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Amwaste asks Pickens County to let Whitestone Landfill open at 3 a.m.; board flags noise, legal steps
Summary
Amwaste, LLC requested the county amend Whitestone Landfill operating hours to open at 3:00 a.m. on weekdays, saying earlier hours would ease transfer‑truck traffic and could add about 100 tons per day; the Board discussed potential overnight noise and the need to change ordinance or host agreement before acting.
Collier McKenzie, general counsel for Amwaste, LLC, asked the Pickens County Board on May 4 to consider amending the Whitestone Landfill operating‑hours ordinance to allow a weekday opening time of 3:00 a.m.
McKenzie said Amwaste began operating the landfill in July 2023 and currently runs multiple facilities in Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana. He said the existing host fee agreement provides $1.20 per ton to the county and that the current ordinance restricting operations to 7:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, places Whitestone at a competitive disadvantage compared with nearby facilities that open earlier.
McKenzie told the Board the earlier hours would primarily benefit over‑the‑road transfer trucks traveling through the Atlanta area during overnight hours, could reduce vehicle backups near the current 7:00 a.m. opening time, and might increase incoming tonnage by roughly 100 tons per day — about four additional truckloads — which would raise host‑fee revenue for Pickens County.
Board members discussed potential impacts on nearby residents from overnight and early‑morning truck noise. McKenzie said Amwaste had not received complaints from neighboring properties and noted that a nearby quarry already operates around the clock. Chairman Kris Stancil advised that any change would require an ordinance amendment or changes to the host agreement and said the Board would review the proposal and consider potential impacts before any future action.
No vote or formal action was taken during the work session; the item will be returned for further review if the Board places it on a future agenda.
