PEORIA -- Here's a mind-blowing thought! Maybe some trash is more valuable to society tossed into the landfill than recycled.
That's because recyclables have little value right now -- their value varies based on supply and demand.
But landfills when managed correctly produce energy -- methane gas that can be turned into electricity or heat or fuel, or who knows what else.
Peoria's City/County Landfill is confronted with huge landfill issues now, as the process is underway to expand the municipal landfill at Edwards by 2018.
This elaborate and expensive process involves first selecting an operator based on bidding. Then the new landfill must be sited and receive state approval. Years and millions of dollars are in play.
The committee heard two bidders, Waste Management, the current operator, and Peoria Disposal Co., a former operator and the biggest waste hauler/manager in the county, as both made public presentations at a June 4 meeting. The audience included the Peoria mayor, the county's manager and a host of others interested in this issue.
These were eye-opening presentations, as a wide range of complicated landfill issues received thoughtful discussion. For example:
1. What is the purpose of the municipal landfill? To make money? To protect the environment? To provide cheap disposal rates to residents and businesses? Economic development? In what order?
2. Both companies claimed they will make more money for the landfill and its committee, and they questioned each other's figures. The county's staff will examine their written proposals and make a recommendation later.
3. Both companies talked about the landfill as a resource to produce energy, and discussed their experiences elsewhere. Both are involved in developing "green parks" elsewhere using landfill-produced energy to power businesses, homes, schools at a discount. This power can be an economic development tool.
4. Both discussed protecting the enviromment with the latest designs and liners.
5. Both are offering to continue free dumping for county residents, a way to keep people from throwing trash in ditches, and discounts or free disposal for public works vehicles that pick up the trash that doesn't reach the landfill.
6. Planning this far out is difficult, they acknowledged, since who knows where the technology or the markets will go in 2018.
7. PDC is offering a cash incentive for perpetual care. One of its spokesmen, PDC's Chris Coulter, questioned Waste Management's statement that its $20 billion company indemnifies its work, by mentioning the General Motors bankruptcy, the AIG situation and "the banks."
Under PDC's proposal, the county "would have the fund. The money's in the bank," Coulter said.
PDC also would built a $1 million "citizen center" for recycling drop offs, meetings and education. "The landfill would be the epicenter for environmental events," said PDC consultant Devin Moose.
The Waste Management spokesman called that "not a prudent use of money." But WM would also build an administrative and community center there for learning, as part of a "green energy park."
When questioned about the greatest challenge, Waste Management's spokesman responded that's it's the revenue to the committee. But Moose responded "nobody's supposed to care about the money. It's about the environment. How do you protect the environment?"
PDC said it did not intend to send special waste from its hazardous waste landfill, called arc waste, to the municipal landfill. "We have a home for that," Coulter said.
The committee must approve special waste streams to the municipal landfill.
Coulter added, "I'm concerned about the steel industry... now at 45 percent of capacity. I hope we have an American steel industry in 10 years. If GM isn't making cars there will be no steel industry."
Waste Management promised to take all its trash to the municipal landfill even if it loses the bid, when committee members asked about trash flow to the landfill.
Committee member Merle Widmer focused on the conundrum of landfills: recycling means less trash, yet landfill finances are based on trash flow and revenues per ton. "The county likes the revenue but we're not in the profit business," he observed.
Moose responded "the goal is to divert waste from landfills," with new legislation continuing to prohibit hazards in household trash from landfills.
Coulter said the PDC proposal is premised on a 1 percent growth rate. "We're on the sustainability committee and anticipate recycling in the city," he said.
Renewable energy sources such as the methane-to-electricity system is premised on tax credits, Waste Management's spokesman added.
The landfill's methane collection system, contracted out a decade ago to RTC, has been stalled for years as RTC fell into bankruptcy. The county is now suing RTC to get it off the property. Either bidder would take that site and make it work.
The committee will hold additional meetings and ultimately made a decision later in the summer or fall.
-- Elaine Hopkins
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