Wake landfill could be full within 20 years, commissioners look into alternatives
65 ABOARD. HOW LONG THE
PLEASANT WEATHER LAST OUR SHOW
YOU COMING UP IN A FEW MINUTES.
ALL RIGHT, MIKE, WHAT'S IN
STORE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE
SOUTH? WAKE LANDFILL? THAT WAS
THE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION AT THE
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING
TODAY AS THE LANDFILL IS
EXPECTED TO BE FULL WITHIN THE
NEXT 15 TO 20 YEARS.
>> THIS IS THE SAME LANDFILL
RESIDENTS SAY HAS BEEN
PERMEATING AN ODOR OVER THE
LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. WRAL'S
WILLI DOWN LEE WAS AT THE
MEETING. JOINING US NOW LIVE.
WILLIE, HOW ARE THEY HOPING
TO ADDRESS US IN THE FUTURE?
WELL, ASHLEY TODAY, THE BRAINS
BEHIND THE LANDFILL AND THE
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MET TO
DISCUSS THEIR OPTIONS AND HOW
THOSE OPTIONS COULD IMPACT
PEOPLE IN THE AREA. THEY TELL
ME A PROJECT OF THIS SCALE.
TAKE SOME TIME TO COMPLETE.
SO THEY NEED TO GET TO WORK.
>> TODAY, THE WAKE COUNTY BOARD
OF COMMISSIONERS MET TO DISCUSS
WHAT'S IN STORE FOR THE
SOUTHWICK LANDFILL THAT HAS
PEOPLE HERE BY COVERING THEIR
NOSES. IT BASICALLY SMALL.
IF YOU'RE JUST STANDING OUT
BY LIKE THE GARBAGE. JOHN BOYER
IS ONE OF THE CONSULTANTS ON
THE PROJECT. SO THE FIRST GOAL
THAT WE'RE HOPING TO ADDRESS
IS TO OBJECTIVELY EVALUATE
LONG-TERM SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
OPTIONS, AND FEELING THAT'S
BEEN KIND OF THE CORNERSTONE
OF WASTE DISPOSAL IN NORTH
CAROLINA.
>> BUT THERE'S OTHER OPTIONS
OUT THERE. THE SOLID WASTE HE
PRESENTED THE BOARD WITH 4
POTENTIAL OPTIONS. OPTION ONE
WOULD BE TO CONSTRUCT A NEW
LANDFILL.
>> OPTION 2 WOULD HALLWAYS OUT
OF THE COUNTY AND DISPOSE.
BUT ELSEWHERE, OPTION 3 WOULD
CONSTRUCT A PRIVATELY-OWNED
WASTE TO ENERGY FACILITY.
OPTION FOR WOULD INVOLVE THE
COUNTY LOOKING INTO ALTERNATIVE
DISPOSAL TECHNOLOGY. JOHN
ROBERTSON IS THE SOLID WASTE
DIRECTOR FOR WAKE COUNTY.
HE SAYS NOW IS THE TIME TO GET
THE BALL ROLLING ON THIS
PROJECT. DESIGNING PERMITTING,
CONSTRUCTING A FUTURE DISPOSAL
FACILITY, WHETHER IT'S A
LANDFILL.
>> FOR A WASTE TO ENERGY TYPE
FACILITY. WE'LL TAKE AT LEAST
A DECADE. CHLOE GROVE LIVES A
STONE'S THROW AWAY FROM THE
LANDFILL. SHE HOPES IT'S FILLED
SOONER RATHER THAN LATER IN
HOPES THAT THE LINGERING SMELL
CAN GO AWAY. YOU CAN COLLECT
SMELL AT THE ACI FLICKS ON.
YOU CAN EVEN SAW INSIDE.
>> LIKE YOU CAN HAVE YOUR
WINDOWS OPEN BECAUSE THEY'LL
JUST LIKE MAKE YOUR HOUSE
INSIDE SMALL BOX.
>> THE SOLID WASTE TEAM WILL
BEGIN GETTING THE BAG FROM
STAKEHOLDERS THIS FALL. AND
AFTER THAT, THOUGH, THINGS
THEY'LL SEEK FEEDBACK FROM THE
COMMUNITY THERE DUE TO STAND
BACK IN FRONT OF THE BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS IN 4 MONTHS.