Spartanburg County is growing, but with more people comes more trash. The population is projected to increase 11 percent through 2030, sending more waste to private and public landfills in the region. To help stay ahead of the growth, the Wellford landfill is planning an expansion in 2018.
The expansion is expected to cost $2.8 million and extend the landfill’s life by about 25 years, according to Spartanburg County Public Works Director Travis Brown. “It will be built out in five phases,” Spartanburg County Solid Waste Manager Kevin Farmer said. “There are several factors that dictate how and when the landfill is developed.”
Farmer said these factors include waste intake, accessibility, costs and operations. The expansion in 2018 will consist of 35 to 40 acres, with a new cell constructed every five years.
The Wellford landfill, which opened in 1977, consists of 420 acres near Little Mountain Road. It accepted 144,610 tons of household garbage in 2016, up from 126,523 tons the year before.
As trash has increased, so too have recycling efforts. The county staffs 17 recycling collection centers, where residents can recycle items such as antifreeze, oil filters, batteries, mixed paper, scrap metal, cooking oil, electronics and tires.
Farmer said the county continually evaluates its program to ensure Spartanburg County residents have access to cost-effective, convenient sites for waste disposal and recycling.
“No counties can be equally compared, because each have variations in structure and operations,” Farmer said. “When compared to some other counties with higher populations, we do offer equivalent, or in some cases additional, staffed collection/recycling centers.”
In addition to the recycling centers, three cities — Spartanburg, Greer and Landrum — provide curbside pickup for recyclables. Spartanburg County Recycling Coordinator Jes Swanson said recycling has gradually been increasing. In fiscal 2013-14, the county recycled more than 7,000 tons, which grew to more than 7,500 last year. The sale of those recyclables has generated $860,350 for the county since fiscal 2013-14.
Swanson said as residents have learned more about recycling, more have begun doing it. The county’s recycling participation rate is 20 percent, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
For Arnold Mcjimpsey of Spartanburg, recycling has been a way of life for 30 years. Mcjimpsey said he visits the recycling site at Wellford four times every month. “They have a great thing out here,” he said.
Doris Wilcox of Fingerville drives 15 miles to the recycling center in Wellford to carry her household items. She said she’d like to see more recycling centers built in the county.
To read the full story, visit http://www.goupstate.com/news/20170311/wellford-landfill-prepares-for-expansion-to-handle-future-trash-needs.