MSW Consultants issues report for New York county

MSW Consultants of Orlando, Florida, in cooperation with Pennsylvania-based Civil & Environmental Consultants (CEC), has prepared a 320-page report for Ontario County, New York, as that region braces for the likelihood of its landfill reaching its capacity before the end of this decade.

Ontario County, with a population of about 112,000, is in west central New York, and includes Geneva and Canandaigua as its largest cities. The county’s landfill is nearing the end of its operation and management lease agreement, as well as its permitted fill capacity, according to the report.

The current public-private partnership agreement with Casella Waste Services of Ontario LLC will expire Dec. 31, 2028.

“This necessitates crucial decisions regarding the landfill’s future and ongoing solid waste management for Ontario County," the report says.

In response, the Ontario County Board of Supervisors (BOS) commissioned the analysis by MSW Consultants, with a draft of that report, titled “Landfill Alternatives Analysis,” now posted to the county’s website.

The report examines landfill expansion options, scenarios tied to siting a new landfill, out-of-state municipal solid waste (MSW) shipping, and new and alternative waste-to-energy (WTE), landfill diversion and recycling facility possibilities.

The analysis includes the phrase “Transitioning from a Linear to a Circular Economy” when spelling out landfill alternative options.

In terms of mass burn WTE plants, the consultants note that 10 such plants constructed in the 20^th century exist in the Empire State, but they add, “Since the adoption of new regulations, new WTE development has become much more constrained.”

Should the county wish to expand the existing landfill, the consultants say such expansions are more common than new landfills or WTE plants, but still require years to develop environmental assessments and studies, overcome potential local opposition and secure permits and local host agreements.

Regarding a new landfill, MSW Consultants identifies large sections of the county that state laws such as the Finger Lakes Protection Act would prohibit from hosting an MSW landfill.

"The last successful effort to develop a new landfill in New York state was the Oneida/Herkimer landfill, which was built in 1994 after a 10-year project development period," the report says.

In terms of landfill diversion and recycling-related investments, the analysis examines windrow composting, anaerobic digestion for organic materials and investing to boost its material recovery facility (MRF) sorting capabilities for paper, plastic and metals diversion.

Regarding the MRF option and potential funding, the consultants note that extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation has been introduced in New York, writing, “Although there can be no assurance an EPR system is established, [this] and other changes in law could significantly alter the projected costs in this report.”

More information about and access to the Ontario County analysis can be found on the website operated by the county’s board of supervisors.