Republic Countywide Landfill to hold an open house
On Thursday, Oct. 10, the Republic Countywide Landfill open house will provide visitors with a look at how the landfill operates. The event, which includes a free lunch, will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., during which visitors will tour the site from aboard small vans.
“I always thought landfills were just trash until I started working here,” said Tracy Britton, billing coordinator. “Then I learned about all the science and engineering involved. It’s actually super cool.”
According to Mark Pytlik, operations manager, the tours will focus primarily on what is called the working face of the landfill. This is where waste is placed by garbage trucks and then compacted to crush the waste, saving space. At the end of each day, a layer of soil called the daily cover is placed on top of the compacted waste, according to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
“Along the way we’ll show some of the gas systems that are out there,” said Pytlik, who said guests will get a sneak peek at a new gas-to-energy plant scheduled to be in operation soon.
Landfill gas, or LFG, is a natural byproduct of decomposing organic materials in landfills. According to the U.S. EPA, LFG is composed of roughly 50% methane and 50% carbon dioxide, along with trace amounts of other organic compounds.
Instead of allowing those gases to escape into the air, Pytlik said Countywide will begin capturing and converting gases into a renewable energy source.
Converting LFG to energy helps reduce odors and other hazards associated with LFG emissions and decreases the amount of methane rising into the atmosphere. In addition, LFG energy projects generate revenue and create jobs.
“Everyone puts their trash on the curb, but a lot of folks don’t know where it goes or what happens to it once it goes to a landfill,” Pytlik said. “I think that educational piece is really important.”
Pytlik said Countywide employees will be on hand to answer questions about how the landfill works. A number of contractors and vendors also will be there to share information about their roles in the waste-management process including the Stark County and Canton City health departments, Diversified Engineering, and Ohio CAT.
“Once you see everything that’s involved, it’s fascinating,” Britton said.
The Republic Countywide Landfill is located just outside of Bolivar in Southern Stark County, but the street address is 3619 Gracemont St. SW, East Sparta.
The open house will be held rain or shine. In the event of rain, visitors will be shuttled from the parking lot to the tents via van.