“I’m not interested in closure,” said writer, actor and television producer Larry David. “Some people have heart attacks and die, right? There’s no closure.” In line with his cranky persona, he was deprecating the coming to terms with a significant event, gaining acceptance, and moving on.
December 8, 2022
“I’m not interested in closure,” said writer, actor and television producer Larry David. “Some people have heart attacks and die, right? There’s no closure.”
In line with his cranky persona, he was deprecating the coming to terms with a significant event, gaining acceptance, and moving on. When you’re talking about closure, what you say or hear depends on who’s in the conversation. For waste managers, closure is the work required when a landfill’s active life ends. A squabble about precisely when this undertaking is triggered ended up in the Kansas courts.
In 1998, John and Rosemary Massa contracted to sell a 40-acre parcel to Southeast Kansas Construction and Demolition Landfill (SEK) for use as a construction and demolition landfill, waste tire monofill and processing operation, and open burn pit facility (collectively referred to here as the Landfill).
The sale contract, which, by its terms, was binding on individuals and entities with a subsequent interest, required SEK to obtain a permit from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and comply with applicable environmental laws, regulations and permits. After KDHE issued the permit, the Massas signed a deed conveying the property. The Landfill opened in May 1999.
The contract contained two provisions relating to compliance with state law and regulations. According to Paragraph 8 of the contract:
Buyer agrees during the period of time that he will be using the real estate purchased
herein for [Landfill] that Buyer will . . . comply . . . with all laws, ordinances,
permits, orders, statutes, rules, permitting and licensing requirements, determinations
and regulations . . . relating to the protection of the environment . . . .
Paragraph 9 stated:
Buyer is purchasing the real estate herein solely for the purposes of operating a