GILES MAY DUMP TRASH OUT OF COUNTY

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, April 3, 1993                   TAG: 9304030097
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-7   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: STEVE KARK CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: PEARISBURG                                LENGTH: Medium
GILES MAY DUMP TRASH OUT OF COUNTY
Giles County is looking outside its borders for places to dump its trash.
County and town officials met Thursday afternoon with contractors interested in taking over the county's trash disposal needs when its landfill closes in October.
Alternate landfill sites within the county were ruled out because much of the county sits on limestone, which is especially vulnerable to ground-water pollution because it is so porous.
County Administrator Ken Weaver said there also isn't enough time to continue looking within the county for another site because the state permit process alone would take another five years.
Thursday's meeting attracted contractors and landfill operators from Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky. Supervisor George Hedrick told the group that Giles is "looking for the highest level of service for the least dollars."
The county has not established the full extent of services that may be needed. A contractor might take over all aspects of trash collection in the county and its five towns; or individual towns may decide to continue door-to-door trash collection themselves, delivering it to selected sites for transfer by a contracted hauler.
These considerations all would play a part in the final determination of who gets the contract, said Hedrick. While price certainly would be the most important point in determining who gets the job, he said, using existing equipment and employees could be a factor as well.
The county estimates that roughly 40 tons of trash a day would have to be hauled outside the county. Seventy percent of that is collected from 100 green trash bins throughout the county. The towns contribute another 23.5 percent of the total, and private haulers the other 6.5 percent.
Interested contractors have until April 20 to submit bids. The county intends to award a contract by June 15.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB