White County now accepting proposals from companies interested in buying or leasing County landfill.
The County Commission voted to allow the The Solid Waste Committee to begin looking at proposals. County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson said the sale or lease of the landfill will be beneficial to the entire region.
“The disposal of solid waste is going to become a very big issue for all of the state of Tennessee but definitely the Upper Cumberland,” Robinson said. “In the next 10 to 15 years its going to become very expensive. I am trying here in White County, and maybe help our surrounding counties, to get ahead of that and get some kind of control over those costs before that ball drops.”
After the Solid Waste Committee receive these proposals, Robinson said each one will be graded by the committee and the best proposals will be brought to the County Commission.
“I’m of the mindset that if their is a private industry out their that can do something then the government needs to step back and let them handle it,” Robinson said. We’re looking at a private company coming in and at minimum running the operation.”
The County Commission would have to approve any proposal on the sale or leasing of the landfill. Robinson said they are carefully looking at each proposal.
“The County has got to be real careful because there is a lot of liability involved in solid waste,” Robinson said. “We don’t need a fly by night type industry coming in.”
Despite having to have the proposal approved by the Commission, Robinson said his expectation is the landfill will be operated by a private company in the near future.
Back in June, the White County Commission voted to contract management of the landfill out to an independent service. Selling the landfill was last discussed in June when the Commission was concerned they could be held liable for an environmental issue.
