What this document is
St. Lucie County’s existing solid waste system — volumes, routes and cost — read through to the feedstock stream Advanced Circular Manufacturing addresses.
- ~1,100 TPD is addressable; Phase Initial at 400 TPD is ~36% of it.
- The verified gate rate is $79/ton, effective 1 February 2025, and rising.
- Cell V is being expanded at ~$30M; combustion was rejected in 2023, so redirection is the remaining lever.
St. Lucie County, Florida
Feedstock System Assessment
St. Lucie County's landfill is at capacity pressure — the ACM programme converts that constraint into a 30-year royalty return
Capability Finding
ACM classification determination and Regulatory Predicate Transition (RPT) status for St. Lucie County, Florida.
The Carbotura Advanced Circular Manufacturing (ACM) facility is classified under manufacturing NAICS codes (325180 / 325998 / 327992 / 331110 / 331314 / 331492) — not solid waste disposal codes (562213 / 562219). Both parties commit to the RPT pathway where a jurisdiction classifies the ACM facility under solid waste NAICS codes. This Regulatory Predicate Transition (RPT) must be confirmed prior to commercial terms execution.
St. Lucie County's MSW, biosolids, and commercial residual streams are compatible with the MCR (Microwave Catalytic Reforming) process. The MCR process is anoxic and oxygen-free — not combustion. Classification under manufacturing NAICS codes applies. Subject to RPT confirmation as above.
The St. Lucie County Sanitary Landfill (Permit 0126814-017-SO) is under active capacity pressure. Current cell was at 70% capacity in 2023 with originally projected 2027 runway; accelerated growth has compressed that timeline. Cell V expansion is underway at approximately $30M cost. The landfill ran at a deficit for years with rates unchanged since the 1990s — gate rates were significantly raised effective February 1, 2025. The county has cited a 5–10 year window to find alternative infrastructure. No WTE/RRF alternative exists in the county; the combustion model was explicitly considered and rejected in 2023 over air quality concerns. The ACM manufacturing pathway addresses all three constraints: capacity, cost, and classification.
Current Waste System Overview
St. Lucie County operates a county-owned disposal infrastructure under acute population growth and landfill capacity pressure.
St. Lucie County is one of Florida's fastest-growing jurisdictions, anchored by the City of Port St. Lucie — one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States by percentage growth. Port St. Lucie alone added approximately 26,934 residents between 2020 and 2022. This population surge has outpaced the capacity assumptions underlying the county's existing solid waste infrastructure.
The county operates a single active Class I landfill at 6120 Glades Cut-Off Road, Fort Pierce — a 331-acre facility also housing a Baling and Recycling component. Collection in unincorporated areas is contracted to Waste Pro; Port St. Lucie is served by FCC Environmental Services. The landfill is county-owned and operated through the Solid Waste Division. No private or public waste-to-energy or refuse-derived fuel facility exists in the county.
The county's wastewater treatment function is distributed across four separate utility operators: the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority (FPUA), St. Lucie County Utilities Division, City of Port St. Lucie Utility Systems, and St. Lucie West Services District. Each generates a Class B biosolids stream that represents a secondary feedstock candidate for the ACM programme's blended organic fraction.
The Green3Power gasification agreement signed in 2015 ($175M, 1,000 TPD) never advanced to construction. As of 2023, county officials confirmed the WTE pathway was not under active pursuit, citing air quality concerns from combustion-derived ash. This regulatory environment reinforces the availability and appropriateness of the manufacturing (non-combustion, anoxic) ACM classification for St. Lucie County.
Disposal Cost Baseline — FWDC
Feedstock Waste Disposal Cost (FWDC) baseline rates, effective dates, and trajectory context for St. Lucie County.
| Rate Category | Per-Ton Rate | Effective Date | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garbage Class 1 (MSW gate rate) | $79.00/ton | Feb 1, 2025 | VERIFIED | stlucieco.gov waste fees page |
| Construction & Demolition (C&D) | $69.00/ton | Feb 1, 2025 | VERIFIED | stlucieco.gov waste fees page |
| Yard / Land Clearing Debris | $69.00/ton | Feb 1, 2025 | VERIFIED | stlucieco.gov waste fees page |
| Contractor / Municipal bulk rate (prior) | ~$49.00/ton | Pre-Feb 2025 | ESTIMATED | WPTV news report, Mar 2025 |
| Contractor / Municipal bulk rate (Oct 2025) | ~$69.00/ton | Oct 2025 | ESTIMATED | WPTV news report, Mar 2025 |
| FWDC basis used in CSA model | $79.00/ton | Feb 2025 (gate) | VERIFIED | Conservative gate rate — see note |
FWDC basis uses the verified gate rate of $79/ton (Class 1 garbage, effective Feb 1 2025). Contractor/municipal bulk rates are estimated from news sources at approximately $49/ton (pre-Feb 2025) and $69/ton (Oct 2025). CSA model uses the gate rate as a conservative, verified baseline. All rates in USD. Minimum charge: $10.00.
St. Lucie County's gate rates had not been meaningfully increased since the 1990s — the landfill was confirmed to be running at a deficit. The February 2025 increase to $79/ton for Class 1 garbage followed a landfill financial study. A further increase in October 2025 raised the annual residential garbage fee from $384 to $468, citing increased landfill operating costs. The Cell V expansion at approximately $30M cost will add further upward pressure on disposal rates. The Beneficiation Fee of $100/ton under the CSA replaces and exceeds the current $79/ton gate rate from Year 1; the Circular Royalty™ from Month 13 returns $120/ton — a net inversion of the disposal cost structure.
