Colonie is seeking approval from the state to up the amount of trash dumped at the town landfill in what officials call an effort to get the most out of facility.
The Town Board voted unanimously on Thursday, May 3, to submit to the Department of Environmental Conservation an application to increase the maximum annual disposal limit to 255,840 tons, up from 170,500 tons.
Department of Public Works Commissioner Jack Cunningham said the town has already discussed the change with the DEC and estimated the review of the application would take a few months. The change in the annual limit would bring the annual maximum in line with the daily tonnage allowance, he said, which is 820 tons.
Since the town hasn’t historically met its tonnage limits, upping the annual limit and meeting it from now on wouldn’t impact the estimated life of the landfill, which extends to September of 2018.
“This action is something we need to do to maximize our potential at the landfill facility,” said Councilman Daniel Hornick before voting in favor of the resolution. “This is one of those things we’re going to need to do as we continue to manage our part of the landfill operations.”
The town awarded a contract last year to Waste Connections to manage the landfill. For the first five years of the contract the town will be paid $2.3 million annually, but beyond that, having more waste coming into the landfill could net the town more money.
At that point, for every ton of garbage beyond the existing 170,500-ton limit Waste Connections would pay the town $6. If the change is approved and the maximum tonnage is met, the town would collect and additional $512,000 annually on top of the 25-year operating contract.
