
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, May 11, 1993                   TAG: 9305110456
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV5   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Short

LANDFILL PROBLEMS TO BE DISCUSSED

The costs of dealing with solid waste disposal will replace education as the top cost factor in city and county budgets within just a few years, according to Fred Hilliard, program manager for the New River Resources Authority.

Hilliard says that the growing number of federal and state regulations over landfills will keep costs going up for both government and citizens. He and Larry Amy, environmental engineer for the city of Radford, say that shipping garbage out of the area, as is being considered by Floyd and Giles counties, brings unknown future liabilities and costs, especially if a landfill being used in another state is found to be in violation and forced to close. Communities shipping to such landfills could end up paying closing and maintenance costs forever.

Although initial costs may seem low, long-term expenses are unpredictable. Amy says the recycling option is not an easy or necessarily viable solution because there is little market for most of the items being recycled, not to mention the high cost of curbside pickup and shipping.

Hilliard and Amy discuss garbage and landfill problems on the radio program "Focus on Radford" to be broadcast on AM 1460 and FM 101.9 this week and next on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:30 p.m.

by CNB