Feedstock Characterization
MSW composition and biosolids profile for St. Lucie County. Standard Florida coastal county characterization — site-specific Waste Characterization Study to follow.
| Feedstock Component | Est. % by Weight | MCR Suitability | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic / food waste | ~28% | YES | Primary MCR input; high carbon conversion yield |
| Paper and cardboard | ~22% | YES | Cellulosic carbon fraction; standard MCR input |
| Plastic (non-PVC) | ~18% | YES | High energy content; PVC fraction screened out |
| Yard / vegetative waste | ~12% | PARTIAL | Composting pathway preferred; MCR-compatible if included |
| Wood | ~6% | YES | Cellulosic carbon fraction |
| Metal | ~5% | PARTIAL | Recovered pre-process; residual metals extracted post-MCR |
| Glass | ~4% | NO | Excluded — recovered via single-stream MRF |
| Other / inert | ~5% | PARTIAL | Site-specific screening applies |
Composition based on Florida coastal county benchmarks. Subject to Waste Characterization Study (WCS) prior to CSA execution. WCS findings may adjust addressable fraction percentages. ESTIMATED
Biosolids Fraction
| WWTP Operator | Biosolids Class | Coverage Area | MCR Suitability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Pierce Utilities Authority (FPUA) | Class B | Fort Pierce + unincorporated north county | YES — 90-day blend protocol |
| City of Port St. Lucie Utility Systems | Class B | Port St. Lucie (18 MGD capacity) | YES — 90-day blend protocol |
| St. Lucie West Services District | Class B | St. Lucie West community | YES — 90-day blend protocol |
| St. Lucie County Utilities Division | Class B | Hutchinson Island, North County service areas | YES — 90-day blend protocol |
All four WWTP operators confirmed as public-authority-operated generating Class B biosolids. Each biosolids stream is MCR-compatible subject to the standard 90-day blend protocol. Combined biosolids volume estimated at approximately 60–80 TPD. ESTIMATED
St. Lucie County experiences elevated waste generation during the November–April tourist/seasonal resident influx (Treasure Coast winter season). MSW volumes may run 15–25% above annual average during peak season. The ACM facility CSA terms reference the annual average TPD; seasonal variation is accommodated within the 400 TPD Phase Initial specification at conservative throughput.
Feedstock Addressability Analysis
Confirmed addressable volume by stream type and phase. Phase Initial at 400 TPD represents approximately 36% of the total estimated addressable stream.
| Feedstock Stream | Est. TPD | Addressable? | Phase | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSW — residential (unincorporated + cities) | ~660 | YES | Phase Initial | Primary stream; Waste Pro + FCC Environmental served |
| MSW — commercial / C&I | ~280 | YES | Phase Initial / Medium | Commercial accounts at county facility gate |
| Biosolids — Class B (4 WWTP operators) | ~70 | YES | Phase Medium | 90-day blend protocol; all four operators confirmed |
| C&D debris — non-hazardous fraction | ~130 | PARTIAL | Phase Expanded | Non-hazardous, non-inert fractions only; WCS required |
| Yard / vegetative waste | ~100 | NO | Composting pathway preferred; county policy | |
| Household hazardous waste | trace | NO | Excluded per MCR hazardous material protocols | |
| Total Addressable Stream | ~1,010–1,200 | YES | Phases I–III | Phase Initial 400 TPD = ~36% of addressable volume |
All TPD figures are ESTIMATED from county-level population and waste generation benchmarks. Phase Initial (400 TPD) draws from MSW residential and commercial streams only. Site-specific Waste Characterization Study required prior to CSA execution. ESTIMATED
Phase Deployment Schedule
| Phase | TPD | Annual TPY | Year 1 Fee | Year 2 Royalty | Royalty Surplus Yr 2 | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase Initial | 400 | 146,000 | $14.60M | $17.52M | +$2.56M | T₀ + 24 mo |
| Phase Medium | 800 | 292,000 | $29.20M | $35.04M | +$5.11M | T₀ + 42 mo |
| Phase Expanded | 1,200 | 438,000 | $43.80M | $52.56M | +$7.67M | T₀ + 60 mo |
Beneficiation Fee: $100/ton · 2.5%/yr escalator. Circular Royalty™ (Year n) = (120% + (n−1)pp) × that year’s Beneficiation Fee. Royalty Surplus = Royalty Year 2 − Fee Year 2 (escalated). Royalty payments begin 13 months after corresponding fee payments. Gross cost displacement shown separately in Proposal document per the Separate Transaction Principle. Timeline from T₀ = contract execution. ESTIMATED
Feedstock Infrastructure Map
Feedstock Infrastructure Map
Active disposal facilities, transfer stations, WWTPs, and MRF/recycling infrastructure across St. Lucie County, FL.
Map requires a Google Maps API key.
Set GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY in config.js.
Basis of Presentation — Confidence Taxonomy
Basis of Presentation — Confidence Taxonomy
Verified sources: stlucieco.gov/departments-and-services/solid-waste/waste-fees (waste fees, Feb 1 2025); wflx.com/2025/03/12 (landfill capacity and rate trajectory); wptv.com/news/treasure-coast/region-st-lucie-county (population and landfill capacity); cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad (Airport Landfill Superfund). Verification date: May 2026.