Commission reviews solid waste assessment fee increase for 2028

Trash truck license and tipping fees increased

Unsecured load fines enforced to reduce highway litter

County awaits contract talks as trash hauling costs near $1 million

County orders three-pronged solid waste feasibility study

New municipal landfill could cost county $10 million minimum

State denies landfill liner exemption for Dickinson County

Commission explores repurposing abandoned quarries for waste disposal

Construction and demolition landfill floated as cheaper alternative

Blixt Landfill remains closed with no pending application

Commission reviews solid waste assessment fee increase for 2028

DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. - Dickinson County commissioners reviewed a resolution to increase the annual solid waste special assessment fee from $24 to $36. The hike, which would not take effect until 2028 due to county tax roll deadlines, aims to generate an additional $80,000 to $90,000 annually. The funds will be set aside for future solid waste management needs, including necessary building improvements and equipment purchases at the Dickinson County Transfer Station.

Trash truck license and tipping fees increased

DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. - Commissioners discussed ongoing increases to solid waste gate and tipping fees to keep pace with the rising costs of transferring waste out of the county. As part of these adjustments, the annual license fee for commercial trash trucks utilizing the Dickinson County Transfer Station will double from $25 to $50. Gate fees currently sit at $72 to act as a wash against what the county pays to have the refuse hauled away.

Unsecured load fines enforced to reduce highway litter

DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. - To combat litter on local roadways, the county is enforcing a $15 fee for vehicles entering the Dickinson County Transfer Station with uncovered or unsecured loads. Officials noted that loose debris frequently blows out of truck beds along Old 40, Jeep Road and Highway 77. The financial penalty is intended to encourage residents to properly tie down or tarp their trash before driving to the facility.

County awaits contract talks as trash hauling costs near $1 million

DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. - The county is awaiting contract extension negotiations with its current solid waste hauler. Officials expressed concern over rising costs, noting that the county's annual transfer fees are projected to jump from approximately $720,000 to $1 million. The steep price hike has prompted commissioners to aggressively explore alternative, long-term solid waste strategies to prevent passing the burden entirely onto taxpayers.

County orders three-pronged solid waste feasibility study

DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. - Faced with a choice between indefinite hauling fee increases or a massive infrastructure investment, commissioners requested a preliminary exploratory report to map out the county's long-term solid waste options. Staff will investigate and compare the projected costs of three distinct paths: continuing to haul waste out of the county, constructing a brand-new municipal landfill, and developing a landfill within an existing abandoned quarry.

New municipal landfill could cost county $10 million minimum

DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. - Representatives from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment informed the commission that constructing a new municipal solid waste landfill would cost an estimated $1 million per acre and take three to five years to permit. Building a viable minimum 10-acre site would require at least a $10 million upfront investment — excluding land acquisition — to meet stringent federal mandates for plastic liners and leachate collection systems.

State denies landfill liner exemption for Dickinson County

DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. - Kansas Department of Health and Environment officials confirmed that Dickinson County does not qualify for an environmental liner exemption granted to smaller western Kansas counties. Because the county sits in the Flint Hills region and processes roughly 10,000 tons of waste a year — which exceeds the 20-ton daily average limit for "small area landfills" — any new municipal dump must include an expensive high-density polyethylene geomembrane liner mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Commission explores repurposing abandoned quarries for waste disposal

DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. - Looking to bypass the massive excavation costs of a new landfill, the Dickinson County Commission directed staff to explore the feasibility of purchasing abandoned rock quarries to serve as future disposal sites. Utilizing an existing quarry could provide immediate, deep volume and maximize the lifespan of an environmental liner, making the mandatory infrastructure much more economical for the county to install and maintain over the next 50 years.

Construction and demolition landfill floated as cheaper alternative

DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. - As an alternative to a full municipal landfill, Kansas Department of Health and Environment officials presented the option of permitting a construction and demolition (C&D) landfill. A C&D facility requires only a compacted clay base rather than expensive plastic liners and drainage systems. While it cannot accept regular household trash, a C&D site could accept the heavy demolition debris that local contractors currently have to haul to Salina or Geary County.

Blixt Landfill remains closed with no pending application

DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. - State officials reported that the permit for the formerly operated Blixt Landfill was permanently revoked by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and the state has not received an application to reopen the site. Officials noted that even if a new applicant attempted to reopen the site as a construction and demolition landfill, the required environmental planning and permitting process would still take an estimated two to three years to complete.

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