Austin F.C. gets new tech to head toward net zero status

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin F.C. has ramped up its waste diversion game at Q2 Stadium as it attempts to reach net zero and gain TRUE certification.

They recently announced the development of a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) within Q2 Stadium that should mean less trash in the landfill and more compost and recyclables instead.

KXAN Chief Meteorologist Nick Bannin spoke with Jordan Enke, V.P of Stadium Operations for Austin F.C. and Adam Gregory with Texas Disposal Systems about the new technology and the impacts to sustainability efforts at Q2 Stadium.

KXAN Chief Meteorologist Nick Bannin: Jordan, how important is waste diversion and proper recycling to Austin FC, you've already made big efforts to focus on that already?

Jordan Enke, V.P. of Stadium Operations for Austin F.C.: Sustainable efforts have been a day one project with us, and something that's been a pillar with Austin FC's Q2 Stadium since day one. This investment is just going to help us get more efficient on the sorting side, and ultimately create a more comfortable environment for our staff that's working down there now.

Bannin: Adam, you're working with Texas Disposal Systems. They were already trying to sort their waste, recycling at Q2 How did you improve on what they were already doing there?

Adam Gregory, Texas Disposal Systems: Sure they already had a great program, and their efforts were fantastic, maximizing diversion. However, once materials made it into the receptacle, be it recycling, composting or trash, it went straight into a dumpster or a compactor. Now, with the new system, we have the opportunity, through a series of conveyors and diverter gates and shoots and manual separation to actually sort each stream and make sure that everything goes and ends up in the right place... it's not so much magic technology, but what's unique is doing it in the small space that we had, and we've really accomplished a lot in a limited area.

Bannin: Jordan, we've talked about in the past, Austin F.C.'s goals for waste diversion. How is this new facility going to help you up that diversion rate?

Enke: Yeah, the intention of the project is to create more efficiencies, to create more strengths and to create a more streamlined process for our staff that's working down there, ultimately, with a goal to get to net zero waste at Q2 Stadium. We're hopeful that this also springboards us to a larger goal that we've been working with, and that's towards receiving being the first soccer specific stadium in the world to become TRUE Certified.

Bannin: Now, I know that technology is important to divert the waste and to sort, but you couldn't do this without the fans, right?

Enke: That's right. You underscored it. The fans play an enormous role in our diversion process at the stadium, and through their efforts and participation with sorting on site, our sorting staff is able to focus their energy and efforts on managing the 7.5 tons of waste that come through our stadium on a match day, hopefully taking over 90% of that away from the landfill.

Bannin: Now, are those fans going to notice anything different with this new technology running behind the scenes?

Enke: They won't. Our signage will be there. Our eco-stations will be there that we have over 80 of, but it's all underneath...i's all back a house. But we do publish our diversion rates online, so they'll be able to see that.

Bannin: Adam...now stadiums getting involved with waste diversion. Do you see big picture that more and more businesses are making this expensive investment to improve their waste diversion and to minimize the amount that they're having to throw into the landfill?

Gregory: Absolutely I do, in Austin in particular, and across the country. Really, interest is growing all the time in innovations, innovative solutions to waste management issues. So it's the most exciting part of our job to be able to come up with new solutions and and we really have to maximize sustainability.

Bannin: Is it becoming more cost effective as the technology improves?

Gregory: Absolutely it is. Absolutely it is. The more we can do something and replicate a particular thing, there's economies of scale. Economies of scale there we can offer solutions in a more affordable way.

Bannin: And Jordan, of course, important for the environment too, right?

Enke: Very, very important,