Posted: 3/10/04
By Rachel Kytonen
While wanting to move forward with the proposed leachate recirculation and gasification project, the East Central Solid Waste Commission (ECSWC) had quite a few concerns when cost estimates were presented.
During its meeting Monday, March 8, Fred Doran from R.W. Beck presented the Commission a 5-year system improvement budget and schedule.
Doran said he and ECSWC Director Gene Kramer had talked about putting in $530,000 worth of leachate recirculation system and gasification improvements this year.
The commission is looking at teaming up with Dr. Milind Khire from Michigan State University on a pilot leachate-recirculation project at the facility.
Dr. Khire is an expert on trench design and moisture testing and proposes that he pays for design and installation and the ECSWC pays the costs for monitoring. Dr. Khireís recommendation is for a GEO textile blanket so that the water defuses before it goes down to provide for better distribution.
Leachate recirculation is one of many techniques used to manage leachate from landfills.
ECSWC member George Larson from Isanti County, asked Kramer how much the commission budgeted for the leachate system this year.
The goal with leachate recirculation is to prevent uncontrolled dispersion, since it should always be collected, treated or contained before itís released into the environment.
Doran mentioned draft versions of the leachate recirculation program are currently being reviewed by state officials.
ECSWC member George Larson from Isanti County, asked Kramer how much the Commission budgeted for the leachate system this year.
Kramer said $275,0000 this year and $140,000 for landfill gas infrastructure.
ìI didnít think this would cost this much,î Larson said. ìWeíre sure spending a lot of money. Where will this money come from? Weíre $255,000 above budget.î
Kramer said ECSWC may have to ìborrowî financial insurance funds to speed up the installation of a complete active landfill gas extraction system. He explained with this program the funds need to be paid back, but without interest costs.
ìYou need to look beyond each year of the budget,î Kramer said. ìYou need to look at the future and thatís what Iím doing. We owe it to the people to give them a state-of-the-art facility.î
Doran said the benefits of doing the leachate recirculation outweighs the costs for implementing the program.
He said there are 21 landfills in Minnesota and the ECSWC landfill would be the seventh landfill to do leachate recirculation.
Larson was concerned also with the smell of leachate. Doran said the water can be treated so it doesnít smell. He also said each pond will have over 1/2 million gallons of storage.
The commission as a group wanted more information on the impacts of the construction project on the facilityís permit, which expires in 2007.
The commission members said they were hesitant to move forward until it receives some assurance from the state the permit will be extended past 2007.
ìMaybe weíre a little early on this,î Larson said. ìWe hired you [Kramer] to come up with these new ideas, but we have to come up with the money.î
Kramer said leachate recirculation project has nothing to do with landfill expansion.
ECSWC member Robert Hoefert from Mille Lacs County, said he wasnít comfortable with spending $4.65 million in the next three years without knowing if the facility can operate after 2007.
Kramer said he realizes the ECSWC canít do all these projects at once and priorities will have to be set.
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