Washington County landfill opens new administration building, adds lanes in $9 million upgrade

The Washington County Solid Waste District held a ribbon-cutting to mark completion of the first two phases of improvements at the Washington County Landfill, including a new administration building, a new scale house and reconfiguration of the landfill entrance to add a lane each way.

The upgrades come as the landfill handles roughly 500 trucks or customers per day and about 24,000 tons of material a month, an operations figure the district cited while describing the need for expanded capacity and faster entry processes. District officials said the project cost around $9 million and was financed with a 2% interest loan amortized over 30 years.

The entrance reconfiguration creates a separate lane for large commercial trash trucks that can scan a code and pass through, while a second lane is intended for public drop-offs, a change the district said is designed to speed traffic and reduce traffic conflicts. Inside the new Solid Waste Administration Building, the district said there is intentionally more space to accommodate expected growth; the building was designed to serve the district for about 30 years.

District officials explained the landfill sits on about 555 acres and that ongoing development of disposal "cells" extends the facility’s lifespan; they estimated roughly 80 to 90 years of remaining capacity before the site would need to be capped and a new location identified. The district said cell construction is phased to avoid developing the entire site at once and that new cells include multiple protective layers and routine monitoring of groundwater.

The district described a mix of services available at the landfill and related facilities: residential curbside collection (typical fees cited at about $17 per month, varying by city), one ton of monthly free drop-off per residential address covered through taxes, compost sales, paint and battery collection, used-oil collection, tire recycling and transfer of recyclables (including glass and tires) to a recycling facility in Las Vegas. Officials said recycling operations nationwide have struggled to be profitable but that current arrangements with the Las Vegas transfer facility are roughly at breakeven.

The next phase of work will expand a public convenience center (PCC) that uses roll-off dumpsters for resident drop-offs; the district said the existing PCC is small, with six roll-off dumpsters, and phase three will expand that capacity. The landfill also accepts waste from some outside jurisdictions — the district cited Page, Arizona, and arrangements with Iron County — and said these agreements are paid and in some cases profitable.

The district noted a 21‑member board made up of representatives from cities across the county helps manage long-term decisions. The district did not present a timeline for later phases of construction beyond the planned PCC expansion.

Reporting for the district’s community education program, Melissa Anderson contributed details about the ribbon-cutting and facility services.