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Miami County was one of the leaders in developing the Lake Region Solid Waste Authority and in community recycling. It now has a program that blends private and county government services.
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MIAMI COUNTY - IMPORTANT STATISTICS
County Seat: Paola
Governing Body: Five elected commissioners and a county administrator.
Population (2004 Est.): 29,712
Total Valuation (2004): $ 294,067,348
Total Waste Tonnage (2004): 24,581
County Annual Average (2004): 1.21 tons per person
Tons Diverted from Landfills (2004): 3,691.14
Percentage Diverted from Landfills (2004):15.02 %
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SOLID WASTE SERVICES
General Information: The primary administrative duties of the Miami County solid waste program are performed by the county, which has a contract with Waste Management Inc.(WMI) to operate the transfer station, construction and demolition landfill, disposal of appliances, etc. The county operates the scales and manages tire disposal. The Director of Public Services, under the direction of the county administrator, is in charge of the program. The weigh-master is responsible for daily operation of the scales and certain administrative functions. The program is funded by user fees.
The majority of waste generated in Miami County is hauled by commercial carriers
Household hazardous waste is directed to the HHW facility located on the same grounds. Any other hazardous waste is not accepted.
WMI operates the C&D landfill in accordance with KDHE regulations. Appliances are disposed of by a third party, hired by WMI. Appliances with freon are segregated. When the freon is properly evacuated, the appliance is transported to the white goods area for disposal. Tires are removed by Tire Town and placed in a KDHE approved monofill. Brush is piled in a contained area and burned according to state regulations.
The county has a contract with WMI to operate the recycling program. This consists of providing trailers at Louisburg, Osawatomie, Paola, Spring Hill, Hillsdale and Bucyrus. Trailers are picked up regularly. The transfer station also has a drop-off recycling center open to residents. The trailers are available on a 24-hour basis. The recycling center is open the same hours as the transfer station.
Transfer station: The transfer station is a pre-fabricated metal building with approved ventilation system. The floor is concrete of sufficient thickness to accommodate modern packer trucks. The floor space is 100 feet by 70 feet with a 15 foot pit for the transfer vehicle.
All waste coming to the facility is weighed at the county scales. The waste then becomes the property of WMI, which is responsible for proper disposal. At this time, WMI hauls the waste to a KDHE-approved landfill in Arcadia, Kansas. The scale house is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday.
Refuse Collection: This is available to all Miami County residences and businesses. City and rural residences use private contractors.
The cities of Osawatomie and Paola have mandatory service fees for city residences only. The city of Louisburg has an optional fee for its residents. The service fee is included with the utility bill, issued monthly. A tipping fee is charged at the transfer station to pay for operation and debt service of the recycling building and transfer station.
Household hazardous waste: These items are accepted at thehousehold hazardous waste collection facility during posted hours.The facility is operated by the Miami County Environmental Health Dept. The program is operated in conjunction with the Lake Region Household Hazardous Waste Program. It is a voluntary drop-off at the HHW facility. Following are items collected:
Motor oil
Paint
Batteries
Automotive Fluids
Poisons
Solvents
Reactives
Recycling: The county has contracted with Waste Management to operate the recycling program. The program includes providing trailers at Louisburg, Osawatomie, Paola, Spring Hill, Hillsdale and Bucyrus. The trailers are picked up regularly. The transfer station also has a recycle center for residents to drop off their recyclables. Gaylord boxes are placed on pallets inside the trailers and materials are separated into them. The trailers are taken to the transfer station where they are unloaded, sorted and processed on a regular schedule. The recycling center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Saturday. The following items are accepted:
Plastics
Magazines
Steel cans
Newspapers
Aluminum
Cardboard
Office Paper
Demolition debris, white goods, scrap metals: These are accepted at the county transfer station for salvage, recycling and disposal. Refrigerant is reclaimed from compressors and recycled. There are private contractors who perform similar salvage eruptions and are encouraged to continue.
Junk automobiles: These are not accepted at the transfer station or construction and demolition landfill. There are salvage dealers in the county that have satisfactorily provided an outlet for these automobiles. Legal mechanisms are in place to handle abandoned vehicles.
Lead acid batteries: These are accepted at the transfer station and the household hazardous waste collection facility for recycling. They are not accepted into the waste stream and are not to be disposed of in any manner other than that established for recycling.
Car wash sludge: This is accepted at the transfer station and is placed in the landfill as special waste at the construction/demolition site.
Used motor oil/automotive fluids: These are collected at the HHW facility for recycling. There are private contractors available for collection of commercial amounts of used auto fluids. These are not accepted into the solid waste stream.
Dead animals: These may be disposed of in the following manner: a) burial on the property of the owner; b) pick up and disposal by a rendering company, currently, National By Products, Topeka, 1-800-332-0312; or c) take to C&D landfill and bury in the perimeter. Burial procedures are conducted according to recommendations from KDHE.
Medical waste: Unprocessed medical waste is not accepted at the transfer station. Generators are required to contract with licensed disposal services for approved disposal.
Chemicals and containers: Chemicals and triple-rinsed chemical containers from noncommercial use are accepted at the HHW facility at no charge. Commercial generators must find their own approved disposal service. The county disposes of the chemical and containers through a licensed company.
Waste tires: These are accepted at the C&D landfill for a fee. They are transported by a contractor to be recycled or put in a monofill. No tires are accepted into the solid waste stream.
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EDUCATIONAL CONTACTS
For more information on Miami County's solid waste management programs on on the Lake Region Authority programs, contact:
J.R. McMahon, Public Services Director, 327th & Hospital Drive, Paola, KS 66071. 913-294-4377, email: JR McMahon
Charlene Weiss, Environmental Health Administrator, 201 S. Pearl St., Ste. 201, Paola, KS 66071. 913-294-4117, email: Charlene Weiss
Chris Anton Paus, Lake Region SWA, 34805 W. 263rd St., Paola, KS 66071. 913-294-4260, email: Lake Region
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