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week of 10/9/02 | |
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| Jackson
considers landfill alternatives SMN Jackson County officials are looking at alternatives to siting a landfill, including incineration and a transfer station that would take solid waste to another location. “Jackson County is obligated to find a replacement, but it doesn’t necessarily mean we have to site a landfill here,” said county manager Ken Westmoreland. The agreement between the two counties stipulates that Jackson could use an alternative to landfilling: “In the event that the counties mutually agree that a solid waste technology, other than landfilling, is more appropriate to succeed the Macon County landfill, the chosen technology will be sited in Jackson County ... By mutual agreement, however, the parties may choose to affiliate with a regional solid waste disposal system ....” Westmoreland cited the controversy that would likely occur if Jackson officials began searching for a landfill site. “Where could we find 200 acres that wouldn’t negatively impact someone,” he said. “Look at the issues faced in siting the asphalt plant.” Instead, Jackson is already looking at other technologies and alternatives, he said. “We’ve been looking at alternatives since I’ve been here,” said Westmoreland, who became the county manager in August 2001. The two most likely prospects for fulfilling its obligation are a transfer station or incineration. County board chairman Jay Denton said the issue has not been discussed in detail by the current board, but that he believes constructing a transfer station would be the most obvious alternative. “We could expand our C&D landfill and haul it elsewhere. Our terrain does not allow for us to operate a landfill within the confines of what we can afford to spend,” said Denton. The other option is incineration, but Denton and Westmoreland said current technology may not make that appropriate. “From what I know, neither county generates enough waste for incineration to be feasible,” said Denton. “It would have to be multi-county.” Westmoreland said incineration technology is not yet where it needs to be. “Ten years from now it may be a viable alternative. Right now we’ve got enough pollution. We certainly don’t want to add to it,” he said. |
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