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Commissioners approve purchase of excavator magnet for landfill to improve safety and recycling revenue
Summary
The board approved buying a hydraulic electromagnet attachment for the landfill excavator to remove rebar and other large metal from incoming material; staff said the magnet should improve worker safety, protect equipment and increase recyclable metal revenues. The purchase was quoted at $58,930 plus about $2,000 in hoses/adapters.
Rio Blanco County commissioners approved the purchase of a hydraulic magnet attachment for the landfill excavator after staff said the device would reduce safety risks, speed sorting of incoming materials (notably construction steel and rebar), and allow the county to recover more recyclable metal for sale.
Solid‑waste staff showed photographs and explained how heavy I‑beams, rebar and other metal arrive on roll‑offs and require manual handling or can damage processing equipment. Staff said a quick‑connect magnet would allow operators to pick, sort and move large metal pieces from the landfill pad, reduce manual handling, limit damage to shredding equipment and increase revenue by diverting steel to recycling.
The quote presented to the board was $58,930 for the magnet unit with an anticipated additional $2,000 for hydraulic hoses and adapters, for an estimated total near $61,000. Staff said the attachment is compatible with the county’s excavator and that it is in stock with a relatively quick turnaround for installation.
The board approved the purchase by roll call. County staff said the purchase would be covered by the landfill enterprise fund and would not affect the county’s general fund.
Why it matters: The magnet is intended to improve worker safety, protect expensive processing equipment, and generate some offsetting revenue by sending recovered metal to recyclers; staff said it will also help process increased concrete recycling work at the site.
What’s next: Procurement and installation steps will follow; staff plan to integrate the magnet into sorting operations and begin diverting metal to recycling.
