Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
,~ <br />Discussions with the City of Durham indicate a willingness on their part to allow Orange County <br />both anear-term and long-term opportunity to use the City of Durham's SWTS. <br />This current decision process, its length and competing aspects of any decision do <br />predetermine that it is likely solid waste from Orange County will be transported to Durham or <br />some other location for some period of time. Even with a County Commissioners decision to <br />select one of the two sites currently under consideration, delays in putting the new SWTS into <br />operation would probably create a need to transport local solid waste somewhere outside of <br />Orange County. <br />It is recommended that: <br />1. The County Commission consider authorizing staff to formalize an option to use the <br />City of Durham SWTS for some specific timeframe (3-5 years) and negotiate an <br />arrangement that would encompass the total solid waste flows of Orange County (the <br />Towns and UNC at their option) for that time frame. <br />2. IF on a long-term basis it is decided from a cost analysis standpoint that building a <br />SWTS in Orange County is a necessity, then: the major users (the Towns, UNC and <br />the County) should all become directly involved in the determination of an appropriate <br />location. That site should potentially and feasibly be located within the planning <br />jurisdictions and/or upon properties either owned or acquired by the parties collectively. <br />3. The Durham option `long-term' is a "regional solution" to solid waste disposal but not <br />the most comprehensive or environmentally responsible approach. Once transported <br />to Durham, the solid waste goes to a landfill in Virginia. It would appear that this <br />approach is somewhat a contradiction to Orange County's leadership tradition of <br />environmental stewardship and awareness. <br />4. It is possible that after anear-term decision to transport waste to Durham is made other <br />viable waste disposal options could be pursued by Orange County, its Towns and UNC <br />on a collaborative basis. <br />We need to acknowledge the impacts of this recommendation beyond the immediate issue of <br />the location of a SWTS. <br />1. Once flow control over the waste stream is relinquished, obtaining the County's <br />established desired recycling goals will become more difficult. <br />2. Future County SWTS fees would have sustained some of the financial aspects of the <br />local obligations associated with the continuing 30-year obligation to rectify any <br />environmental issues over that period that may arise at the soon to be closed existing <br />landfill. <br />3. The future obligations of the existing inter local agreement between the County and <br />Towns may be mute. The County only controls it limited solid waste stream <br />(convenience centers, schools and county properties). The Towns may rightfully seek <br />to pursue other more cost effective options elsewhere if determined to exist to lower <br />their operational expenses. <br />4. Once the solid waste stream leaves Orange County, it is unlikely this issue will be again <br />raised for consideration given the difficulty in dealing with the potential associated <br />impacts. <br />5. FINALLY, the County and Towns (subject only to negotiations) will have very limited <br />control over the future solid waste disposal costs. We may shop our solid waste to <br />accepting landfills or SWTS sites elsewhere, but the viability of those options will vary <br />