Concerns about the PDC Landfill Contract

On Wednesday, November 18th, the Peoria City-County Landfill Committee voted to accept a contract that has left many unanswered questions about the proposed construction of Landfill #3 which is to be built within the next 5 years.  The property of the proposed landfill as well as Landfill #1 and #2 are all publicly owned and are located in Brimfield outside the city of Peoria.

The vote determined that Peoria Disposal Company (PDC) will be the design contractor and builder of Landfill #3.  Only one person voted against the contract proposal.  Citizen suggestions for deferral were refused.  Although this is a complicated subject and there are many more public discussions ahead, we should all hope that significant changes can be made as this contract is further examined.  So far, there has been no victory for the environment.

One bright light is the promise from the Landfill Committee Chairman that all written questions would be answered in public and in writing by both The Committee staff and PDC staff. These questions and answers will be published on this website. Hopefully the questions will have positive answers about taxpayer financial risk, inappropriate use of perpetual funds, and the need for adequate public opportunity to participate in the process.

The continued inclusion of recently delisted (formerly called hazardous) waste as part of the municipal waste put into the City & County Landfill is a big concern, especially one particular ‘delisted’ waste item called electric arc furnace dust. this stuff is a toxic soup of heavy metals, furans and dioxin.

One of the big  financial problems in this agreement involves money from a perpetual care fund for landfill #3 being used to pay for problems on Landfill #1 which has no fund. Over $4 million will be required in the first of what will probably become many major repairs needed to Landfill #1, which closed 11 years ago. Landfill #2 is currently in use, and will soon be operated by PDC.

Stay tuned for more updates.  Download the contract here:  PDC Landfill Contract.

For more information:

• View our dedicated page to the landfill topic here.
• Peoria City-County Landfill Committee
• Peoria City-County Landfill