"I would hope you would include some kind of transportation study," he said. "Where is the center of mass? I would guess it isn't in Diamond Springs, but further down the hill."

Smart suggested establishing small materials recovery facilities tailored to various geographic areas. A facility in the Camino area, for example, could deal with waste from the forested area and use biomass for fuel, he said.

Supervisor Norma Santiago said the goal is to improve the county's diversion rate with the least impact on residents.

She called for extending the three-cart collection system – with separate carts for trash, recyclable materials and yard waste – wherever possible.

Santiago also requested an analysis of the costs and benefits of the county, rather than a franchise company, owning the materials recovery facility.

"We need to look at this as an opportunity to move the county into newer technologies," she said.

Supervisor Helen Baumann said there may be limitations on the use of the Union Mine Landfill.

She noted that the county is using methane to produce electricity at the former dump, but the methane supply will be exhausted at some point.

Supervisor Jack Sweeney said an analysis of the Union Mine site should include cost estimates for road improvements that would be needed to handle the anticipated truck traffic.

Silva, the environmental management director, said she would report to the board Oct. 7 on the potential for expanding curbside recycling.

The board also directed her to provide information Oct. 28 on possible designs and alternative sites for a new recycling facility.

Call The Bee's Cathy Locke, (916) 608-7451.