Ten Sleep transfer station opens May 1

TEN SLEEP – The days of going out to the town dump and shooting old television sets is coming to an end for Ten Sleep residents, as the facility will transition to a transfer station on May 1, effectively closing the ages-old landfill.

Built by contractor Copper Creek Construction from February to April, the facility features a drive-over scale, and open-bay refuse station. Upon opening of the transfer station, the landfill pits will be off limits for dumping and filled in for reintroduction as a grasslands area.

According to manager Holly Redland, winning bidder Roadrunner Sanitation will transfer the garbage from the Ten Sleep facility to the sanitary landfill in Worland.

Redland also noted that the solid waste district will host a free dump day on April 22, before the transfer station opens for business.

Due to prioritization by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, municipal unlined landfills across Wyoming are facing either mandatory transfer of refuse, or closure. A 2009 Integrated Solid Waste Planning report by the DEQ indicates that groundwater contamination caused by unlined landfills have caused operating costs to rise well beyond the budgets of most small local governments in Wyoming. As a result, the DEQ decided to phase out unlined landfills, replacing the system with transfer stations to relocate municipal and private garbage to larger, fee-based landfills.

According to new rules published by the Ten Sleep landfill, the annual fee for a household resident will be $160, or residents may choose to pay per load. Property tax notices may be presented for credit on the amount paid, and applied to an annual license.

Individual rates include $.04 per pound for household garbage (bagged), $20 for refrigerators, freezers and air conditioning units, $4 for tires, $10 for large tires, $3.50 plus $.04 per pound for furniture and $10 per ton for concrete.

The solid waste district will not charge for metal, brush and wood, lawn clippings or straw and automotive batteries. Animal carcasses must be bagged and placed in a receptacle, and all household garbage must be bagged.

Due to DEQ regulations, all truckloads must be covered with a tarp upon entering the solid waste district, to avoid litter on the property.

Prohibited items include pesticides, antifreeze, oil, paint and varnishes, explosives, asbestos and medical waste of any kind.

The Ten Sleep Solid Waste District maintains operating hours of 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.