By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Juab County no longer helps communities nor county
residents with spring clean-up programs, however, they may
allow a two-week window at the JRDA landfill where county
residents would not be charged for hauling material to the
site.
"An individual in the unincorporated area of the county
wants to haul clean-up materials to the landfill this
spring," said Mike Seely, county administrator.
Farms are considered a business and, as such, are charged
a hauling fee. Residences are treated differently.
"There is not a farm out there that makes money," said
Val Jones, commissioner.
"Household waste has a cap," said Seely.
Yard wastes include brush, branches, clippings, leaves,
and grass.
Yard wastes do not include processed lumber such as
2X4's, pallets, and crates but do include non-milled
lumber.
Yard wastes may be disposed with construction and
demolition wastes.
"Yard waste does not count against our landfill household
tonnage because it can be put in a difference place than the
residential garbage," said Seely.
Jones said that it may held with beautification of the
county if clean-up was encouraged by allowing yard waste to
be taken to the landfill free of charge during the two-week
window.
"It might make sense to have a two-week window," said
Robert Steele, commissioner. "The landowner would need to
the hauling. Our road crews would not help."
If commissioners were to decide to allow such a window,
the JRDA (Juab Rural Development Agency) board would also be
consulted. They would have a say in what should be done.
Construction wastes include wastes generated from
construction, such as building materials used in
construction consisting of items like packaging materials
from products, waste lumber, wallboard, boxes from
appliances, empty paint cans, empty caulking tubes, and
empty sealer and adhesive cans. "EMPTY" means that no more
than 10 percent of the product remains
inside the container. Potentially hazardous materials,
such as paint, must be disposed of in a different way if the
cans are not empty.
Demolition wastes include wastes generated from the
destruction or remodeling of buildings and houses. Wastes
that are reasonably expected in the rubble of demolition or
remodeling can be disposed and may include such items as
furnaces, pipes, ducting, and water heaters.
Furniture and other contents that are not part of the
house or building structure must be removed before
demolition (including mercury thermostats,
mercury-containing light fixtures, PCB-containing
fluorescent light ballasts.)
The problem for the disposal of clean-up yard waste and
demolition and construction waste is that it gets placed all
in the same truck load with household garbage and then it
has to be placed in the more restricted part of the
landfill.
"Getting people to separate the different types of waste
is a major issue," said Seely.
The JRDA board, the organization which operates the
landfill, wants to keep the waste hauled to the landfill
under a certain amount so that they do not have to go to a
higher class of landfill. That would mean a great increase
in cost to be passed to taxpayers and more restrictions.
Cans or tubes holding greater than 10 percent product,
such as paint, adhesives, solvents or sealers are not to be
taken to the landfill.
Contaminated Soils which includes soils from the
excavation of underground storage tanks; friable asbestos;
tanks of any sort; railroad ties. Cardboard that is not a
result of construction or demolition; furniture, including
mattresses, box springs, headboard, drawers, chairs,
couches, and tables.
Metal, including water heaters, pipe, appliances,
bicycles, metal in general, unless stored in a recyclable
area. Metal that is part of construction or demolition may
be disposed in the landfill.
Electronics, including radios, TV's, computers, and other
electronic items.
Treated lumber, including any wood items that has been
chemically treated to prevent rotting.
Yard wastes; construction wastes; demolition wastes;
untreated wood, including pallets and crates; and dead
animals are all kept separate and are not put in the
household waste section.
The Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste prohibits
burning of any waste inside disposal areas at all landfills
in Utah.
Under certain circumstances, the Division of Air Quality
has allowed burning of yard wastes during specific times of
the year. The Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste has
allowed some classes of landfills to burn yard wastes
provided that burning of these wastes complies with local
burning restrictions. When burning yard wastes, all other
construction and demolition wastes must be segregated.
"Household garbage cannot be burned," said Seely.
Therefore, if the materials are not strictly segregated, no
burning can be allowed.
If other wastes are not segregated, the entire pile will
be considered construction or demolition waste and can only
be landfilled.
"I agree that it may not be a bad thing to allow a
two-week window for hauling green waste to the landfill,"
said Neil Cook, commission chairman. "However, those taking
advantage of the window would be required to strictly
separate the different types of waste and would need to haul
their own materials to the landfill."
Commissioners will discuss the issue with the JRDA board
before making a decision.
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