Agenda - Council - 09/13/1982 - Special

Home

POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATING MEASURES ASSOCIATE~ WITH SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITIES This section describes the possible environmental, social and econo~ic impacts associated with both the construction and operation of solid waste disposal facilities, including municipal solid waste and sludge ash landfills. This sec- tion discusses if and how these impacts can be reduced or alleviated, including possible mitigating measures. Environmental impacts associated with landfills include increased traffic noise, litter, groundwater and surface water contamination, air pollution, odors, and other risks to public health and the environment, such as explo- sions, accidental spills or disease from rodents and insects. In many cases, social and economic impacts are more difficult to identify because they are unpredictable and rarely verifiable. Such impacts include reduced values of property located near a waste disposal facility, possibly a stigma attached to the host community and aesthetic impacts. Economic impacts include an increased burden on the local government for providing public services, loss of prime agricultural land, removal of land from tax rolls or loss of potential revenues because of changes in zoning. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS INCREASED TRUCK TRAFFIC, NOISE AND LITTER Operation of a ~anitary landfill or a resource recovery facility in a community will, in most caSes, dramatically increase the number of trucks on the commu- nity's roads. Heavier traffic will increase the possib.ility of road accidentS. How much the facility is used, the size of the facility and the amount of traffic besides refuse trucks using the facility route are three factors that have the greatest influence on accident potential. In most cases, truck traffic would increase during certain times of the day and would cease once the facility closes. Increased truck traffic is hard on roads and would require increased road maintenance. There are several ways to reduce the potential for traffic accidents and injury on a community's road. Ideally, the best route through or around the community to the landfill is one that is acceptable to both residents and haulers. Traffic control signals and speed limits can be used to regulate the flow of traffic. Crossing guards can assist children in crossing major streets on their way to school. It may be feasible to limit the hours during which refuse trucks can travel on certain thoroughfares. Certainly, some risk will always remain; however, it appears that risk can be significantly reduced. A certain amount of noise is associated with any sanitary landfill, because of landfill equipment and trucks entering and leaving the fill area. The noise impact is limited to the hours of operation and depends on the proximity of housing, schools, hospitals and other institutions to the disposal facility or truck route; on the sensitivities of people adjacent to the source of the noise; and on the degree of truck maintenance and upkeep. In rural areas, the noise impact is likely to be more noticeable because the background noise levels are much lower.