Local contractors press county on landfill restrictions; engineer cites ADEM permit

Three local contractors told the Geneva County Commission that current landfill rules are imposing additional costs. Robby Brackin said contractors who have used the landfill for years object to a list of prohibited items — treated wood, paper products including cardboard, Styrofoam and light bulbs — and to the prohibition on accepting debris from outside the county. “It is an additional cost to contractors if they must go out of the County to other Landfills,” Brackin said.

County Engineer Justin Barfield replied that Geneva County’s landfill is not lined, and that the county’s permit from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) restricts allowable items. Barfield said treated lumber is not accepted because, without a liner, chemicals can leach into the ground, and that the county’s permit limits the facility to C&D debris generated within Geneva County. Commissioner Weston Spivey asked the engineer to contact ADEM and request written clarification and to inquire about possible permit modifications.

The contractors said hauling disallowed items outside the county raises project costs for local builders. The Commission did not change landfill policy at the meeting; instead it requested written guidance from ADEM to confirm the permit language and whether a change is administratively feasible. That written clarification is a likely next step before any policy change is considered.