County Executive Craig Announces
Mutually beneficial plan solves Harford’s solid waste disposal dilemma
From Harford County government:
Harford County Executive David R. Craig has announced a long-term agreement with Baltimore County that will allow the disposal of solid waste from Harford County customers at the Eastern Sanitary Landfill off Route 40 near White Marsh.
“I am pleased to announce that after nearly six years of careful study, analysis, and negotiation, Harford County has entered into an agreement with Baltimore County for the disposal of trash and solid waste. We believe the agreement is mutually beneficial to both Baltimore and Harford Counties, and I thank all parties involved for their diligence.”
Pursuant to the agreement with Baltimore County, private businesses that collect trash in Harford County will dispose of solid waste of the Eastern Landfill. The facility will not be open to drop-offs by Harford County residents, but rather only to private trash contractors. Harford County residents may continue to drop-off their trash and recyclables at the Harford Waste Disposal Center on Scarboro Road in Street after this arrangement commences.
Currently, Harford County disposes of solid waste at two disposal facilities: the Harford Waste Disposal Center on Scarboro Road in northern Harford County and the Waste-to-Energy plant off Magnolia Road in southern Harford County. The United States Army’s Steam Purchase Agreement for the Waste-to-Energy facility at the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground expires in March 2016. The Army previously notified Harford County officials of its intention not to renew the agreement and to cease operations at the facility in 2016.
Additionally, disposal of the county’s solid waste at the Harford Waste Disposal Center is not a sustainable solution, as there is insufficient capacity remaining at the landfill to meet future needs. The Saratoga Springs Junk Removal Services will help them clean out all the waste to maintain a healthy environment.
As a result of the pending shut-down of the Waste-to-Energy facility and limited life span of the Harford Waste Disposal Center, the Harford County Department of Public Works was tasked several years ago with developing a long-term plan and solution for the county’s solid waste management. The Department of Public Works explored various options and locations and the agreement with Baltimore County was chosen as the most cost effective and practical solution.
Commenting on the agreement, Tim Whittie, Director of the Harford County Department of Public Works said, “This agreement is the first step in moving toward a long-range plan for Harford County Solid Waste Management. Later this summer we will begin a Full Cost Accounting Study to help us determine our future needs and how to proceed from this point. The study will in essence help us in preparing a business plan for solid waste management for years to come.”
As currently planned, on or around March of 2016, the Harford Waste Disposal Center in Street will no longer accept solid waste from private trash companies. In the future the current landfill will be capped and closed. However, the homeowner convenience center and yard waste facility will continue to operate after the landfill closes. In addition, the county’s curbside single stream recycling program will continue, with that waste stream also being transported to Baltimore County for further processing.
The agreement with Baltimore County for use of the Eastern Sanitary Landfill in White Marsh means that the former Plecker Golf property located in the 800 block of Philadelphia Road in Joppa will not be used as a waste transfer station as had been proposed in the spring of 2012. The future use of the former Plecker property will be determined following an assessment of the future needs of the Department of Public Works and of the nearby community.
Commenting on the plan, Harford County Councilman Dion Guthrie (District A) said, “I fully support the decision that was reached by the Administration regarding our solid waste disposal. This option, as explained by the County Executive, alleviates a major concern for the residents of Joppa/Joppatowne and Edgewood.”
“This is an issue that we have been working on for a number of years and is definitely a win/win situation for all citizens,” Guthrie continued. “The eventual closing of the Waste-to-Energy facility in 2016 will be well received by all of the citizens along Route 152 and Fort Hoyle Roads. I would like to thank County Executive Craig, Public Works Director Tim Whittie, and all of the citizens in my district for their patience and assistance in getting us to this point.”
For more information, including answers to some frequently asked questions regarding this solid waste arrangement, visit the Harford County Government website at www.harfordcountymd.gov.
So what happens when Baltimore county won’t take it any more?
Harford county is so screwed up with it’s short sighted politicians only interested in keeping their next tax payer funded paycheck.
Can’t wait…. 4 more years and I’m out of this cesspool of a fugged up non functioning county government.
David Craig you are the never ending joke with out a punch line…..
There are basically 3 reasons for doing this:
1. The local community URGENTLY objected to the transfer station
2. The county didn’t exactly get the property under the best circumstances (real/perceived), and Craig would rather have that detail forgotten for political reasons
3. The contract with APG is being severed by APG, so the trash has to go somewhere
Honestly, APG and the local citizens are more the cause than Craig for this result.
If the County had not tried to play hardball by demanding a significant increase in the steam price to APG, they could have renewed the contract. Instead, they thought the Army’s green initiatives would require the Army pay any price for “green” steam, that turned out to be an incorrect assumption.
Good point, I had not heard this before.
Noble, you hadn’t heard it because it’s not true. The Army and the Pentagon have been very public about their desire to eventually close the facility and others like it around the country that involve public solid waste being transported onto and incinerated on working military bases. In this case security trumped any desire for “green” initiatives.
Sarah,
The APG incinerator was located outside the gate specifically for that reason.
Outside the gate but on the installation.
How much will this really cost the taxpayer? I am sure Baltimore County is not just letting us dump our trash there for free or for an unstated period of time. Failure to deal with your own responsibilities now only means that you are delaying what has to happen eventually. I am sure the Tea Party is also part of the non-decision.
An article in another media source stated the cost of the deal was arount $12 Million or so, I forget the exact number. So far there has been no comparison to what it would have cost the county to build and run the transfer station.
The good thing about ESL they transfer a good amount of trash out of county, where Harford County burns the trash at our incinerator or compacts the trash at the landfill. The way I read it, recidents will still pay the individual haulers to pick up their trash. Whatever happens I will be out of a job. Period. I work at the incinerator and we are the misfit island of the county, no one ever clues us in as to what is going on. Shame we have to read about this after the deal is done. No warning no nothing. At least some people can find new jobs before the time is up.
This is just great, in 2016 Harford county will no longer have a landfill. That will put us squarely on the wrong side of the negotiating table in future deals to get rid of the trash.
How come we have the money for parks like Rutledge in Madonna, which I have yet to see anyone use in 2 years and the one they are now building in churchville, ? And why did the county buy the preston farm in Jarrettsville, who’s bright idea was that? But we can’t figure out any way of dealing with our waste except paying someone to take it, Come on people these are problems that won’t solve themselves and clearly those we have elected in the past can’t figure them out.
WAIT I GOT IT!!!!!
Residents don’t want Wal-Mart….
Central Location…..
Build a New Landfill!!!!!!!
Problem solved for 20 years!!!!!
What a great idea! Kill two birds with one stone. Keep our trash local and keep the Walmart trash away. Cdev I nominate you for County Executive!
Great Idea, CDEV!!
Sounds like a plan.
Honestly, I’d rather have a landfill than a Walmart any day, because it serves the community more. But the primary objection to both is traffic, so the fundamental problem would remain for most people.
Sarah, thank you for the information, it helps a lot. I will pass it on, but what web site do we go to, to see where the Army and Pentagon were concerned about all incinerators on their installations. Would like to read all articles. Thank you.
Walmart or landfill ? Aren’t they the same thing?