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HomeMy WebLinkAbout670200.tiffSOLID WASTE IN LARIM E R COUNTY A REPORT ON REFUSE STORAGE ,COLLECTION, AND DISPOSAL PRACTICES July , 1967 PL0634 670200 COLORADO STATE DEPARTMENT of PUBLIC HEALTH Public Health Engineering Section 4. 2 1 0 East Eleventh Avenue Denver , Col or a d o , 8 0 2 2 0 Approved: George A. Prince, P.E., Chief Public/Health Engineering Section Enclosures: (5) 0FS:mb COLORADO am_ 7-11/4 •i"; : PUBLIC HEALTH -4210 EAST 11TH AVENUE • DENVER, COLORADO 80220 • PHONE 388-5801 R. L. CLEERE, M.D., M.P.H., DIRECTOR July 24, 1967 Mrs, Ann Spomer, County Clerk Weld County Commission Greeley, Colorado Re: Report - Solid Wastes, Larimer County Dear Mrs. Spomer: Transmitted herewith are five copies of "A Report on Refuse Storage, Collection and Disposal Practice in Larimer County." She purpose of this study is to describe as compared to generally accepted public evaluate trends and future requirements, to correct existing deficiencies, and to future solid waste problems. the status of a solid waste disposal, health standards and practices, to to recommend a general course of action develop and implement plans to cope with County and municipal governmental bodies are urged to take positive action on these recommendations. A meeting has been scheduled for August 30, 1967 at the Ft. Collins Municipal Building with representatives of the Colorado State Department of Public Health, Larimer County Commissioners and Municipal officials. The purpose being to review the solid wastes disposal problems and discuss questions local representa- tives may have. Time for this meeting has been set for 2:00 p.m. She author wishes to extend his appreciation for the assistance and cooperation shown by all municipal officials and interested persons contacted in Larimer County. Helpful liaison with local governmental agencies was provided by Mr. Fred Vogt, Larimer County Sanitarian. Respectfully submitted, For, Director, Division of Engineering and Sanitation 0..,4.T - ,J1Ge J/a-/ Orville F. Stoddard, P.E. Sr. Public Health Engineer Public Health Engineering Section PUBLIC HEALTH ENGINEERING SECTION William N. Gahr, P.E., Division Director George A. Prince, P.E., Chief -Report By: _Orville F. Stoddard, P.E. Sr. Public Health Engineer Clarence 0. Mahn, Jr. Assoc. Public Health Engineer Ted Davis Vector Control Specialist CONTENTS Page I. THE PROBLEM 1 II. PURPOSE AND SCOPE 3 III. METHOD 4 A. Storage B. Collection 4 4 C. Disposal 5 IV. CONCLUSIONS 7 A. Refuse Storage and Collection 7 B. Disposal Sites 7 V. RECOMMENDATIONS 8 A. Immediate Action 8 B. Long =Range Plans 9 VI. EXISTING SITUATION 10 A. Refuse Storage and Collection 10 B. Backyard Burning 11 -C. Disposal Sites 12 1. Fort Collins Loveland 12 2. Fort Collins Log Dump 13 3. Wellington 14 4. Estes Park 16 5. Berthoud 16 6. Other Disposal Sites in Latimer County 17 .D. Vector Problems in Larimer County 19 ILLUSTRATIONS Page REFUSE ON PREMISE 11 DISPOSAL PRACPICFS 13 DISPOSAL SITES IN LARIMER COUNTY 15 DISPOSAL SITES 19 Fort Collins Log Dump Fort Collins - Loveland Wellington DISPOSAL SITES 23 Estes Park Berthoud A Resort. Dump APPENDIX. SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL SITES AND FACILITIES Providing for the Regulation and Control of Solid. Waste Disposal Sites and Facilities (Senate Bill No. 225 - 1967 General Assembly of the State of Colorado) COLORADO STATE DEPARraENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL REGULATIONS Rules and Regulations Relative to the Public Health Aspects Involved in the Utorage and Disposal of Solid Wastes SUGGESTED SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL RESOLUTION SANITARY LANDFILL BULLETIN I. THE YROBLEM: Probably the most serious shortcoming in the field of public works since World War II has been a chronic inability to evaluate the status of solid waste dispa_al and to develop logical and economical systems to meet the changing times. Although some $3 billion are spent annually in the United States to collect and dispose of refuse and other solid wastes, the collection and dis- posal practices in common usage are but little improved over those of a quarter of a century ago. Unfortunately, open dumps and burning in dumps are still widespread practices. This mishandling of solid wastes is frequently more costly than proper refuse disposal methods. The economic losses in medical bills, fire, rodent and insect damage, air and water pollution, use of toxic insect sprays, poisons, exterminstors' fees, and depreciated property values are staggering. Offensive odors and visual blight are more difficult to assign monetary values. Solid waste is not just a simple problem of collection and -disposal of discarded materials. It is a complexity of legal and political implications having social and economic overtones, in addition to the important public health aspects. historically, waste disposal, because of the very nature and origin of the -problem, has been delegated to the lowest level of importance and responsibility. If we are to pull ourselves out of the refuse which is cluttering our landscape, endangering our health, and slowly but surely engulfing our way of life, it is essential that responsible public officials and the public at large recognize the problem and work Tor better solutions in solid waste management. Prompt, efficient, collection and disposal of refuse, either through complete discard or through salvage