Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, May 21, 1993 TAG: 9305210262
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Otherwise, the Roanoke Valley would have no place to bury more than 700 tons of trash daily.
Because of wet weather, construction on the new landfill at Smith Gap in western Roanoke County is about one month behind schedule.
The new landfill had been expected to open by October. But weather has pushed that to November, said John Hubbard, chief executive officer for the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority.
The current landfill, off the Blue Ridge Parkway in southeastern Roanoke County, is projected to be full by early next year.
"We've still got a little capacity to last maybe until the end of this year or early next year," said Jeff Cromer, manager of the landfill. But the landfill is filling up quickly and the transition could be close, he said.
Hubbard said Thursday that he's confident the new landfill and the trash-transfer station will be finished by November. Good weather in April enabled the contractors to make progress on all portions of the project, he said.
Trash will be loaded onto railroad cars at the transfer station and taken by a special train nightly to the Smith Gap landfill.
Hubbard said that substantial progress has been made in the past month on the rail spur. Clearing and grading of the stone track is approximately 50 percent complete. About two miles of the rail line have been installed.
Thursday, the authority's board of directors also approved preliminary disposal fees and charges.
The charge for municipal waste from Roanoke, Vinton and Roanoke County will be $55 a ton. The fee for commercial waste will be $60 a ton.
The current charges are $20 a ton for municipal trash and $25 a ton for commercial waste.
The authority is required to hold a public hearing on the new fees before final approval.
The increase in the municipal fee will increase Roanoke's trash disposal costs by $1 million a year.
The city will eliminate backyard trash collection service to save $368,000 a year. The funds will help offset the increase in the dumping fees.
Now, the city collects one-third of residents' garbage at the street curb, one-third at the alley and the rest in backyards.
Free backyard collection will continue for residents who provide letters from their physicians saying they are unable to bring their trash to the street curb.
Beginning June 7, all trash must be brought to the alley or curb unless residents pay for a premium service or are physically unable to carry their cans to the curb.
Officials said the chipper that grinds limbs and brush into mulch will be moved to the trash-transfer station on Hollins Road when the current landfill closes. Residents still will be able to buy mulch.
by CNB