County moves toward residential landfill as reliance on Caldwell nears limit

All landfills are not made equally — construction and demolition (C&D) landfills and municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills are two different things for different purposes, and Burke only has one of them.

Although Burke’s current landfill has a life expectancy of about 70 years, it is a C&D landfill.

The county is taking early steps toward building its own landfill for household trash, as officials say the county’s current system depends on a shrinking regional option.

Right now, Burke ships its household trash to Caldwell County’s MSW landfill, a reliance County Manager Brian Epley described as a long-term risk.

“Burke County is at a significant concentration risk,” Epley said. “Trash is something that we all produce, and it’s something that’s going to be around forever.”

Burke County’s C&D landfill is located on a property spanning up to 240 acres. Right now, only 36 acres are in use.

The sprawling area is sectioned off between a transfer station for household trash and the landfill, with its own sections for mulch, appliances, and other non-hazardous items. There is also a designated area for debris from Hurricane Helene.

Burke’s landfill is organized and well-maintained, hardly bringing the word “trash” to mind, though the stack of metal is less manicured in appearance. The grass is cut. The grounds are clean. There’s no hair-curling odor.

The trouble is that it can only take certain types of trash, and Burke needs a space for residential trash, which is why building an MSW landfill has been a priority for the board of commissioners for years.

At its recent meeting, Burke commissioners approved an annual contract with environmental engineering firm Garrett & Moore Inc. Engineering. The company will scope out remaining acreage around the county’s current landfill to determine if and where an MSW landfill can be constructed.

Epley said that, historically, an annual contract with environmental engineering firms costs about $200,000, but no specific amount for the Garrett & Moore had been determined at the time of the meeting.

MSW landfills must be built differently than C&D landfills because household trash produces a dangerous liquid contaminant called leachate, Epley said.

In simplified terms, MSW landfills must be lined and require a drainage system to capture leachate.

To deal with household trash, Burke County operates a transfer station. Household trash is taken to the transfer station, processed, and loaded onto a truck to take to Caldwell County’s MSW landfill.

Epley said Burke County’s 90,000 residents produce up to 65,000 tons of household waste every year.

In Burke’s case, the county is reliant on Caldwell County allowing usage of its landfill — but that is an issue in itself. Caldwell County’s landfill is at risk to fill up in less than 10 years, Epley said, according to assessments from the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

Burke County’s trash system works today, but it depends on another county’s landfill that may not be available tomorrow.

Now, local leaders are beginning the long and expensive process of finding a solution and, in doing so, strengthening the county’s self-reliance.