Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Garfield refrigerators
Hulks and pieces of an estimated 40 refrigerators have been left at the Garfield recycling lot in the past year.
A barrage of an estimated 40 refrigerators has graced the Garfield recycling lot where residents are permitted to drop recyclable metal, including large appliances.
The question is whether the items are all coming from residents.
“You think 40 people would buy new refrigerators in Garfield in one year?” said Mayor Ray McCown.
The town used to sell the larger items to a man in Potlatch, who would then sell to a scrap yard.
“The price dropped. He hasn't been around for a couple years,” said McCown.
The town's concern now is how to dispose of so many for a service that is designated for only Garfield residents.
“Do we want to continue letting people bring these in from all over the county?” asked McCown. “We're the only town that does it.”
Potential violators have not been tabbed as the town's security camera at the site cannot decipher a license plate.
Since the Potlatch arrangement lapsed, the town now has to take the refrigerators by truck to the Whitman County landfill south of Colfax.
“We're gonna have to start watching it closer – residents only,” said McCown.
The county landfill does not charge for accepting refrigerators – after which, by law, the freon is checked and removed if any remains.
“We're still working with Ray to get rid of those refrigerators,” said David Nails, Whitman County Solid Waste and Recycling director. “I'm not quite sure why they are allowing people to drop off fridges.”
The county landfill covers the cost of freon removal through a state grant – which incidentally was cut in half in the last biennium. Once clear, the county takes the old refrigerators to Lewiston to sell as scrap metal.
One option for Garfield may also be to check for and remove the freon themselves – which costs money and time.
“It's not all that easy,” Nails said.
The process involves attaching a valve stem to the refrigerator's copper line system – which holds the freon – then hooking a gauge to it.
“The best solution is probably to just ask residents to take them to the landfill,” Nails said. “Whitman County is probably one of the only counties to still take them for free.”
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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