Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Whitman County commissioners approved interlocal agreements on a new five-year county Solid Waste Management Plan with seven towns Monday.
The list includes Colton, Lamont, Oakesdale, Palouse, Rosalia, Endicott and Colfax.
The plan, required by the state, will cover 2019-24 to replace a previous plan from 2012 to present.
The county began work two years ago on the plan, which is meant to be every five years.
“They give us a little leeway on getting it done,” said David Nails, Whitman County solid waste and recycling director.
The plan covers all solid waste activities throughout the county, updating numbers for recycling, garbage and more, noting possible additions in the future such as another cell at the landfill, adding to its three closed cells and one open (limited purpose, inert materials such as concrete, brick and asbestos).
The county public works department created the new five-year document with J.U.B. Engineers (Spokane office) as consultants, along with the county’s Solid Waste Advisory Board committee members–a mix of people in the industry such as Aaron Lawhead, site manager for Empire Disposal and Devon Felsted, president of Pullman Disposal, a representative from Republic Services of Spokane, which takes in and ships baled recyclables from Whitman County and members of the general public.
Has the plan changed since the last one?
“Not much,” said Nails.
The plan is still in draft form, although it was approved by the Washington State Department of Ecology and Utilities and Transportation Committee in February.
The five-year plan includes a 20-year plan.
In the longer term of the document, no set items are decided, but noted possibilities include more blue bins in the smaller towns, a small materials recycling facility at the county transfer station – which separates cardboard, paper, plastic and aluminum for potential sale — and a large new cell at the landfill, which may take in from 30 to 100 years of material before being sealed.
“These are options to take a look at,” said Nails. “It will depend on projected growth for garbage and how much recycling.”
Recycling is a particular unknown as the market to sell recyclable materials has dropped in the past two years to the point that it now costs money for the county to “sell” the materials for overseas purchase or otherwise.
The five-year plan does not take this on directly as the market may change again next year and/or the year after.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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