SC Nebraska News

The week of June 17 is Waste and Recycling Workers Week, which reminds the public to thank all those in the solid waste and recycling industry for their dedication and hard work. That dedication extends to the 10 employees at The City of Hastings Solid Waste Landfill/Wood Waste Facility at 725 S. Southern Hills Drive.

The landfill strives to provide an environmentally safe and integrated solid waste management system for Hastings and Adams County as well as Clay County, Nuckolls County, Webster County, Franklin County, Kearney County and communities within their borders.

“All of the staff out here truly work hard to ensure we are a well-oiled machine with the service we provide,” Solid Waste Superintendent Michelle Hill said. “I might add the cooperation of all our customers helps us tremendously as well. The garbage disposal services that utilize our facility are also some of the hardest working people I have ever seen. I encourage everyone to just stop and watch as they go down your street. There is no time for them to stop, and the weather conditions don’t always help either. I can’t say this enough, but thank you to all of the Solid Waste and Recycling workers. Your job may not always be the most pretty, but it is a service we can’t live without!”

In May, the Hastings Solid Waste Landfill/Wood Waste Facility had 2,603 customers who brought in 5,651.24 tons of Solid Waste and 224.83 tons of wood waste and 25.13 tons green waste.

The landfill is an enterprise fund, which means it is self-supported through fees and receives no local taxes. The landfill also receives grant funding to support special, free collection events such as for electronics or tire recycling.

Members of the Hastings City Council approved on May 22, the purchase of a new landfill compactor for $795,000. The existing compactor has 8,600 hours of service. The major component warranty ended after 7,500 hours. The remaining maintenance warranty will end after 10,000 hours, in September. Landfill compaction is extremely hard on the equipment. It is essential for the landfill to maintain an operable compactor. Some landfills will maintain a spare compactor to allow for maintenance and repair of the primary compactor. The operational requirements of the Hastings landfill does not warrant a second compactor. By timely replacing the landfill compactor the trade-in value and warranty has provided a consistent and reliable service.

The Hastings Solid Waste Landfill/Wood Waste Facility is open to the public on weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., and Saturdays 8 a.m. to noon. Landfill staff members want to remind the public those hours of operation mean patrons must leave the facility by 4:45 p.m., or noon on Saturdays. This is because staff members must cover the current working face with the alternate daily cover at closing to ensure the trash that was compacted during the day is maintained and covered along with finishing appropriate closing duties.

The sixth cell is the final cell available at this landfill. Once the cell reaches ground level, solid waste will continue to be compacted to a height above ground level per the permit issued from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy. The landfill is expected to reach capacity in about 23 years based on current activity levels.  

Original source can be found here.