2016
Features are added as part of the Byxbee Park Interim Plan - a compass design at the
ridge, benches throughout the park, and vegetative islands complete with a small irrigation system
using recycled water.
2015
Landfill capping is completed. The expanded Byxbee Hills Park is opened as parkland
with walking trails.
2013
The City receives regulatory approval to begin final closure of the landfill
(including the construction of an evapo-transpirative cap) and implementation of the post closure
maintenance plan. The landfill is seeded with native grasses.
2012
The composting facility closes after 34 years.
The recycling center closes after 41 years.
The City evaluates the feasibility of building an Energy-Compost Facility.
2011
A 46-acre section of Byxbee Park Phase II opens to the public.
The landfill closes after 60 years, having reached its capacity.
Measure E passes - undedicating 10 acres of Byxbee Park for a 10 year
period for the exclusive purpose of potentially building a composting facility to process yard
trimmings, food waste and other organic material.
2009
New waste hauling agreement begins, increasing materials accepted for recycling
and offering compostables collection service for commercial customers.
2005
City adopts the goal of Zero Waste by 2021.
Landfill gas is used to power incinerators at the Regional Water Quality Control
Plant.
Single stream recycling collection begins. Recyclables are no longer processed
at the Palo Alto Recycling Center.
2004
Electricity generation from landfill gas is stopped. The power could no longer be
efficiently produced with the low level of methane produced by the landfill.
1991
Byxbee Park Phase 1 opens to the public.
City enters into 30-year agreement to use the Sunnyvale Materials Recovery and Transfer
(SMaRT) Station with Mountain View and Sunnyvale. Since 1993, most of Palo Alto's
garbage goes directly to the SMaRT Station where it is sorted for recyclable materials.
1990
Curbside yard trimmings collection begins.
Landfill leachate (liquids within the landfill) is treated at the Regional Water Quality
Control Plant. The leachate collection and removal system is retrofitted to
discharge into the sewage pipeline.
1987
Electricity is generated using landfill gas and sold to PG&E. A landfill gas
collection system and power generation facility are installed at the landfill.
1981
Curbside recycling collection expands to multi-unit complexes such as apartments and
condominiums.
1980
Curbside recycling collection expands to all single-family homes.
1978
Curbside recycling collection trial program begins for newspapers, cans, glass,
corrugated cardboard, motor oil and small scrap metal items.
Composting drop-off trial program for yard debris begins at landfill.
1971
A drop-off recycling center is opened by the City at the entrance to the landfill.
It accepts tin, aluminum and bi-metal cans, glass, newspaper, cardboard, motor oil, white paper and
scrap metal.
1965
City dedicates city-owned baylands to parkland.
1954
The landfill is officially created with the use of more sophisticated, sanitary
landfill operations.
1951
Garbage haulers start using enclosed compacting trucks.
1934
The airport and sewage treatment plant are built in the baylands.
1930s
The garbage incinerator facility is destroyed by fire and refuse disposal operations are
moved to the baylands near the newly constructed primary sewage treatment plant.
1923
John Fletcher Byxbee begins planning the baylands. Byxbee is Palo Alto's first City
Engineer.
1921
The City purchases 40 acres of baylands property for refuse and sewage disposal.
1914
A garbage incinerator is built near Newell Street and Embarcadero Road. Most of Palo
Alto's garbage is burned in the incinerator and excess wastes and residues are used as fill for the
expansion of Embarcadero Road into the baylands.
Municipal garbage collection begins.
1904
Marshland is purchased for waste disposal purposes by private contractors and the
City of Palo Alto.