and re -use, is essential to the environmental sanitation, the establishment of proper preventive health measures for our communities, and is in keeping with goodconservation practices. In _Colorado it is estimated that about 2,595,000 tons of refuse will be produced annually by 1970. Solid waste survey records compiled by the'Colorado State Department of Public Healthindicate that less than 10% of this refuse is being disposed of in a sanitary nuisance free manner. Open dumping is the most common method of disposal. This practice is conducted with scant regard to sanitation standards. It presents health hazards, and attendant blight throughout the state, in rural areas as well as in densely populated urban renters. Since refuse production on a per capita basis is increasing faster than population, disposal problems in the state are compounding in rapidly expanding areas. Population in Larimer County is expected to almost triple by the year 2000. Based on this growth, the following table illustrates the magnitude of the solid waste problem. By the year 2000, the County will be discarding 700 tons of refuse every day. These figures are low since they do not include the refuse from tourist populations. It is estimated that approximately 40,000 persons reside in the county during the summer months. This will in- crease the refuse total to 715 tons. REFUSE PRODUCTION - LARIMER COUNTY - 1967 - 2000 Refuse Produced Total Refuse Produced Date Population Pounds/Capita/Day Tons/Day 1967 77,500 4.2 163 1970 90,000 4.8 216 1980 145,000 5.5 400 2000 200,000 7.0 700 Here lies the -problem: II. PURPOSE AND SCOPE: The solid waste fight is not a local battle. Nationwide attention to this problem resulted in the passage of the Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1965, Title II of Public Law 89-272. This important new legislation directs the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare to initiate, encourage, and support a national program aimed at discovering and evalueLing better methods of coping with the solid waste problem. As part of this Act, the Secretary is authorized to provide training, and financial and technical assistance to local and State agencies so that they can survey their needs in the solid waste area and plan for the development and staffing of programs capable of meeting those needs now and in the years to come. He is also able to encourage and support projects to demonstrate new and improved methods of solid waste collection, handling, and disposal. The Colorado Public Health Department has obtained a Federal grant to support a survey of solid waste practices and problems in the State and to develop a comprehensive solid waste management plan on a statewide basis. This solid waste survey for Larimer County is part of a statewide study being made for evory county in Colorado and is being financed in part by this Federal grant. The Colorado State_Department of Public Health, within the Engineering Section, has a planning group whose primary responsibility is in the field of solid waste management. This survey for Larimer County was con- ducted ty this group. All persons and public bodies wishing to improve local solid waste practices -are encouraged to refer to this Agency for suggestions and advice. The Larimer County study of existing facilities for handling solid waste includes storage, collection and disposal. These are the three basic elements of a solid waste system. In this study each element will be evaluated separately and merged to obtain a comprehensive evaluation of the total system. III. METHOD: Information for this report was obtained through visits to the sites, interviews with operating personnel and local officials, and a survey question- naire. The following considerations were used in evaluating each element of the solid waste system. A. Storage: Storage is basically the homeowner's responsibility; however, there should be adequate control and regulation by local government to insure the absence of nuisances and health hazards and permit safe and efficient -collection. Typical ordinances for storage control regulate the container size, _construction, lid type, handholds and its location for pick-up. A 20 to 30 gallon conventional heavy, duty galvanized garbage can with the r-ecessed bottom fits most container recommendations. Ordinances also _control the preparation of waste for collection, i.e., garbage separation Dr combined, special containers for bulky or hazardous material, etc. B. Collection: Collection can be handled either completely by a municipality, by a private contractor, with the arrangements for service being made directly with each individual, or on a contract basis, where the contract is be- tween the city and a private contractor. Each collection method has its advantages and disadvantages, depending generally upon the size of the population served. No matter how the collection is made, every residential dwelling should thave a regular pick-up service at least once a week, and commercial establishments more frequently, especially those with a high rate of garbage discharge. In terms of equipment, specially constructed com- pactor collection vehicles afford economic and sanitary -advantages over other vehicles in -most situations. A compactor truck of 20 cu. yd. capacity can handle about 5 tons of compacted refuse. The pick-up operation varies with each community. The most efficient and economical service will depend largely upon the population density, street layout, topography, and climate conditions. Basically there are three types of service: 1. Alley or curb service: Householder takes out cans and returns them when they are emptied. 2. Set out service: Householder returns Empty cans from curb. 3. Set out, set back service: -Householder is not involved. Gans are taken out and returned by the collector. C. DISPOSAL: When refuse is disposed of in an open area the only satisfactory method is by a sanitary landfill. A "sanitary landfill" is a method of disposing of refuse an land without creating nuisances or hazards to -public health or safety. Refuse is compacted with heavy earth moving equipment, and then covered with a layer of earth ar inert material at the conclusion of each day's operation or at more frequent intervals if necessary. Colorado has a new law for controlling solid waste disposal sites. Rules and regulations related to this law were used as a basis for evaluating present disposal sites in Larimer County. The Public Health Service tenta- tive rating method for sanitary landfill operations was also used in the evaluations. Of all the items considered in rating a landfill disposal site, the six which are most important are listed as follows: 1. Blowing Paper: Blowing refuse shall be controlled by providing a portable fence near the working area, or by use of earth banks or natural barriers. The entire -site shall be policed regularly and unloading shall be performed so as to minimize scattering of refuse. 2. Daily Cover: A uniform compacted layer of at least six inches of suitable cover material shall be placed on all exposed refuse by the end of each working day. 3. Final Cover: A minimum layer of suitable _cover material compacted to a minimum depth of two feet shall be placed over the -entire surface of each portion of the final depth, not later than one week following the placement of refuse within that portion. 4. Burning: No garbage or refuse containing garbage shall be burned at the landfill disposal site: 5. Placement in Ground Water: The depositing of refuse in locations where continuous Dr intermittent contact occurs between refuse and the ground water table shall be avoided. 6. Drainage of Surface Water: The entire site including the fill surface, shall be graded -and/or provided with drainage facilities to minimize run-off into and onto the fill, prevent erosion or washing of the fill, drain off rain water falling on the fill, and prevent the _collection of standing water. The final surface of the fill shall be graded to a slope of at least 1/2 of one percent, but no surface slope shall We so steep as to cause erosion or the cover. As a general rule, one acre of landfill is needu., every year per 10,000 population. This rule should be used with caution, however, since the volume and weight of refuse varies considerably with each community. IV. CONCLUSIONS: A. Refuse Storage and Collection: 1. Poor refuse storage practices are prevalent throughout Larimer County. Many containers are too large for one person to handle and are not covered for protection from flies and rodents. 2. Backyard burning in inefficient incinerators are sources of considerable air pollution. 3. Loveland is the only community in Larimer County with a mandatory collection system. The number of packer trucks is sufficient for handling the present daily refuse load on a weekly pick-up basis. 4. Private contract collection with individual householders is not satis- factory in providing regular collection since almost throe -quarters of the population in the county do not subscribe. Negligence is present in haul -your -own dumping. B. Disposal Sites: 1. :It is apparent that insufficient time, Engineering and expenditure has been given to the problem of solid waste disposal in the county. 2. There -are important deficiencies in all disposal sites in Larimer County. None of the sites in the county utilize any of the six required controls for satisfactory operation. 3. Rodents including rats, chipmunks, muskrats, prairie dogs, as well as other vectors such as flies and mosquitoes are present in large numbers at all sites, and present potential health problems. A. The Fort Collins -Loveland disposal site is a good -example of a cooperative approach to the solid waste problem. The site is large enough to handle an expanding population within this region for at least a 20 -year period. With better engineering manage- ment and good sanitary landfill practices, this site could be greatly improved. In considering the development taking place rapidly around this site, it has a good ultimate potential as a regional recreation area. 5. The County needs a comprehensive solid waste study and report -by a competent engineering firm to provide a clear picture of the scope and costs of the services and facilities needed to meet -present and future demands for refuse collection and disposal. This report should consider all technical -aspects of the problem including alternative solutions, the recommended approach, estimates of capital costs, annual _costs for fixed charges, and operation and methods of financing services and facilities. V. RECOMMENDATIONS: A. Immediate Action: The following steps should be taken to bring all _disposal sites in Larimar County into compliance with the recently passed Act "providing for the regulation and control of solid waste disposal sites and facilities". (All sites must comply by July 1, 1968) 1. Existing large working faces should be covered and compacted with at least two feet of sandy loam. Large bulky items such as car bodies, refrigerators, etc., on the and disposed of in a trench 2. Future working faces should immediate face might have to be removed excavation in order to get good compaction. be limited to areas that can be adequately compacted and covered with six inches of sandy loam after each working day. -8- 3. Sites and facilities should be adequately fenced so as to prevent waste material and debris from blowing about. 