The Newport Plain Talk

NEWPORT-The Landfill Committee for the Cocke County Legislative Body is considering the use of trash compactors at some of its outlying convenience centers.

Patrick McGuffin of Tidi Waste presented information about the use of compactors during Tuesday's Landfill Committee meeting at the Courthouse Annex.

"We've talked about using compactors at Hartford and Del Rio to see how it works," said McGuffin. "It would save us a lot in fuel costs. Right now we're having to make six trips a week to those centers. With the compactors, I'm thinking we'll only have to go only three times a week."

Although the county would have to make an initial investment, it would save money on the surcharge on travel charged by Tidi Waste.

"You would provide a concrete slab, run electricity to the site and pay the monthly electric bill. I'll buy the equipment."

McGuffin presented figures that indicated the county would need to build a 10-foot by 35-foot long concrete slab 6 inches deep. The site would also need three-phase power and gravel. Estimated costs for the county would be $2,190 at each site. The monthly electric bill for operating the compactor is estimated at $50 per month

On the positive side, besides the reduce on surcharge, the compactors would reduce scavenging, reduce rodents around the sites, reduce noise and allow the county to use the extra containers at other convenience centers, according to McGuffin.

"It's a lot neater," he said. "A lot of counties are going to this. We thought it might be advantageous for us and help you, too."

Committee members expressed the use of a compactor might also be helpful at Centerview because of noise complaints levied by nearby residents. Tidi Waste normally picks up waste at Centerview around 4:30 a.m.

The committee asked McGuffin to attain numbers on how much money the county could save on the travel surcharge and present the figures at a future meeting.