Los Reales Landfill

The Los Reales Landfill, the largest landfill in the Tucson region, needed to extend the life and capacity of its current landfill--and turned to Olsson for help.

Due to Olsson's visual impact assessment, the height of the landfill was proposed to be 100 feet higher than the previous plan approved by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).

The Olsson team developed concepts for on-site water harvesting through retention of stormwater in a 150-acre borrow pit. Concepts for returning the site to the sustainable native desert landscape after closure in the year 2070 were also created.

Based on the firm's recommendation, 30 percent of the site, about 170 acres, will be set aside as natural desert open space in compliance with the City of Tucson Native Plant Preservation Ordinance.

Olsson's recommendation for the increase in height will result in up to 20 years of additional cell capacity, and the master plan created sustainable solid waste disposal until the year 2070.