Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 20, 1990 TAG: 9004200264
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV14 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
That date is seven months later than the July 1992 estimate engineering consultants gave the board last year for opening the landfill on the Richard Matson properties in Pulaski County - formerly known as Dan Bar Farms.
The authority is applying for a permit required by the state Department of Waste Management to operate the landfill. The application should be completed by November and the permit issued after a one-year review period by the state.
The revised date means the authority will continue using an interim landfill in Radford through January 1993. The interim site, off Virginia 232, was approved last year to replace the Cloyds Mountain landfill in Pulaski after it reached capacity. Radford agreed to let the authority use the Ingles Mountain site for two years or longer if needed.
John Olver of Olver Inc. said Wednesday that even though the interim site will be used longer than anticipated, it will not reach capacity before February 1993.
The new landfill site - including an access road, conservation areas and facilities - involves more than 800 acres. Olver said initial plans call for opening only a portion of the less than 350 acres to be used for the actual landfill. The acreage initially prepared for a landfill will be used for about 10 years. The life expectancy of the entire site exceeds 60 years, he said.
The new landfill will handle waste not recycled or composted through the authority, which is building a yard-waste composting facility near the Peppers Ferry Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant in Pulaski County. By composting leaves, grass clippings, brush and clean wooden debris, the authority expects to reduce the landfill waste by up to 20 percent.
The disposal costs of composting would be $9-$10 per ton, considerably less than the cost of disposing of garbage that is not separated out for composting.
Olver said the composting facility is the first of its kind to go through the state's permit process. He hopes a permit will be issued by the Department of Waste Management by August, so the composting operation can begin by fall.
Also Wednesday, the authority accepted a report from its recycling advisory committee, which proposed the following actions as part of an aggressive recycling program:
Start a recycling collection and buy-back center within two months.
Initiate curbside pickup of recyclables within six months.
Establish drop-off boxes throughout the Pulaski County-Radford area within two months.
Plan a mixed-waste compost plant for processing items remaining after recyclables have been separated. The committee wants to see this facility in place before 1995, when a state-mandated recycling requirement takes effect.
Charles Maus, the authority's executive director, said the drop-off boxes - previously approved by the authority - could be in place fairly quickly. But the recommendations for curbside pickups, a buy-back center and a mixed-waste processing plant involve additional costs that need to be researched before asking participating localities to fund them.
Joe Morgan, Pulaski County administrator and authority member, said the local jurisdictions need to be consulted about their ability to finance those proposals.
Radford City Manager Robert Asbury said his city is not capable of adding curbside collection as it struggles to meet other increasing solid waste costs.
Bruce Fariss, a member of the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors, said the authority could contract out the drop-off boxes and buy-back center to the private sector. He said the committee didn't think drop-off boxes separated by item would be successful. Instead, recyclables could be dropped into one bin and separated by conveyor belt at a buy-back center.
by CNB