Landfill officially sold

In a decisive move to address the future of solid waste disposal in White County, the White County Board of Commissioners voted, on June 17, to accept a contract from Waste Management for the sale of the White County Landfill. The decision came after careful consideration of the county’s options, which included closing the facility and opening a transfer station, continuing to operate the landfill independently, or selling the landfill.

 The county’s assessment revealed that closing the landfill and transitioning to a transfer station would come at a cost of $3 million, along with additional expenses such as new trucks, hiring new employees, and closure and post-closure fees totaling $9.4 million. On the other hand, continuing to operate the landfill independently would require significant investments in repairing and expanding the current cell, purchasing new equipment, and addressing closure and post-closure fees, posing challenges to long-term sustainability.

 According to Kyle Goff, chairman of the county commission, under the terms of the sale to Waste Management, White County will receive $2 million upfront, with Waste Management taking over daily operations effective July 1 when the sale closed. The transition will not only save the county $60,000-$75,000 per month in transportation costs but also relieve the county of the financial burdens associated with closure and post-closure fees.

“Success Fee” to the county for permitting new cells, projected to yield $2 million upon the opening of the first new cell which is predicted to happen in 2025. Additional revenues from a “Host Fee” of $1.50 per ton of trash, along with additional Success Fees linked to future permits, are expected to generate substantial revenues for the county over the next decade.

 White County residents will directly benefit from the sale as well, with free disposal of waste guaranteed for a minimum of 20 years. Waste Management has also pledged $50,000 annually for community projects and agreed to a five-year lease for the animal shelter at a nominal fee of $1 per year to allow the county time to plan for the shelter’s future.

 Overall, the sale is projected to bring in approximately $24 million in revenue over the next 10 years, which does not include the savings in closure and waste disposal costs from which the county will benefit.