The solid waste district that serves Athens County and surrounding areas failed to meet a state agency's required upgrades - which will cost the district about $200,000.
Every five years, the Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District, which serves Athens and Hocking counties, is required to submit a 15-year plan to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The plan must outline possible improvements for waste removal systems, said Roger Bail, spokesman for the district.
The plan is based on area residents' needs as well as agency requirements, he added.
The current plan involves the creation of three full-time and 17 part-time sites for resident trash removal, said Andrew Booker, Ohio EPA spokesman.
These requirements will cost the district about $200,000 to implement, Bail said.
The district currently has part-time sites available for rural trash drop-off, but only two are accessible for the required amount of time, he said, adding that the district also does not meet agency requirements that stipulate 25 percent of all trash must be recycled.
Bail said district officials will use its 2012 drafted plan, submitted to the agency Dec. 10, to meet previous requirements. The agency is currently reviewing the draft.
If the plan is approved by the agency, Athens and Hocking counties will have to vote in favor of it, and the final draft must be submitted by March 6, 2012, Bail said.
But he added that meeting the Ohio EPA's requirements is easier said than done because of recently slashed budgets.
The reason for the non-compliance is a lack of funds
Bail said.
To generate funds for the necessary updates, part of the drafted plan includes a possible creation of trash fees, Bail said.
Officials proposed a $3 generation fee in Athens and Hocking counties, Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl said.
The generation fee would charge $3 per ton of trash brought to the Athens-Hocking Reclamation Center, Bail said.
Officials attempted to create a fee twice last year, but city officials in both counties did not agree with the fee, so it didn't pass, Wiehl said.
Athens was one city that voted in favor of the fee, but not enough cities followed suit, Wiehl said.
The generation fee, if accepted, would cover most of the costs for the improvements because officials estimate about 66,000 tons of trash will be created in 2012, Bail said.
If both counties cannot reach a consensus regarding the plan, the Ohio EPA will create a comprehensive plan for it, Booker said, adding that the agency would ensure all laws and regulations are followed, but would try not to incur more costs to the district.
We never look to reinvent the wheel he said. Efficient programs will not be affected but everything is subject to scrutiny.
To temporarily solve the district's compliance problems, Bail said he refurbished several used trailers to serve as rural drop-off points for trash.
I'm doing my best with what I've got
Bail said. I needed the generation fees last year.
The trailers are only a temporary fix for a larger problem, Wiehl said, adding that there are other concerns for the district, such as equipment needs.
Among other things
Roger Bail needs a baler
Wiehl said. All in all
the fee is necessary.
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Ryan Clark
