Regional Landfill FAQ
What types of waste are accepted at the landfill and how long will it last?
Watch video answer by clicking here.
Categories of waste acceptable for disposal at the landfill include solid waste generated by households, commercial establishments and industries, construction and demolition debris, sludge, and residues from recycling, composting, incineration, or other waste processing technologies. Wastes not accepted at the landfill include regulated hazardous waste, bulk liquids, radioactive waste and any other waste types prohibited by state and federal regulations. The landfill is estimated to last 76 years based on the current amount of waste that is generated annually within Oneida and Herkimer Counties.
Does the landfill accept waste from outside Oneida and Herkimer Counties or New York City?
Watch video answer by clicking here.
No. The landfill only accepts waste generated within Oneida and Herkimer Counties. The Authority is legally prohibited from accepting waste generated outside Oneida and Herkimer Counties (Section 2049-ee of NYS Public Authorities Law).
How does landfill gas produce electricity?
Watch video answer by clicking here.
What are the transportation routes to the landfill and how many trucks per day use these roads?
Existing state roads (Routes 12, 12 D, 294, 26 and 46) are used to haul waste to the landfill. These routes are used daily by private truckers to transport goods such as logs, furniture, bulk milk, fuel, gravel, etc. to and from Ava/Boonville area industries, farms and businesses. Based on an evaluation using State Department of Transportation standards, these roads are adequate to handle the additional landfill traffic consisting of about 50 trucks per day that includes transfer-trailers, leachate tankers and direct haul waste trucks. The Authority constructed a turn lane on NYS Route 294 and an entrance road for the landfill in 2004. This turn lane accommodates the landfill traffic turning left off Route 294 into the landfill site, thereby minimizing the potential for traffic conflicts at this intersection. The location of the landfill site entrance road is also positioned to optimize sight distance considerations for traffic entering and exiting the landfill site.
What provisions are in place to control birds and other vectors at the landfill?
Proper operation and maintenance of the landfill are the keys to adequately controlling birds and other vectors. Operating procedures which the Authority utilizes to control vectors include: adequately compacting wastes; keeping the size of the landfill's working face to the smallest practicable area; covering the working face of the landfill at the end of each workday; and maintaining a 12-inch compacted thickness of cover soil over areas of the landfill where no additional wastes have been or will be deposited within 30 days. These operating procedures are used to limit the accessibility of the waste and consequently deter birds and other vectors from using waste as a food source. In addition, the Authority has entered into a contract with the USDA to control nuisance birds. Bird control techniques utilized by the USDA professionals include the use of pyrotechnics and the firing of whistling crackers.
What technologies are used at the landfill to protect groundwater?
Watch video answer by clicking here.
A double composite liner system with leachate collection is employed at the landfill to protect groundwater from leachate contamination. The liner system within the landfill cells consists of a compacted clay layer, a synthetic liner, and pipes to collect and convey all leachate to a pump station. The primary liner system is underlain by a secondary line system and both are monitored 24/7. Once leachate reaches the pump station it is pumped through double wall pipes to the two 1.3 million gallon leachate storage tanks before ultimate disposal at a wastewater treatment plant.
How is litter prevented at the landfill and what are landfill nets?
Watch video answer by clicking here.