August 5, 2005

Following is some important information from the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Summer 2005 Solid Waste Update.

NEW RALEIGH PHONE NUMBERS

The Raleigh Central Office staff has new, individual telephone numbers.  Use 919-508-8400 to access the name directory or visit their Web page. http://contactlist.enr.state.nc.us/dwmstaff/contact.asp.

LANDFILL CAPACITY ANALYSIS IN ANNUAL REPORT

            An electronic copy of the FY 2003-2004 Solid Waste Management Annual Report is available at http://wastenotnc.org/SWHOME/SW03-04_AR.htm.

            This report includes a statewide analysis of landfill capacity.  All 41 operational municipal solid waste landfills were evaluated.  This analysis indicates the state has 18 years of remaining landfill capacity.  However, this number is misleading.  Much of the state’s capacity is not widely available due to permit conditions, franchise arrangements and distance.  This remaining capacity also assumes a current level of imported and exported waste.

            Clearly, the concept of statewide capacity does not translate into statewide access with regions of the state having limited capacity.  The primary limiting factor is accessibility.  In North Carolina, the maximum distance that waste travels averages less than 100 miles one-way.  In the future, regions may experience disruptions and additional costs as facilities close, open, change jurisdictions or alter the average distance waste is transferred.

            The report recommendations echo those of previous reports:  that municipalities increase source reduction, recycling and composting of organics to minimize the need for more landfill space.  Enhancement of recycling infrastructure and markets to increase source reduction and recycling would also reduce the need for additional landfill capacity.

LEGISLATIVE REPORT

The 2005 session of the General Assembly includes several solid waste management bills, as follows:

SB 1157           Prohibits the disposal of oyster shells in landfills

                        Status (Senate Action)

HB 1465          Prohibits the disposal of motor vehicle oil filters, rigid plastic containers and wooden pallets in landfills

                        Status (Senate Action)

HB 1518          Requires ABC permittees to recycle beverage containers

                        Status (Senate Action)

SB 1030           Establishes a recycling program for electronic devices and a tax on those devices to fund the program

                        Status (Senate Action)

HB 894            Imposes an advance disposal fee on new and used mobile homes, require counties to develop plans for deconstruction of obsolete mobile homes

                        Status (House Action)

SB 951             Requires a local government that displaces private companies providing solid waste collection services to notify intent and provide compensation

                        Status (House Action)

HB 1769          Imposes a solid waste disposal tax of $1.00/ton on municipal solid waste landfilled in or transferred out of state to fund remediation of orphan landfills and inactive hazardous waste disposal sites

                        Status (House Action)

To view bills in their entirety visit the General Assembly home page at http://www.ncleg.net/ and enter bill number in the Bill Look Up section.

CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION LANDFILL RULE REPUBLISHED

The Solid Waste Section made substantial changes to the proposed rules for construction and demolition debris landfills based on comments and suggestions received during last year’s public comment period.  The exact schedule for republishing the rules has not been finalized.  Plans are to submit the proposed rules for publication in the late July or early August issue of the North Carolina Register.  A Raleigh public hearing will occur in the fall.  Public comments will likely be received through October for the rule to be submitted at the November meeting of the Commission for Health Services.  July 1, 2007, is the proposed rule’s effective date if approved by both the Commission and the Rules Review Commission.

If interested, these three bulletins are available upon request:

• NSWMA’s 2005 Tip Fee
• Interstate Movement of Municipal Solid Waste
• Just Compensation and Hauler Displacement

Contact mricks@joyceengineering.com or call (804) 355-4520 and ask for Mardea.