Duplin cancels landfll plan
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on November 2, 2004 2:01 PM
KENANSVILLE -- Duplin County has abandoned plans to build its own landfill.
Wayne Sullivan of Municipal Engineering was going to test the soil at some possible landfill sites once the crops were off the fields this fall. The potential sites had been narrowed to five. One of the landowners had given an asking price.
But Sullivan told commissioners Monday morning during their regular meeting at the County Administration Building that the county doesn't control enough solid waste for a county-owned landfill to be cost-effective.
The county controlled 30,000 tons of the 38,000-ton waste stream that was going to the Sampson County landfill three years ago when he started his study on the feasibility of the county building its own landfill.
Since then, he said, the tonnage coming out of Duplin County has increased to 43,000 tons, but the tonnage under the county's control at the transfer station has dropped to 25,000 tons. The rest is taken to Waste Industries' landfill in Sampson County by private haulers.
He told commissioners a county-owned landfill would become feasible again if the county's share were to get back up to 30,000 tons.
Commissioner Arliss Albertson said he doesn't want another "trash hole dug in Duplin County."
Commissioner Zettie Williams suggested having the county manager pursue a contract that Waste Industries has been trying to get with the county to continue to haul the county's garbage to Sampson County.
"We don't have enough waste to even think about operating a landfill," she said. She moved to pursue the contract. Commissioner Reginald Wells provided the second.
County Manager Fred Eldridge has been negotiating with Waste Industries since June when the board voted to start the negotiations. The company wanted a 10-year contract to haul the county's garbage.
Eldridge said he would continue those discussions today with Waste Industries.
Commissioner Chairman L.S. Guy gave the only no vote to starting up the negotiations, and he cast the only no vote Monday to pursue the hauling contract with Waste Industries.