AMES, Iowa —

Ames plans to retire its once-revolutionary waste-to-energy system by 2027, ending a half-century run that turned household trash into electricity at the Arnold O. Chantland Resource Recovery Plant.

Launched in 1975 amid the global energy crisis, the facility drew global attention for producing refuse-derived fuel from municipal garbage.

“It was a pretty big deal,” Gary Freel, who started working there as a high school senior, said.

Ames Public Works Director Justin Clausen said the plant has long reduced landfill use. Each day, the plant processes around 200 tons of garbage. On average, about 60% of incoming material is diverted from the landfill, according to Ames Public Works Director Justin Clausen, and burning the fuel has reduced fossil fuel use by up to 10%. It's al

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