North Carolina Senate approves moratorium
on state landfills
A North Carolina Senate committee unanimously approved
an 18-month moratorium on new landfills including four proposed
landfills that when combined would have almost doubled North Carolina’s
landfill capacity.
“We all know that landfills are an integral
part of the state and of economic growth,” said Senator Clark
Jenkins, (D-Edgecombe), the bill’s sponsor. “However,
we’ve got to take a look at these mega-landfills before we
move forward.”
One facility in Camden County would take in 10,000
tons of garbage each day from the East Coast and as far away as
Michigan. Currently, the state landfill with the highest volume
of waste is the Charlotte Motor Speedway facility, which takes in
about 3,500 tons per day.
All the major facilities in Camden, Brunswick,
Hyde and Columbus Counties are currently under review.
While landfill opponents indicate that trash could
contaminate groundwater supplies and harm fragile ecosystems, Greg
Peverall, a consultant for Waste Management, said the landfills
instead protect the environment by safely storing trash. He added
that a number of North Carolina landfills will reach capacity over
the next decade.
Dexter Matthews, the director of waste management
for North Carolina’s Department of Natural Resources, said
the bill’s exceptions allow existing landfills to expand,
which will help the state meet its needs during the moratorium. |
