Marion County plans to shift some trucked waste to Wasco County

Think Out Loud

Marion County once burned its trash — and generated some of its electrical power — using the Reworld incinerator. But since that facility has previously announced it would be closing and stopped accepting residential waste, the county’s garbage is now going to the Coffin Butte Landfill in Benton County. However, as reported in the Statesman Journal, Reworld is challenging state regulations that it blamed on the closure. Regardless, since space at Coffin Butte is limited, Marion County commissioners have already approved the trucking of some of the waste to a landfill in The Dalles in Wasco County. A spokesman for Marion County told OPB that move is scheduled to begin in the next few weeks.

Marion County — like many others in Oregon — faces tough choices about how to environmentally dispose of the unwanted materials its residents throw out. We spoke earlier this month about the environmental challenges presented by both landfills and incineration. Joining us to discuss these policies and the financial considerations involved are Marion County Commissioner Kevin Cameron and Environmental Services Division Manager Brian May.