Group questions possible N.C. trash in Greenville County landfill

GREENVILLE, S.C. – A group of citizens rallied in front of the Greenville County government offices Tuesday morning to voice concerns over the possibility of 350,000 tons of out-of-state garbage heading to Twin Chimneys landfill.

Calling itself "Don’t Dump on Greenville," various speakers, including Greenville County councilmen Joe Dill and Lynn Ballard, questioned recent actions by county employees to negotiate bringing out-of-state-waste to Greenville at low costs.

“There are just some things you shouldn’t do for money,” Dill said.

Greenville County is expected to make a bid this week to accept 350,000 tons of trash from Henderson, N.C., over the next five years. According to "Don't Dump on Greenville" members, the trash will be carried on approximately 15,000, 22-ton semi-trucks to the landfill, which is located at the southern end of the county.

County Administrator Joe Kernell recently told councilmembers that the landfill can handle the extra waste, but it is the potential cost that is bothering council members Dill and Ballard. The county is taking in trash from other counties at a lower cost than the posted $30 a ton for the landfill, and it appears it will do the same with the North Carolina garbage.

Dill and Ballard want to pass an ordinance next Tuesday night that if the county were to take out-of-state trash it must charge $30.

“We can’t sell our county for trash,” Ballard said.

Eric Bedingfield, who represented the southern portion of Greenville County from 2002 to 2007 on county council, said he has issues with the amount of traffic as well as damage to local roads.

“I’m not comfortable with 15,000 semi-trucks driving past our homes, schools, and churches," Bedingfield said. "Why would we voluntarily put our drivers in more danger on the road? The worst part about this is that it isn’t even our garbage. Our quality of life suffers so the county can make money off of out-of-state trash.”