4. Present burning should be stopped. The burned material should be spread out, and compacted with at least two feet of cover providing a tight seal. 5. Adequate draining away from all working faces should be provided, especially in areas with a possible water pollution problem. 6. All exhausted sites should he given a two -foot final cover of compacted sandy loam. B. Long Range Plans: The refuse disposal problem, from the point of origin to final disposal, should be attackedon a regional or metropolitan basin in Latimer County. The combined communities of Fort Collins, Loveland, and Berthoud for in- stance, should consider their disposal on a "problem shed" basis and discuss possible mutual solutions. Necessary ordinances should be enacted to strengthen good storage, collection and disposal practices. Solid waste does not respect -municipal boundaries. It accumulates just as fast outside the city. Cooperation between all adjacent developed areas in the county could result in a more efficient, less costly operation and would greatly reduce the public health menace always present in poor sanitary disposal practices. VI. EXISTING SITUATION: A. Refuse Store and Collection: There are no ordinances in Larimer County for regulating the storage of refuse. Fort Collins requires that collection containers be covered. Otherwise, residents in Loveland and Fort Collins must separate their garbage. It is used for hog feeding. Only a small percentage of the residents in the County use garbage grinders. A sample of storage containers in the Larimer County area is shown on the following plate. The most prevalent container appears to be an open 55 gallon drum. Loveland is the only City that operates its -own collection system. Service is mandatory. Residents in the rest of the County rely on private contractors, or haul it themselves. All persons within the County have regular weekly collections available. Daily collections are made to com- mercial establishments. On the basis of 4.2 pounds of refuse per capita, Larimer County generates about 163 tons of refuse a day. The Loveland collection system was put into operation in 1967. Equipment consists of two packer trucks (20 cu. yd. capacity) and one pickup truck. The charge for weekly service is $1.00 a month per resident and is included on every resident's electric bill. Alley or curb service is provided. Garbage in the City is collected by a private hauler. Loveland generates about 30 tons of refuse a day. The charges for private collection in Larimer County in general are higher -than the charges for municipal collection in Loveland. These charges range from $1.50 for individual calls to $3.50 per month for weekly collections. Estes Park residents are served by one private contractor who charges $2.50 per month for weekly collections. Nine private haulers serve approximately 400 residences in the Fort Collins area. The remaining property owners in Larimer County (about three-quarters of the total county population) take care of their own refuse. -10- REFUSE ON PREMISE _LARIME-R COUNTY, COLORADO 11 Dump charges for individuals at the Lovelanc /art Collins disposal area range from $.25 for an automobile to $1.25 for a pickup with a raised bed. Whenever refuse disposal is left up to the individual, and an.expense is involved in its collection and disposal, mismangement is always wide- spread. There are numerous examples in the Fort Collins area of open dumps on private land and collections of refuse on premises which are not being disposedof regularly. Illustrations on the following page show some typical examples of illegal dumping. B. Backyard Burniine: There is no restriction on backyard incineration in Larimer County except for a special fire zone area in Estes £ark. Backyard incinerators vary from -punctured 55 -gallon drums, to the standard incinerators -found in more recently developed subdivisions. Some examples of poor incinera- tors in Larimer County are shown on the following plate. Incineration, and open burning contribute direcTly to the air pollution problem. According to studies made by the U.S. Public Health Service and the Colorado State Department of Public Health, it is estimated that combustion of refuse amounts to an estimated 20 percent of a community's total air pollution. The other two major sources are "mobile" and "stationary", and account for 50 and 30 percent of The problem respectively. The following table shows the pounds of pollutants which are emitted from incineration and open burning in Larimer County. (This analysis was based on an assumption that 34 percent of the refuse in the County is disposed of in this manner.) —12- DISPOSAL PRACTICES LARIMER C O U N TY, C O Z O R A D D itteg at damping -13- acfkgard barning reface sto rag e Emission Factors for Backyard Burning in Larimer County _,Colorado Pollutants lbs/day of Refuse Burned Aldehydes 197 Benzo (a) pyrene 0.42 Carbon