Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Waste Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County staff says landfill gas and hauling are major drivers of Chatham’s emissions
Summary
Solid-waste staff presented county data and said methane from landfill gas and emissions from hauling trucks are the most significant solid-waste climate contributors; they outlined recycling, food-waste pilots and collection-center operations as immediate levers.
Kevin Lindley, who led the solid-waste presentation, told the retreat that solid waste is one of the county areas where local government can have operational control and climate influence. "Landfill gas is by far our most impactful," he said, and explained that methane is converted to carbon-dioxide equivalents using a multiplier "between 25 and 30" to reflect methane’s stronger near-term warming potential.
Lindley walked the boards and advisory members through the county’s greenhouse-gas inventory methods and results, noting the inventory attributes waste emissions based on tons sent in a given year even though decomposition and gas release occur over 15–20 years. He pointed to the county’s 12 collection centers, compaction strategy and the recent food-waste pilot as near-term opportunities to reduce methane-generating material. "If we can get food waste diverted, we can get deeper into the recycling stream," Lindley said, describing the new resident food-waste drop-off bins at four centers.
Board members and committee participants pressed staff on specific data: why the county’s reported tons to landfills jumped in 2022–23, whether closed local landfills are being monitored for gas capture, and the relative contribution of hauling (trucks and heavy equipment) versus on-site decomposition. Lindley said a large portion of the recent tonnage spike traced to excavation spoil from a nearby industrial site and reminded the group that the county does not operate its own landfill; most waste is transferred to regional facilities. On closed-landfill capture he said the county is not currently collecting methane at the old site because it has been closed for decades and generates little gas today.
The presentation closed with operational context: the solid-waste department is funded largely by a per-household decal fee, runs on enterprise revenue rather than the general fund, and budgets disposal and recycling contracts that have recently increased in cost. Lindley and commissioners agreed immediate actions include expanding diversion programs, studying a transfer-station footprint to reduce hauling miles, and continuing the food-waste pilot with outreach to schools and residents.
