The Summit County government is implementing a new plan to extend the use of Three Mile Landfill by an additional 10 years, with space expected to run out by 2053 if no changes are made. “Each year, that clock is ticking on the lifespan of our landfill,” said Deputy County Manager Janna Youn g. “Unlike other challenges we have in local government, we can’t build our way out of this one. Finding land for a new landfill, siting it, building it and getting the community to accept it is an extraordinarily difficult and expensive proposition, as is shipping our waste out of the county, which is what we would have to do if the landfill fills up.” Young said a lot of materials going into the landfill today, such as cardboard, food waste and glass, could be recycled. That’s why county officials created Save Our Space: Plan 2063, a document intended to help the government divert waste from the landfill through infrastructure improvements and educational campaigns. If the county can implement every strategy in the plan, Young said the landfill’s lifespan could be extended to 2063. However, the county will need to reduce the amount of waste entering the landfill by one-third every year to meet its goals. Young said the plan “may sound ambitious,” but she claimed it would be “feasible” if the county focuses on organic materials and paper, which currently make up 60% of the landfill’s waste stream, even though they’re recyclable. The county government has already implemented some strategies outlined in the plan, such as remote drop-off locations for recyclables. Solid Waste Superintendent Tim Loveday said the new stations have been incredibly successful so far, with the Ecker Hill Park Ride location requiring a twice-weekly pickup. “We’re trying to give capacity to those people who complained that they simply didn’t have enough room for cardboard or the larger items in their curbside container, so this is for them,” Loveday said. “There were a lot of people in Coalville and particularly in Henefer who were super interested in having a remote drop-off site, so as we get these up and running and under control, we’re going to expand to Henefer, but we have to find a space to do that.” But Loveday said organics, like food waste, are the “big target” because the materials are “easily compostable” and take up more space than traditional garbage. Currently, Summit County transports food waste to a facility in North Salt Lake for processing, but Loveday said the facility’s strict requirements are difficult for commercial businesses. “Food waste that goes to them has to be squeaky clean. There can’t be any contamination in it,” he said. “That does not fit into the model of some of the resorts here in town and a lot of the restaurants here in town that also use compostable silverware and dinnerware. That can’t go to the digester.” The county is partnering with the Park City Climate Fund, a branch of the Park City Community Foundation, to undergo a feasibility study for a composting facility in Summit County. The firm contracted for the study will analyze the amount of organic waste generated in Summit County and the most efficient methods for disposing of it, which Loveday said would be an “incredibly valuable tool” moving forward. Loveday said some Summit County residents, particularly on the East Side, have expressed interest in composting at home, too. Officials are exploring educational opportunities to teach people how to do it. County Sustainability Program Manager Emily Quinton said there are also opportunities for the government to make changes internally to help divert waste from the landfill. “This could look upstream, looking at some of our procurement practices and if there are ways to be reusing or preferring durables in some of our purchasing,” Quinton told the Summit County Council. “The idea here with this strategy, like I think in many of our efforts, is to make sure that we’re walking the walk, learning from our experiences and sharing those out with others.” Young said county officials will likely draft an ordinance mandating commercial businesses recycle or divert waste from the landfill in late 2027 or 2028. However, she said officials are waiting until they can see how a similar law in Park City, which passed earlier this year, plays out before they propose a program to the County Council. “This year, we’ll be witnessing and observing what’s happening in Park City and learning from that, and then next year is when we would want to engage a commercial sector focus group or work group to identify and evaluate some of those regulatory pathways or incentives,” Young said. Loveday also promoted a new app called Recycle Coach, which he expects to launch in the next six to eight weeks. The app will tell people where the nearest recycling centers are, provide a database of materials and common grocery items and information about whether they’re recyclable. The Public Works Department is additionally implementing new techniques to cover trash at the landfill intended to reduce the amount of wasted space by 10% to 15%. Currently, public works employees cover trash with 6 inches of dirt to keep items in place and reduce odors. But a new method, which Loveday called “alternate daily cover,” would let employees spray a clay and fiber mix on the trash instead. The spray only occupies approximately an eighth of an inch, meaning it’s more efficient and preserves landfill space. “That’s a significant increase in the volume and capacity of that landfill year over year,” Loveday said. “Even at 10%, it doesn’t take long to gain an extra year of life in that landfill.” Young said Save Our Space: Plan 2063 is not a “static” document and that county officials intend to reevaluate its policies over the next 37 years, especially because Three Mile Landfill will eventually still need to be replaced. “The final strategy outlined in the plan is preparing ourselves for the future so we can be proactive instead of reactive,” she said. “We know our landfill is a finite resource. We know our waste stream will continue to grow if we don’t change course, and we also know there isn’t one program or one facility or one policy that solves this problem. What this plan gives us is a roadmap, a series of practical actions we can take now while continuing to evaluate the larger investments and infrastructure we will need in the future.” To read the plan in full, visit tinyurl.com/saveourspaceplan. The post Summit County launches strategic plan to extend Three Mile Landfill lifespan by 10 years appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less