On behalf of the Grand Central Landfill team, we would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who participated in the informational meeting held on June 21 regarding a potential re-zoning request that would support a future expansion of the Grand Central Landfill. This was a great opportunity to educate residents on how our operation works and gave us the opportunity to demonstrate the environmental and financial benefits Grand Central provides to the Slate Belt region.
Unfortunately, COVID impacted our ability to host a similar public meeting back in 2020, and subsequently the Plainfield Township Board of Supervisors opted not to advance our application to the planning commission and complete a comprehensive review of our re-zoning request, which would have included numerous opportunities for the public to provide feedback.
We have learned a lot since 2020, including the fact that there is a fair amount of misinformation and misunderstanding regarding our operation within the local community. One of the goals of this meeting was to help set the record straight on some of the rumors that still exist today. A good example of this is our relationship with the Green Knight organization. Outside of helping develop the original 501C3, our only involvement with the Green Knights is selling them landfill gas that is beneficially reused by their energy plant, and contract operate the plant under an existing Operations and Maintenance Agreement. The efforts made by the Green Knight board to improve economic development in the Slate Belt region, which they have done successfully and effectively, is done so without any input or influence by Grand Central or WM.
Several things that are certain is that the closure of the landfill will impact many family-sustaining jobs, several million dollars from the regional economy will be lost each year, and that there will be a pronounced financial impact on local municipalities.
Grand Central Landfill provides Plainfield Township with more than $2 million in host community benefits each year. This keeps property taxes low and helps the township balance its operating budget year-to-year. Pen Argyl and Wind Gap also receive direct financial benefits totaling $1.2 million and residents enjoy free weekly waste and recycling collection, a $675,000 value. These benefits help save residents hundreds of dollars a year.
When Grand Central closes, residents across the Slate Belt, Lehigh Valley and Pocono regions can expect annual waste collection and disposal prices to climb. This region and much of the Northeast are approaching a disposal capacity crisis caused by the declining number of facilities that can accept this waste and the amount of waste each of us generates daily, which is roughly five pounds per person per household per day. This means everyone’s waste will need to be collected, transported to a transfer station, aggregated into a trailer, and hauled greater distances to be properly disposed of. This puts more trucks on the road and works against the sustainability and carbon reduction goals that are being established so that everyone can do their part to protect and improve the environment.
While WM and other organizations within the industry work on innovative strategies aimed at creating less waste and improving capture rates on recyclable products, the team at Grand Central is well positioned to continue providing an environmentally responsible disposal outlet for that waste. Upon approval of our rezoning request, the township will make it possible to keep our business, jobs and benefits working for the Slate Belt region. We look forward to telling our story in greater detail in the months ahead, and plan to host several public events and facility tours in the coming weeks. We encourage residents to join us on Aug. 22 or Oct. 8 for a landfill tour. If you have any questions regarding our operation, feel free to peruse this website, attend one of our events or call us directly at 1-888-373-2917. Educating the public on what we do is a top priority at WM.
This article was initially published in the Leigh Valley Live on July 1, 2022.