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Jefferson County stops accepting Freon-containing appliances at County Line landfill, directs residents to Circular Butte
Summary
County commissioners voted to stop accepting refrigerators and air-conditioners that contain Freon at the County Line landfill after staff reported traffic, staffing and disposal costs; items will still be accepted at Circular Butte and residents will be directed to Pacific Recycling as a lower-cost option.
Jefferson County commissioners voted to stop accepting appliances that contain Freon at the County Line landfill and to direct residents to other disposal options, Circular Butte Landfill and Pacific Recycling.
The county’s solid-waste staff reported large customer queues at County Line when residents bring refrigerators and air-conditioners that require Freon recovery. Ted, a county solid-waste staff member, told the commissioners the recovery paperwork and the required recovery and disposal work add 10–15 minutes per item and require additional staff time and disposal fees.
Commissioners and staff discussed alternatives including hauling trailer loads to Pacific Recycling and continuing to accept Freon-containing appliances at Circular Butte, which is better equipped for recovery work. Brandy, a county staff member, said Pacific Recycling had previously accepted trailer loads in exceptional circumstances but prefers residents to bring appliances directly.
Commissioner(s) moved and seconded a motion to stop accepting Freon-containing appliances at County Line after a 30-day notice, continue acceptance at Circular Butte and provide signage, website notice and a newspaper ad to inform residents. The motion passed on a roll call vote.
County staff said they will post a 30-day notice on the county website, place signs at the County Line gate, run an ad and coordinate the change with Pacific Recycling to reduce confusion. Staff also noted concerns about raising fees as a way to discourage drop-offs because higher fees could encourage illegal dumping.
The commissioners instructed staff to implement the public notice and report back on community feedback and operational effects.
