Century Set To Send Trash To Alabama To Avoid Higher Fees In Florida

December 3, 2008

landfillfront.jpgThe Town of Century is set to approve an ordinance to allow Allied Waste to dump Century’s trash out of state rather than at Escambia County’s landfill, avoiding the county’s higher tipping fees.

Residential and commercial waste in Century is currently collected by Allied Waste under a franchise agreement with the town. It is trucked to Escambia County’s Perdido landfill. If the town passes the ordinance, Allied would be allowed to take Century’s trash across state lines to the Timberland Landfill near Brewton. Allied currently pays so-called tipping fees to dump the trash at the county landfill. The Timberland landfill is owned by the waste company, so dumping there is a cheaper option for them.

“The bottom line is that we will be saving our residents $1.40 a month,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said. “We’ve got the option to say where our solid waste goes if it saves our people money.”

Escambia County filed a $1.3 million lawsuit on November 16 of last year against Allied over commercial tipping fees, a charge per ton for waste dumped at the county’s Perdido landfill. The county passed an ordinance that requires all solid waste collected in the county to be dumped at Escambia County’s landfill.

But McCall said Century’s town attorney Matt Dannheisser drafted the ordinance under a loophole he found in the state’s home rule act. That loophole, McCall said, will allow Allied to haul Century’s trash out of the county.

Before the ordinance is approved, the town must hold two public hearings. The date for the those hearings will be announced soon.

Comments

5 Responses to “Century Set To Send Trash To Alabama To Avoid Higher Fees In Florida”

  1. mickey powell on December 3rd, 2008 7:29 pm

    we’ve been kissing their girlfriends for 40 years so why not.

  2. b on December 3rd, 2008 3:57 pm

    Jan, some residents send their kids from AL to our schools in FL so why can’t we send our trash. Sounds fair to me!

  3. Mr. Greatful on December 3rd, 2008 11:46 am

    I believe Century has the lowest home garbage rates in Escambia County. The Council is attempting to keep the rates low. Unless Escambia County Florida closes this “loop hole” or if Alabama decides at some point to say “enough”. What is the complaint?

  4. Jan on December 3rd, 2008 7:02 am

    I’m not sure about other citizens of Escambia County Alabama– but I believe we have enough of our own trash to take care of before allowing Florida to bring theirs in to our county. After the landfills in Brewton is overflowing; where to then???

  5. Mr. Molino on December 3rd, 2008 6:57 am

    It’’s another money making scam for the trash company. You just know that they are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts for the poor, poor people in Century. Nope. It’s all about Allied’s bottom line.