Montgomery County Council to vote on trash incinerator options
Montgomery County Council to vote on trash incinerator options
The Montgomery County Council is expected to vote Tuesday on whether to keep the county’s existing trash incinerator open or shut it down and haul solid waste to out-of-county landfills.
ROCKVILLE, Md. - The Montgomery County Council is expected to vote Tuesday on whether to keep the county’s existing trash incinerator open or shut it down and haul solid waste to out-of-county landfills.
Both options carry financial costs for the county.
The Dickerson Incinerator, known by the county as its Resource Recovery Facility, opened in 1995. Prior county reviews determined that maintaining the site and upgrading it with modern technology could cost upwards of $356 million.
Montgomery County Council to vote on trash incinerator options
County projections also indicate residents could face an additional cost of about $50 more regardless of whether the county updates the facility or trucks waste elsewhere.
County Executive Marc Elrich has cited environmental and equity concerns regarding ash disposal, noting the need to secure a new disposal location outside of lower-income or minority communities.
The outgoing county executive has long wanted to close the incinerator, and haul waste outside the county while investing in alternatives such as expanded recycling and composting.
In a letter sent to the council last week, Elrich urged members to study waste-reduction and recycling technologies used in cities such as San Jose, California, if they decide against an immediate closure.
The planned vote follows previous council review sessions held on the matter in September and October.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Montgomery County Council.