Messy situation

Continued disagreement between the city of Osceola and other members of Clarke County Landfill Commission is slowing progress on finding a suitable replacement for the landfill, which is filling faster than expected.

During the Aug. 5 landfill commission meeting, it was reported that engineering firm Barker Lemar estimates Clarke County Landfill only has about six months of life remaining at the current compaction rate of 645 pounds. If compaction is increased to between 800 and 1,000 pounds, Barker Lemar predicts the landfill stay open until as late as April of next year.

Still, this most-recent projection knocks months off the previous estimate that had Clarke County Landfill functional until fall 2011. When Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) originally took notice of issues at the county’s trash disposal site, it was believed the facility would be open through December 2011.

In a consent order issued by IDNR May 26, Clarke County Landfill Commission was given a Sept. 1 deadline to have a preliminary plan in place outlining how the county intends to dispose of solid waste after the landfill closes. IDNR threatened civil penalties against the commission if a plan wasn’t approved by Dec. 31.

As a first step in this plan, the commission voted to move forward with the construction of a transfer station as suggested by study groups formed to research future possibilities that also included a new landfill and direct hauling.

Transfer station

Effective immediately, tipping fees at Clarke County Landfill will jump from $44 to $64 per ton. This money will help pay for costs associated with building a transfer station, as well as provide funding for continued expenses at the existing landfill including closing costs that could reach nearly $1 million.

• Read more of this story in the August 12 edition of the Osceola Sentinel-Tribune.