Danielle Jackson

Harrisburg, Pa. -- According to recent analysis by the Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association (PWIA), the state soon will face a severe drop in waste disposal capacity due in part to a moratorium on landfill expansion permits. Analysis was based on permitted volume and disposal volume statistics published by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

For the past two years, the DEP has not issued a single permit for either a new municipal solid waste (MSW) facility or one for increasing capacity at existing sites.

Pennsylvania has less than 6.3 years of available MSW disposal capacity and less than two years of adequate capacity in the eastern half of the state, according to PWIA. The analysis indicates that by the end of next year, most of the state will face a capacity deficit of more than 12,000 tons per day.