20-acre expansion approved for Alabama landfill

The Shelby County Commission in Alabama has approved a resolution for the expansion of a local landfill. As reported by the Shelby County Reporter, the Shelby County Landfill is now permitted to construct a new cell, expanding the site from 57.6 acres to 77.7 acres.

Located off Alabama 70, the landfill’s total permitted area consists of 360 acres.

“Last year, in 2021, we took in 188,500 tons of MSW (municipal solid waste) garbage,” David Willingham, the county’s chief development officer, tells the newspaper, adding that the construction and demolition waste totaled 81,600 tons and brush waste totaled 22,400 tons.

“We have permitted cells that take care of MSW, and the wood waste is ground up, mulched and reused,” he explains.

Cell No. 5 will be constructed by Vinemont, Alabama-based T&K Construction, which submitted the lowest bid at $6.5 million. “Cell No. 5 will add about 3 million cubic yards of air space for us,” Willingham tells the newspaper. “That should last us about 10 years.”

Construction of the cell began in January and is projected to be completed by September.

Although the commission previously approved the construction of the new cell, the Reporter states the recent resolution was to acknowledge a change in regulations for solid waste permits by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM).

“We will need ADEM to come out and certify the completion of Cell No. 5,” Willingham says.

As for garbage collection and recycling services, the county says its current contract with Phoenix-based Republic Services will expire in September.

After receiving only one bid in May, the county rebid the services in June and received several new bids, the lowest of which came from Houston-based WM.

WM’s bid includes rates of $20.69, $31.04 and $30.69 for residential garbage collection, plus $12 for curbside recycling (this covers transportation only and would require Shelby County to pay all disposal and contamination fees).

The Shelby County Commission will vote on the residential garbage collection and recycling bid at its first meeting in July.