Welcome to Tulare Lake Compost!

Helping the Central Valley Grow Sustainably

Tulare Lake Compost (TLC) is a state-of-the-art, 175-acre composting facility located near Kettleman City in Kings County, California. At the facility, an eco-friendly process is used to combine agricultural and green waste from the Central Valley with biosolids from Los Angeles County to create an optimal mixture for composting. TLC employs the covered aerated static pile (ASP) composting process in which air is forced through piles of compost mixture to provide oxygen for microbial decomposition. Engineered fabric covers or a biofilter is placed over the composting piles to capture and reduce odors and organic emissions from the piles.

Composting produces a stabilized, humus-like soil conditioner that, when incorporated into farm land in the San Joaquin Valley, improves water retention, nutrient conditions, and agricultural productivity. Greater water retention translates into reduced irrigation demand, conserving California’s precious water supply. The finished product complies with EPA Part 503 standards for Class A Exceptional Quality compost and can be used for vegetable gardening and landscaping, as well as commercial agriculture.

The facility currently has the capacity to convert up to 100,000 wet tons per year (wtpy) of anaerobically digested and dewatered biosolids into valuable, nutrient rich, Class A Exceptional Quality compost. TLC is owned and operated by the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts as part of their diversified biosolids management program.