landfills: It Takes A Landfill To Make A Solid Waste Village

Michael Tomlinson

New Mexico is a large state, but did it really need more than 60 landfills? Not according to the state government, which required all of its municipalities and counties to develop solid waste regions in the early 1990s.

The state's solid waste act was designed to close superfluous landfills by mandating neighboring communities to band together and either expand an existing landfill or site a new one. One of those groups became the North Central New Mexico Solid Waste Authority (NCNMSWA) - consisting of Taos County, Rio Arriba County and Los Alamos county. Its goals included:

* developing a new regional landfill site, which would allow 12 landfills in its tri-county area to close and

* initiating an integrated solid waste program including recycling, composting and re-use project areas.

The authority was required to hold hearings to gauge public response and discuss site options.

During the first of three hearing, the authority discovered that the public still perceived landfills as garbage dumps. They were unaware of daily cover requirements to eliminate odors, landfill liner regulations or any other modern solid waste management principles.

Following several committee meetings, the NCNMSWA decided to develop an alternative to the dump image - A Solid Waste Village.

For the last four years, the new Los Alamos Landfill has been operating as a solid waste village (see chart). Several operations exist within its borders:

* The Recycling Shop. This area accepts plastics, glass, stapled magazines, cardboard, newspaper, office packs and other products. Curbside collection as well as a drop off point supply the site.

* The Green Waste Conversion Shop. Green wastes are tub ground to soil enhancer quality and Class A sewage sludges are ground for compost. This area is supplied by fall and spring cleanups as well as a drop off point.

* The Metals Recovery Shop. Junk cars, white goods other ferrous and non-ferrous products are accepted in this area. Fall and spring clean-ups, special cleanups as well as a drop off point supply these materials. Special emphasis is placed on removal of freon, fuels, oils and other products prior to acceptance.

* The Construction Rubble/Debris Shop. Concrete and asphalt products as well as other building demolition products are accepted.

* The Take It Or Leave It Shop. Paints and other products that can be re-used are accepted. This area is in a convenient location.

* The Landfill Shop. Insertion of the waste stream into the landfill pit is the last event to occur.

The NCNMSWA sought publicity of this site prior to the second public meeting. During this hearing, a detailed plan and a mock up were presented. Although the public was more receptive to the Solid Waste Village concept, some were still leery of a new landfill in the tri-county area.

A final decision on the landfill permit is expected by July 1997.

Acquisitions American Disposal Services Inc., Burr Ridge, Ill., has acquired the Evansville, Ind., operations of Waste Management of Indiana. The acquisition is expected to bring the company more than $14 million in annualized revenue.

Browning-Ferris Industries Inc., Houston, has agreed to sell its collection, recycling, landfill and transfer operations in DuBois, Pa.; Columbus, Ohio; and Green Bay, Wis., to Superior Services Inc., West Allis, Wis. The businesses combined revenue was $33 million in 1996, according to the company.

Eastern Environmental Services Inc., Mt. Laurel, N.J., has acquired Apex Waste Services Inc., Scranton, Pa., a waste collection company with an annual revenue of approximately $20 million. Eastern also has acquired five Florida collection companies with annualized revenues of approximately $14 million.

Advantage Lift Systems, San Diego, had acquired Global Lift Co., the second largest manufacturer of in-ground lifts, according to the company.

Contracts Med/Waste Inc., Opa Locka, Fla., has entered into a five-year agreement with Baptist Hospital of Miami to provide on-site treatment of medical waste. The contract is estimated to save the hospital more than $500,000 through a capitated cost program and is expected to generate more than $2 million in additional revenue for Med/Waste.

Raytheon Engineers & Constructors, Lexington, Mass., has received a contract to provide services to support the cleanup of hazardous waste sites throughout the Northeastern United States. The contract has the potential value of $37 million over the next 10 years.

Three O Construction of Naranjito, Puerto Rico has signed a contract with Rader Resource Recovery Inc., Memphis, Tenn., to design and supply a complete waste processing system - including conveyors, sorting stations, a bag opener, a magnet, material storage bins and a baler for the U.S. Navy.

Groundbreaking Construction has begun on a $12 million landfill gas power plant in Tinton Falls, N.J. The facility will provide revenue to Monmouth County, N.J., through the sale of electricity to Jersey Central Power and Light Co. Completion of the facility is expected by the end of the year.

Liquidation The Monroe County Department of Environmental Services, Rochester, N.Y., has awarded Northbrook, Ill.-based Alan Ross Machinery Corp. the right to liquidate equipment from the Monroe County Resource Recovery Facility. The equipment - four shredders, three hammermills, a two-ram baler and a number of conveyors, separation systems and dust collectors - carry a combined value of more than $1.5 million.

New Dealer/Distributor United Recycling Equipment Inc., Mart, Texas, has recently become the exclusive dealer for Hustler Conveyor Co.'s, O'Fallon, Mo., recycling systems, conveyors and related equipment.

National Seal Co., Aurora, Ill., and its subsidiary, Fluid Systems, announced an agreement with Strata Systems Inc., Cumming, Ga., to become the exclusive distributor for Stratagrid geogrids in the environmental containment market in North and South America.

New Division Aljon Inc., Ottumwa, Iowa, has formed a new solid waste division and appointed Ken Pratt as its president.

Organic Waste Technologies Inc. Irvine, Calif., has consolidated its field services and operations/maintenance groups into on operating division, OWT ENVIROTECH. The new division will provide monitoring, sampling and maintenance services to operators of environmental control and energy recovery systems.

New Plants Federal Recycling Technologies Inc. (FRT), Norman, Okla., has announced plans to build six scrap tire recycling plants in southern California, south Texas, Oklahoma and central and south Florida. Construction of the plants and plant equipment will be a collaborative effort between FRT, Wynn Construction Co. and C.H. Guernsey & Co.

New Program The Environmental Industries Associations, Washington, D.C., has launched a model ethics program, Doing Our Best - A Matter of Integrity. The program aims to help companies raise employee awareness of ethical issues in the workplace and motivate better ethical behavior on the job.

Permit Edward Kraemer & Sons Inc., operators of the Burnsville Solid Waste Management Landfill, received a permit to accept construction and demolition waste at three expansion areas previously designed for municipal solid waste, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, St. Paul. The three areas can hold up to 1.8 million cubic yards of waste.