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Resources Recovery Facility

The County’s Resources Recovery Facility (RRF) is a waste-to-energy plant located in northwest Miami-Dade County. Opened in 1982, the 77-megawatt facility is operated by Covanta Energy Corporation through a contractual agreement with the County. The RRF is one of the most technologically advanced waste-to-energy facilities in the world, featuring a state-of-art air quality control system. More than 1.2 million tons of waste are processed annually, with 270,000 tons of the material being processed into a biomass fuel for export out of Miami-Dade County. The facility, located at 6990 NW 97 Ave., is a critical component of the County’s integrated disposal system. The RRF is supported by three County-owned and operated landfills and three solid waste transfer stations.

Waste delivered to the plant is processed in two separate operations. On the garbage side, aluminum and ferrous metals are recovered for recycling. These materials are sold to outside vendors and are a source of recycling credit for the County. The remaining garbage is shredded to produce refuse derived fuel which is used to generate electricity. On the trash side, the material is sorted and shredded. Magnets separate recyclable ferrous materials.  High grade soil is removed through a series of trommels. The process produces a biomass fuel which is used on site to supplement the refuse derived fuel. The remaining biomass fuel is sold to cogeneration facilities in Central Florida. The ash product resulting from the waste-to-energy process is 10% of the original waste material delivered to the plant. This material is placed in an ash landfill located adjacent to the plant.

Power generated at the facility is sold to Progress Energy Corporation and is sufficient to operate the plant and to supply the electrical needs of approximately 40,000 homes. Revenue generated from the sale of the electricity is evenly shared between the County and the plant operator. The County's portion of the revenue is used to offset the plant’s operational costs and to meet the community’s disposal needs.

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