FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mari Allan Hanna
Teton County Integrated Solid Waste & Recycling
mahanna@tetonwyo.org
307-733-7678
The Interim Trash Transfer Building at Horsethief Canyon is nearly move-in ready. Crews are awaiting the arrival of new trash handling equipment, expected in early February. Completion of this facility marks the latest step in the process to cap and close the historic landfill and upgrade the five-acre site for future trash transfer and waste diversion operations.
The interim facility will function as the trash handling hub from 2018-2019, while a permanent transfer building is constructed. Once the permanent facility is in place, the interim building is scheduled to serve as a food waste intake and processing building. “Completion of this building puts us years ahead of schedule,” explains Heather Overholser, Superintendent of Solid Waste and Recycling. “The food waste building is serving the current trash handling need as well as being in place and ready to begin composting operations by 2021, as soon as the remaining site upgrades are finalized.”
Engineering and design for the facility were completed by Golder Associates. Construction was carried out by MD Landscaping and Excavation, Inc. Final construction costs are expected to total $681,463, a sum which is $14,396 less than the County Commission-approved project amount.
Impact on Trash Transfer Station Operations
"Normal trash transfer operations will continue up to and throughout the transition into the interim facility. No closures are expected. “ISWR and trash transfer contractors are focused on a smooth transition and plan to be hands-on as operations normalize,” says Overholser. Traffic maps will be made available, and additional personnel will be on-site during the first week or so of the Interim Transfer Station to help direct traffic and assist customers. Up-to-date information will be posted via the Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling (ISWR) website (www.tetoncountywy.gov/recycle). Customers should direct questions to Scale House staff as well as the Teton County ISWR main office at 307-733-7678.
About the Horsethief Canyon Landfill Closure and Trash Transfer Renovation Project
Referred to as “Taming the Wild Waste,” the Horsethief Canyon project is a five-year plan to officially remediate groundwater contamination from the historic landfill that ceased operations in 1989. As required by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, the project includes installation of a new landfill cap, improved storm water controls and approval of a final closure permit. The goal of this project is to minimize the infiltration of surface water, reduce the production of leachate and significantly reduce impacts to groundwater.
The landfill closure project impacts the entire site, requiring upgrades to outdated facilities, as well as improvements to all areas that are utilized for transfer facilities, recycling and composting. The Interim Transfer Building is a mid-sequence objective within the five-year plan:
- New Scale Plaza (completed Fall 2015);
- Waste Excavation (ongoing 2016-2018);
- Interim Trash Transfer Building construction (completion January 2018);
- Demolition of previous, aging transfer facility (planned Winter 2018);
- Permanent Trash Transfer Facility construction (planned Summer 2018);
- Final Landfill Closure/Capping (planned 2019); and,
- Improved compost facility operations (2020-2021).