The first new Bartholomew County landfill cell in six years is under construction after several months of preparation.
Crews employed by Engelau Excavating LLC of Seymour were delayed a few weeks in starting the project by rainy weather, Solid Waste Management District Executive Director Heather Siesel said.
The district’s board of directors voted last year to budget $1,175,000 for construction costs at the landfill, located south of County Road 450S, about a half-mile west of State Road 11. When combined with preliminary site preparation, the total cost for opening the new cell could amount to about 38% of this year’s $3.46 million district budget.
However, Siesel had earlier told the Bartholomew County Council that the project may not be as expensive as originally predicted.
Siesel told the district board that the contractor has started excavating and stockpiling top soil at the 4½ acre construction site.
"But this is just the first step," said Siesel, who explained it might be August or September before the cell is completely dug out. While only one acre will be used for the new cell, the remaining three-and-a-half acres are being prepared for future use, Siesel said.
In terms of logistics, it is better to prepare a larger site due to required infrastructure and the property’s footprint, Siesel said. She is referring to land on the property considered suitable for landfill purposes.
Late this summer, the district will begin the process of placing a durable liner in the cell. This type of liner has been shown to be effective in preventing leachate from penetrating into the ground and causing potential environmental problems.
Although the new cell should have a six-year capacity, a second cell will be opened on the same site as early as next year, so both can be used simultaneously, Siesel said.
While it has been more than 20 years since the Wayne Township landfill replaced the former facility near Petersville, the current landfill still has nearly 80 years of remaining capacity, according to local estimates. However, Siesel warned the life expectancy of a landfill can be shortened by natural disasters, such as the massive flooding in 2008.
