Rutherford County Celebrates Solid Waste Transfer Station Opening
Rutherford County is one step closer to solid waste independence, with the Ribbon-cutting and Tipping Floor Christening of the Rutherford County Transfer station yesterday.
The event was strategically planned to coincide with Global Garbage Man Day.
The 12,500-square-foot concrete building at 6000 Landfill Road in Murfreesboro was completed in 22 months and under budget.
Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Membership Development Kelli Beam, IOM, emceed the event attended by nearly 200 people. The crowd consisted of representatives from Senator Marsha Blackburn's and Congressman Scott DesJarlais' office, Rutherford County Commission members, community leaders, county employees, and residents.
"This transfer station means a lot for the community and surrounding areas," Beam said.
Rutherford County, Mayor Joe Carr's remarks highlighted how this project demonstrated the power of public-private sector collaboration and how there was a vision for this facility long before he became mayor.
The facility can accept 2,000 tons of trash per day, which is roughly 600,000 tons of trash per year. Thus, it can handle all trash generated in Rutherford County.
"This facility not only meets our current needs but also our future needs," Carr said. "The intent of this facility is not to bury trash; that is not the goal. Plan A is and always will be how we divert trash from the landfill. How do we compost, how do we recycle, and how do we leverage technologies to ensure that we are not following the path of all other transfer stations where there's a single-point solution where we're sending it to the landfill?"
He further explained how the opening of this facility allows the county to control the solid waste generated in the county and the solid waste brought into the county.
Rutherford County Commissioner Steve Pearcy, who represents District 2, where the transfer station is located, shared how he has been advocating for this type of solid waste solution for several years.
"We are very proud of this building in District 2," Pearcy said. "Today is the turning point we have made after 30 years to right a wrong. This will keep us hopefully from continually burying the trash of Rutherford County residents in the ground, next to our water source and in the town of Walter Hill."
Pearcy thanked the current Commission and committees that were involved in the project.
Solid Waste Director Bishop Wagener reflected on the day.
"Today marked a momentous day in the march toward solid waste management independence," Wagener said. "This was only possible through a consistent, collaborative spirit amongst many partners in both public and private sectors. As important as this milestone is, the Rutherford County Solid Waste Transfer Station is the beginning of our solid waste and recycling future. Our community has the responsibility to search for new and innovative ways to maximize our ability to increase recycling and diversion of waste away from landfills and into the marketplace. I thank you all for your continued commitment to these goals."
Carr thanked the design, engineer, and construction partners, his family, and all involved in the project, including Boyce Ballard, Hawkins and Price, KSA (Kline Sweeney and Associates), Moody's Excavating LLC, Olvera Concrete, SEC, Inc.(Site Engineering Consultants), TTL, and WM.
Carr acknowledged the county departments that were integral to this collaborative project, including, but not limited to, Building Codes, Emergency Management, Facilities Management, Finance, Fire and Rescue, the Highway Department, OIT, Planning and Engineering, the Sheriff's Office, and Solid Waste.
Rutherford County Road Superintendent Greg Brooks was in attendance, and his team was recognized for their contribution to the project's success. At the last commission meeting, the department received a Resolution of Appreciation from Carr and the Commission for improving just under 1.5 miles of road on Landfill Road, which has an estimated cost savings of $5-7 million.
WM Area Vice President Eddie McManus spoke at the event and said that in his 30 years of working in the solid waste industry, he had never seen a transfer station as nice as Rutherford County's facility.
As customary in the solid waste industry, the event ended with the tipping floor christened with the first load of solid waste dumped on the surface. The crowd applauded and cheered as the waste was released from the garbage trucks onto the tipping floor.
A transfer station is a waste depository where solid waste is brought to and temporarily held before reaching its final destination. Trucks deliver the waste to the station and deposit it to the floor, referred to as the tipping floor, where it is then placed into long-haul trucks for transport to its final destination. All trash is removed from the tipping floor each day and the floor is washed clean.
A recording of the event can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoqKRcHFgPA.
More information about the transfer station can be found at https://rutherfordcountytn.gov/transfer_station.