Private Landfills Could Set County Up For A Big Mess

Highlands County commissioners are deciding whether the county should lift its ban on private landfills. It's, no doubt, a difficult decision, but there are big potential problems if they allow private dumping, and we hope that if they do allow it, there are strong stipulations.

A few private landowners are asking for the ban to be lifted so they can open "C&D" landfills for construction and demolition waste. County Administrator Michael Wright is leery of lifting the ban due to a cut to the county landfill's revenue, and the possibility of being left with the responsibility of an un-reclaimed mess. These are extremely legitimate concerns.

We hope the county doesn't allow private landfills, but if they do, commissioners should demand rigid environmental oversight, and some guarantees that private owners will properly handle material, and make sure they reclaim the land after the landfill is closed.

In other parts of the country, particularly in the mining industry, operators are required from the beginning to put money in a trust account to guarantee that reclamation is achieved. They make monthly payments into these accounts for only that purpose. The mines make big deposits, and it guarantees that no gaping holes or messes are left for taxpayers to pick up years later.

We're not sure how this would work on a county level, but one thing is for sure: taxpayers must not get stuck with cleaning up private landfills.

The easy resolution is for the county to keep its ban in place. That's what a lot of staff has suggested anyway. We're not sure why commissioners didn't listen to staff on this one. That said, we don't fault commissioners for giving the matter more thought.

Some nearby counties allow private landfills, and it has adversely affected revenue from the county landfill. That's a concern for sure, but more importantly is protecting our environment from improper dumping and disposal, and then returning the land in good condition after it closes.

County commissioners have a lot to think about, but this is an idea that has big problems.