MARINETTE — The Mar-Oco Landfill on Schaefer Road near Crivitz has been in operation for more than 40 years. While there’s still some life left, a Marinette County official, likely most knowledgeable on the site, says now is the time to look to the future.
“We have come to an end as to what is approved through the DNR as our footprint for this landfill,” Mar-Oco Waste Facilities Manager Paul Klose said Friday at the Mar-Oco Landfill Committee meeting. “We need to start thinking, ‘What does this mean?’ And we need to start thinking, ‘A, do the counties want to remain in partnership for this landfill business’ or B, ‘do they want to just let this fill up, call it good and you will get out of the waste business?’”
He estimates the landfill has about 10 years of life left.
Both Marinette and Oconto counties kicked in a little more than $1 million to start the landfill more than four decades ago. Klose said the mission statement of the landfill is to keep waste costs down for residents of the two counties. He said the landfill generates enough revenue to pay its bills and to invest in its long-term care.
Klose outlined the steps involved and costs to expand the landfill. He estimates an initial cost of about $300,000 just to see if the DNR would grant approval.
An initial site plan with the DNR would cost between an estimated $10,000 and $15,000, Klose said. A feasibility study with the DNR would cost $250,000, he said. It would take several years to see if the project would be approved.
The committee voted unanimously to proceed with the expansion. Members were unsure if the motion needed to go to a parent committee or the full county boards. County Administrator John Lefebvre, contacted Monday, said the matter needs to go to the parent committees. In Marinette County that’s the Development Committee, while in Oconto County, it’s the Planning, Zoning, Solid Waste Committee.
“We need to make a decision, if so, we have to get the ball rolling,” Klose said, adding that there’s a lot of work involved such as submitting reports, engineering, and well monitoring. “It all takes time.”
“We’ve got to put it into motion instead of talking about it,” said Robert Hoyer, a Marinette County supervisor who was elected vice chairman of the committee. Bart Schindel of Oconto County was elected chairperson. He was excused from the meeting.
Al Schreiber, an Oconto County supervisor, echoed Hoyer’s remarks.
“I think you’re 100% right Bob. We get this rolling so we start getting some answers,” he said. “To sit here and beat this up — we’ve done this in several meetings already.”
Klose said the infrastructure is in place at the current site.
“If we don’t expand this site, we have to find a new piece of property,” he said. “The siting process would take a lot longer. Let’s be honest, nobody wants us in their backyard.”
Klose said if the initial steps gain DNR approval, there will be another two to three years to write a plan of operation — establishing where the gas line will go, where wells will be and the shape of the structure. The step will cost another $250,000.
“I think it’s time that we throw it out there and give them (both county boards) a month to mull it over,” Klose said. “It is budget time and if we’re going to do this, we have to think about where the money is going to come from.”
Klose said there is a balance of $1.3 million in the Mar-Oco Landfill account, however he is seeking a new front-end loader in his capital project list.
“County board members are going to have to decide if it is a big enough tax benefit to their taxpayers for each county to chip in some money again to do this study,” Klose said. “And if we can have the money to actually build it”
Marinette County Land Information Director Tim Oestreich said he believes the counties will be receptive.
“The landfill has been operating on an initial investment from 40 years ago,” he said. “They’re going to have to make another investment like that to move forward.”
Klose said the landfill takes in about 17,000 tons of waste per year, although it climbed over 20,000 tons last year and is on pace to reach that total this year. He said about 18,000 people visit the landfill annually, but many bring only three bags or less of garbage at a time.
Two concerns mentioned at the meeting were people continuing to put recyclables in with their garbage and larger items (such as couches, tires and refrigerators) being dumped throughout both counties.
“If we could pull all of the recyclable stuff that comes in that landfill, I bet you this site could stay open for another 20 years,” Klose said.
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