March, 1997
To Mendocino County citizens:
Did you know that your 145 tons of garbage per day will soon be shipped out of the county as part of a process put together by the Mendocino Solid Waste Management Authority (MSWMA) which represents the County and cities of Mendocino? Seven garbage hauling firms bid on the shipping and the two lowest cost bids by Solid Waste Systems of Ukiah and North Coast Waste Systems of St. Helena are currently being evaluated by the MSWMA for the job. Sounds good. Ship our garbage out of Mendocino and we are rid of the problem. Well. . .not so fast.
Under Federal and State laws, even though your garbage gets shipped somewhere else, Mendocino County is still responsible for it and can be liable for it many years down the road costing you higher taxes. My concern is that even though the two low bids are the finalists, it doesn't necessarily follow that they are the best firms for the job.
One firm proposes to ship your garbage by railroad to Reno, Nevada. This is a brand new company with no track record in garbage hauling, recycling and rail hauling. The other firm and its affiliates has a not so stellar record in the communities it currently operates in. This firm proposes to ship your garbage down Highway 101, through Sonoma County, to the Redwood landfill in Marin County. Last month a truck belonging to the owner of this firm tipped over on Highway 101 in Santa Rosa, spilling its load, snarling traffic for more than four hours. Caltrans workers were cleaning up the mess the next day.
Another potential liability problem is that the dumps being proposed by these two firms to handle Mendocino's garbage are unlined. Special liners are required by Federal and state law at most dumps to keep the liquid mess created by garbage from leaching in to water sources. In fact, the unlined Redwood landfill in Marin County is quite close to the Rodgers Creek fault which in the past month has had three small earthquakes. It is predicted to go a big-time earthquake in the future. Can you imagine Mendocino's garbage fouling the San Francisco Bay?
The point I'm trying to make here is just because these two proposals are the lowest cost doesn't make them the best deal for Mendocino county. Future liability problems, which will be paid for by the citizens of Mendocino county, must be seriously investigated. Also, past records, quality of services, commitment to Reduce/Reuse/Recycle (which seems weak in both proposals), and the experiences of other communities with the owners of these two firms should be just as important.
If you agree with me that other qualities besides just cost should be given importance, contact your county and its elected officials and let them know. One thing I have learned after more than 20 years as a recycling activist is that there is no "away" when it comes to our garbage.
Michael W. Anderson
Santa Rosa, CA
823-3736
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 1997
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited