Chase County commissioners on Aug. 29 instructed staff to pursue state hazardous-waste funding to replace an aging boxcar used for household hazardous-waste storage with a prefabricated building.

Health and emergency staff said Kansas Hazardous Waste funding supports capital projects and prefers a modular/prefab structure over the current boxcar at the facility. The prefab unit discussed would be roughly 10-by-25 to 12-by-24 feet, with a base price of $12,261 plus shipping; a county match of 40% was discussed, which the presenter estimated would be about $5,200. Staff said shipping and possible site pad costs were not included in the base price and that they would obtain more precise estimates.

Kansas Hazardous Waste awards are a rolling application and managers said the agency typically receives notice of federal awards in September and begins awarding funds in October. Staff noted that the program is underused and funding is often available; commissioners asked staff to continue and bring back firm shipping and site-preparation estimates.

Commissioners discussed ventilation and fire-safety needs for any replacement structure and noted a modular design would allow windows and exhaust fans to meet those requirements more easily than the existing boxcar. Staff said the new unit would be placed on the existing foundation or gravel area and offered to collect cost estimates for a concrete pad if required.

No formal dollar-amount vote was required the same day beyond direction to proceed with pursuit of the grant and to obtain more detailed cost estimates.