Tucson Mayor And Council To Rename Los Reales Landfill

Press release from the Mayor's Office:

July 12, 2021

During today’s Study Session, Mayor & Council will be voting to approve changing the name of the Los Reales Landfill to the “Los Reales Sustainability Campus.” This is part of a larger planning effort to achieve waste reduction goals that were established by Mayor & Council in their Climate Emergency Declaration. The Declaration committed the City of Tucson to reach carbon neutrality by 2030 and to become a zero waste City by 2050, with an intermediate 50% diversion goal by 2030. The city currently spends over $8.0 million annually at Los Reales for waste processing and disposal operations.

City staff is working with the Mayor’s Office, the City Commission on Climate, Energy and Sustainability (CCES), the Environmental Services Advisory Committee (ESAC), Mayor Romero’s Climate Action Advisory Council, and community stakeholders to outline a plan to achieve zero waste at Los Reales. In addition, the layout of Los Reales is being designed for new sustainability uses. The preliminary plan includes:

• Space to allow solid waste/resource management companies to co-locate at this campus
• Space for a city tree nursery to help supply the Tucson Million Trees campaign
• 500 feet buffer between the campus and adjacent properties
• Installation of solar panels

“To become a zero-waste city, we must fundamentally change the way we view waste—from a liability to an asset,” said Mayor Romero. “Through the Los Reales Sustainability Campus initiative, we are thinking outside-of-the-box to transform Los Reales from merely being a landfill to a sustainable space - illustrating our city’s commitment to climate action.

“Treating waste as an asset will save taxpayer dollars, support the development of new industries and green jobs, reduce emissions, and increase the efficient use of natural resources.”

“The Los Reales Sustainability Campus will be a catalyst in attaining many of the City’s sustainability goals while yielding extensive community benefits for current and future generations,” said Environmental and General Service Department Director, Carlos de la Torre.

This press release was produced by the Mayor's Office. The views expressed here are the author's own.