WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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Residents opposing a proposed waste transfer station in Monroe County continue to press county officials to oppose the project.
Residents addressed the Solid Waste Management Board on December 14th. During public comment time, Mark Napier said residents are stressed by the limbo they find themselves in.
Solid Waste Management District Director Tom McGlasson, Jr., said he has not heard from the company proposing the project — Indiana Green Transfer and Recycling — regarding a needs assessment. The assessment is required by county ordinance 2007-18.
Indiana Green applied to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) for a solid waste transfer permit in September, without regard for ordinance requirements for prior local review. Company co-owner Jeff Fanyo has notified the county his company is now re-evaluating the project in light of protests by area residents.
Commissioner Amanda Barge said she doesn’t approve of the proposed waste transfer station. Barge says she has communicated directly with Fanyo.
Board members Cheryl Munson and Steve Volan discussed the process with McGlasson. Munson asked if the company’s IDEM application permit would expire if the company continues in its inaction on the proposal. According to McGlasson, the company has not responded to a request for more information.
In other business, McGlasson reports a waste composition study conducted by Kessler Consulting reveals that 70 percent of the county’s solid waste is compostable or recyclable. Board member Steve Volan remarked on the finding.
McGlasson says the consulting firm has been contracted to examine the feasibility of several types of waste facilities, including what is called a single stream recovery facility (or MRF) and a composting facility.
The study is just one component of a larger feasibility study Kessler is conducting for Monroe County. The county is considering various types of processing facilities in an effort to reduce its waste stream.
Kessler is also studying the feasibility of a mixed waste processing facility and a composting facility. Board member Cheryl Munson asked McGlasson for details on the composting facility.
McGlasson said Kessler will estimate the cost of the each type of facility, including revenues or losses based on volume projections.
The Monroe County Solid Waste Management Board will not meet again until January, 2018.
