Northpointe transfer station reports record tonnage, new methane-to-pipeline agreement and fire safety steps

Highland — Representatives from the Northpointe transfer station updated the Highland City Council on Aug. 5 on 2024 material volumes, facility operations and planned upgrades, and they emphasized fire risks tied to lithium-ion batteries.

Neil, representing the district that operates the transfer station near Linden, told the council Northpointe handled roughly 330,586 tons of material in 2024: about 169,499 tons of municipal solid waste (curbside household and commercial trash), 142,372 tons of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, plus green waste and a small amount of clean concrete/fill that the facility stocks and reclaims. Highland’s curbside contribution was reported at about 9,059 tons, roughly 8 percent of the curbside total. District leaders also reported 20,701 minimum-fee small-load tickets and described their breakdown by vehicle and service type.

Neil described an operational shift: the Linden site is a closed landfill and the district now hauls most waste to Bayview Landfill under a multi-district arrangement called New Era (Northern Utah Environmental Resource Agency). Northpointe members hold some 800 acres for long-term management and currently use about 60–70 acres at Bayview. He said transportation and disposal fees are the facility’s two largest expenses and that recent increases in landfill rates and transport expenses forced incremental increases in curbside charges to member cities.

The presentation highlighted an energy-recovery arrangement: landfill gas collection systems capture methane; instead of flaring the gas, Northpointe partners with Pine Creek Ventures, which cleans and injects the gas into the Kern River pipeline. The district will receive royalties from that sale, Neil said, and expects the arrangement to help stabilize future tip rates.

Neil warned the council about fire risks at transfer stations tied to improperly disposed lithium-ion batteries (e-bike batteries and other consumer electronics). He cited a June 2024 fire at the transfer station that triggered nearly all of the site’s fire-suppression sprinklers and caused substantial building damage; staff urged residents and businesses to disclose batteries and other hazardous items when they bring loads so staff can remove and manage them safely. He said the station accepts residential lithium batteries when notified; businesses must arrange industrial hazardous-waste disposal and may qualify as small quantity generators if under regulatory thresholds.

Councilmembers asked about service area boundaries and direct-haul patterns for Saratoga Springs, Alpine and other cities; staff explained agreements letting some haulers deliver directly to Bayview. The presentation concluded with a note that Northpointe will continue to plan upgrades and wants to take time to get improvements right.

No council action was required; the briefing provided data for future policy and rate discussions.