Bucking a state trend, local landfill takes in more trash
While landfills around the state are reporting a decrease in the
amount of garbage they are receiving due to the economic downturn,
San Benito County’s John Smith Landfill is just the opposite.
Bucking a state trend, local landfill takes in more trash
While landfills around the state are reporting a decrease in the amount of garbage they are receiving due to the economic downturn, San Benito County’s John Smith Landfill is just the opposite.
“If anything, the amount was higher in December, which is typical because of holiday waste,” said Mandy Rose, the county’s integrated waste management director.
Larger jurisdictions such as San Francisco, which is throwing less away than it has in three decades, and San Diego, are handling less trash as people are buying fewer items, eating out less and construction waste plummets because of a slow housing market.
The John Smith Landfill, which has operated since 1968, is permitted to handle 250 tons of trash per day, or 91,250 tons per year, according to Rose.
“We’re pretty small” by comparison to other landfills, she said, noting that plans are on the books for an expansion of the facility.
The San Benito County Board of Supervisors last month approved an analysis of the 133 acres the county has owned south of the current landfill since 1995. That land is targeted as the area where the landfill will expand once it nears capacity.
“We’re getting close to the time where we have to [make plans for expansion] by law,” Rose said, noting the study is expected to take three to four months.
When a landfill has 15 years of capacity remaining, the state waste board requires that plans be made for expansion. The local landfill is at 17 years capacity, Rose said.
An engineering firm contracted by the county will analyze the topography of the planned area of expansion, including reviewing previous biological studies of the area to determine what impacts a landfill may have.
Meanwhile, the city of Hollister and the county are close to the state-mandated requirement that 50 percent of trash be diverted from dumps, Rose said, noting that the number is at 47 percent.
While state law calls for a $10,000-per-day fine for entities that don’t meet the 50 percent requirement, local governments that are making what the state deems to be a “good-faith effort” at meeting the waste diversion goal are not penalized.
“With curbside recycling and incentive rates, we’ve been doing everything we can,” Rose said. “Like many other jurisdictions, we’ve been told there’s no reason to penalize us.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
