Bingham Co. To Dispose Waste In Bannock Landfill

Bingham County commissioners breathed a sigh of relief on Friday.

After more than a year of dispute with the company hired to handle the area’s solid waste, they’ve taken the first steps toward a long term plan.

Ever wonder what happens to your garbage once it leaves the curb?

In Bingham County it goes to the central transfer station, where household waste is separated from the recyclables and construction materials.

But back in the beginning of June, operations stopped.

“In two days, garbage was clear out in the middle of the parking lot,” said Cleone Jolley, the commission chairman.

That’s because MSW Green Energy, the Utah-based company contracted to do the work, defaulted.

“I can’t totally blame all of it on them, but the economy went south and their ability to obtain financing just kind of disappeared,” said Jolley.

After more than a year of dispute, Bingham County got out of the contract in June, and now they’ve verbally entered a long-term agreement to send household garbage to the Bannock County landfill.

“We’ve been paying Bannock $28 per ton. For a five-year contract, they’ve agreed to $26 a ton,” said Jolley.

Now that commissioners know where the trash is going, they’ve got to find someone to truck it there, and a contract with a company to operate the transfer station.

“We do have a $44 solid waste fee in the county that everyone that has property pays for,” said Jolley.

Jolley said the county has been operating at a financial loss since June, but those fees have remained stable, and he expects them to throughout the next phase of changes.

“I think it’s going to stay pretty close,” said Jolley.

Jolley said commissioners will start looking at bids next week.

Bingham County’s original agreement with MSW Green Energy was to convert the garbage into bio-diesel or fuel to generate electricity.