Project Description: As the nation becomes more urbanized, sites once considered remote are now located in areas increasingly ripe for development or re-development. In order to site solid waste facilities local governments have installed public works infrastructure such as roads and utilities, reducing the costs for owners of adjacent parcels. Consequently, we see lands adjacent to solid waste facilities being considered for developments such as residential communities and commercial and industrial projects. Thus, the potential for nuisance complaints against the existing solid waste facility operations has become an increasing reality in many areas of the nation. There have been some instances in recent years where public and private owners/operators of solid waste facilities have been forced to close their facilities pre-maturely, resulting in a loss of valuable solid waste capacity and increased cost for solid waste disposal. Therefore the objective of this proposal is to develop methodology to gather scientific and quantifiable support for set backs and buffer zones as a function of landfill and transfer station operations. Appropriate recommendations for these setbacks will be made from case studies.

Project Status: The project is now in the first year of activities. The project is scheduled to conclude in 2007.

Investigators
Debra Reinhart, University of Central Florida

Roger Wayson, University of Central Florida

Marc Rogoff, SCS Engineers

Graduate Research Assistants
Ravi Chander, University of Central Florida
Angel Martin, University of Central Florida

Project Sponsored by:

The Florida Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management

Pinellas County Utilities

Palm Beach Solid Waste Authority