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Residents, staff press Sanipac and Waste Connections to negotiate returning Springfield waste to Short Mountain
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Summary
Public commenters and county staff urged negotiations with Sanipac and Waste Connections to stop hauling Springfield waste to a Medford landfill; staff said they will attempt talks and return to the board by March 31 if no progress is made.
County staff and dozens of public commenters pressed the Lane County Board of Commissioners on March 3 to address waste exportation by Sanipac (a Waste Connections subsidiary) and to seek terms that would return Springfield‑area waste to the Short Mountain landfill.
Administrator Mokroyski told the board staff had received a letter from attorneys for Waste Connections and Sanipac indicating a willingness to discuss reducing waste exportation. "If we are unable to make meaningful progress with Sanipac and Waste Connections within the next few weeks, we will return to the board on March 31 to continue this discussion," he said.
Multiple residents urged the board to negotiate with Sanipac to require participation in county waste programs and to stop long‑haul trips that bypass county fees. "Sanipac's present practice of hauling trash over 300 miles to and from a landfill owned by Waste Connections Inc in Medford unnecessarily emits approximately 280 pounds of CO2 per vehicle per trip," said Patty Heine, a volunteer with 350 Eugene, urging the board to protect Lane County programs that fund recycling and hazardous‑waste disposal.
Small haulers told the board franchising unincorporated areas could put local firms at a competitive disadvantage and that contract tonnage assumptions for the Clean Lane project may be unrealistic. Buck Pelroy, a small hauler, warned franchising could threaten small local operations and livelihoods.
Why it matters: County waste policy affects transfer stations, recycling, hazardous waste programs and local haulers as well as county budgets. Residents and staff stressed both climate and program funding implications if waste is hauled out of county to distant landfills.
Next steps: Staff said they will arrange conversations with Sanipac and Waste Connections, report back to the board and — if progress is not achieved — resume the topic at the March 31 meeting. The board also discussed moving item 6c earlier on the agenda to accommodate a statement and public comment about the issue.
Sources: Administrator statement and multiple public comments during the March 3 Lane County Board meeting.
