Texas Disposal opens mini MRF inside Austin stadium

Texas Disposal Systems, an Austin, Texas-based solid waste collection, processing and disposal company, has opened a custom material recovery facility (MRF) inside Q2 Stadium in Austin, home to Austin FC, the city’s Major League Soccer team.

As part of the team’s ongoing commitment to making Q2 Stadium the “greenest stadium in all of MLS,” Texas Disposal created a custom sorting system that meets the stadium’s needs. All materials discarded throughout Q2 Stadium are being processed and sorted into recycling, compost and waste streams through the mini MRF.

The mini MRF has the capability to process about 1.5 tons per hour of materials such as glass, food waste, cardboard, paper products, aluminum cans, plastic bottles and more.

“The Austin FC fans are fantastic and do a great job at keeping materials in the right container; however, to truly maximize recovery of organics and recyclables it was necessary to create a system that enables Austin FC staff to look at each stream and sort it for quality control,” says Adam Gregory, vice president of Texas Disposal Systems and Okapi Environmental Services. “The automated conveyor and compaction system we came up with accomplishes that as efficiently as possible in a small footprint. I commend Austin FC for going the extra mile and working with us to create an innovative solution.”

The company had to develop a compact system to fit inside the stadium service area with very limited space.

“As Austin FC’s official waste and recycling partner, TDS has been the biggest help I could possibly imagine, not just with this project but since the existence of our stadium and our club. Their team has helped us form our zero-waste goals, develop our Eco Stations and our hauling systems,” says Nick Otte, senior director of stadium operations at Austin FC. “I think this mini MRF project in particular is way above and beyond what we could have expected and it’s going to help us meet our goals.”

Texas Disposal played a vital role in helping make Q2 Stadium the first soccer-specific stadium in the world to achieve Total Resource Use and Efficiency precertification. With the new sorting process and equipment in place, Austin FC’s goal is to sustain 90 percent diversion and increase efforts with a goal of achieving zero waste.