County landfill has roughly 2–3 years of airspace left; engineer outlines Phase 3 timeline and rate options

Jonathan Myers, a professional engineer with LaBella who has worked on the county landfill for five years, told the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 18 that the landfill is filling Phase 2 and has roughly 900,000 cubic yards of airspace remaining, about two to three years at current intake rates.

Myers said the landfill accepts roughly 50,000 tons of waste per year (seasonal variation applies) and that the facility’s achieved compaction rate averages about 1,300 pounds per cubic yard. He estimated that Phase 3 — currently in permitting with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) — will provide about 4.5 million cubic yards of capacity and, at current assumptions, an 18–20 year useful life. Myers said DEQ permitting is expected by the end of 2025, bidding in early 2026 and construction in spring 2026, with a certificate to operate expected by year-end if all proceeds on schedule.

The consultant presented a multi‑phase outlook showing Phase 2 expected to be fully consumed around November 2027 and described additional future growth options (a Phase 5 “piggyback” and a larger Phase 4 on the southern side of the site) that together could yield decades of additional life if developed in sequence.

Myers reviewed cost and revenue drivers. He calculated a blended intake rate of about $22.73 per ton based on available data but cautioned the figure was provisional. Capital costs noted in the presentation included about $4.1 million for Phase 2C construction and roughly $2.1 million for partial closure work on an earlier phase. Operational and disposal figures presented were modeled from prior analyses and estimated total annual solid waste program costs and related capital and debt service in the range of several million dollars; the consultant described how higher gate or contract rates or increasing permitted intake could materially change long‑term revenue outcomes.

Board members asked about when tipping (gate) fees and contract rates were last reviewed and whether raising gate or contractor rates would reduce the landfill’s operating deficit. Myers said the $41/ton gate rate has been used as a benchmark in prior county financial analyses and that some contracts established in 2020 have no escalation clauses, constraining current blended revenue. He recommended phasing rate increases rather than an immediate jump to preserve intake from price‑sensitive commercial haulers. Myers said increasing gate and contract rates could raise the blended rate toward the mid‑to‑high $20s per ton and add roughly $1 million a year in revenue under the scenarios he presented; he also noted that raising intake to the permitted maximum (1,000 tons per day) would shorten site life substantially but could improve revenue profiles.

Board members and staff discussed competitive pricing from private regional landfills and how haulers incorporate both disposal and haul costs when bidding local contracts. The consultant emphasized trade‑offs between pricing, haul distance, and long‑term capacity planning and said more detailed contract review would follow in coming weeks.

The presentation closed with board questions and a request for the consultant to share the slides with staff for follow‑up analysis and projections.