Monoxide 166,000 hydrocarbons 155,000 Oxides of Nitrogen 28 Oxides of Sulphur 44 Ammonia 89 Organic Acids 83 Particulates 82,500 *Based on 55 tons of refuse burned Ter day. C. Disposal Sites: 1. Fort Collins -Loveland This is a 320 acre site located approximately 8 -miles between Fort Collins and Loveland. (See map). Fort Collins has 3/4 and Loveland 1/1+ ownership of this site. Operation responsibility is with Fort Collins. The approximate length of life is 20 years. The site is accessible to both communities by means of all-weather roads. From Loveland to the disposal site the road is hard surfaced. From outside the corporate limits of Fort Collins access is by a graded gravel road. The projected growth pattern of suburban areas north of Loveland and south -of Fort Collins is towards this disposal _facility. Rural residences arebeing constructed to the _east of this site. This site is located in the fossil Creek drainage area. The creek flows year round. There is also underground flow through the site from a spring upstream. The direction oT this flow is towards the east and -14- C -15- Fm z 0 U Z J C Uf 0 a 0 0 perpendicular to the Fossil Creek stream bed. A previous method of operation was to excavate trenches, fill with refuse, and cover. Ground water in the trenches formed leachate which collected in a pond immediately downstream from the refuse fill. This operation has been discontinued. At the portion of the site where refuse is presently being discharged, the underground water table is less than 5 feet below the surface, and is in contact with the refuse. Several attempts were made by operating personnel to control water pollution problems and nuisances by modifying operational procedures. These involved trenching and the use of concrete pipe to confine stream flow. Results have been ineffective for the most part. Ponding, because of poor gradients,and diking of refuse and cover materials in front of the pipes is prevalent. Manure wastes from kennels at the Colorado State University were found lying near the stream flow. The odors were obnoxious. Small brush, other than logs, and other combustible material is burned at the site under controlled conditions. Past burning is evident because of insufficient cover and poor compaction. The'size of the operating face of the dump has not been controlled to keep the working face to a minimum. Final cover at the completed portion of the fill area has not been graded to direct the flow of surface drainage around the refuse fill area. The flow of under- ground water has been directed through the refuse fill rather than around it, causing the formation of a leachate. There are no fences to control blowing refuse. 2. Fort Collins Log Dump This 5 -acre site is located in a swampy area adjacent to the Cache La Poudre within the City of Fort Collins. (See map). -16- Its longevity is estimated to he 10 years. This site has been designated for logs, brush, building refuse, debris, and other similar material. The objective is to fill this swampy area with non-putrescible matter and reclaim the land for some beneficial use. It is a short haul distance and readily accessible to residents of Fort Collins and suburban areas. Due to inadequate supervision at the site a considerable amount of putrescible matter including dead animals and some garbage are disposed of at this location. Open burning is allowed and smoldering refuse persists after flames have been extinguished. The working face of the fill is too large to manage in an acceptable manner. The decaying putrescible matter is a reservoir and breeding place for flies and other disease carrying vectors. There are numerous rodent harborages, sufficient food supply, and water to support a significant rat population. There are no fences to control blowing debris or to regulate access to the site. Refuse is discharged directly into surface water which drains into the Poudre River. The completed portion of the fill has not been graded or maintained to control surface drainage around the fill area. There is insufficient cover material at the site to comply with sanitary landfill requirements. 3. Wellington This site is approximately 6 miles north of Fort Collins and 1/4 mile west of Interstate 25. (See map). The size and longevity of this site is not known. It is located on public lands and main- tained by county personnel and equipment. Access is viaa gravel surface road from Interstate 25. It is -17- readily accessible to Fort Collins residents and northern suburban areas as well as to residents of Wellington. There are large amounts of blown refuse on both sides of the access road, and in vicinity of the disposal site. This refuse is from the exposed working face of the dump and from open bed trucks. There are no fences at the dis- posal site to control blowing refuse. Wastes are not covered at the end of each working day. Persons using this facility are allowed to dispose of all solid wastes at any location along the working face of the dump. As a result the amount of exposed garbage, dead animals, old stoves and refrigerators and other refuse is too great to control in an acceptable manner with existing personnel and equipment. This site is a reservoir for disease vectors,such as rodents, flies and other vermin associated with filth. Rats are used for target practice by scavengers on the site. Salvageable material is removed from the fill by individuals at the disposal site. The salvage area is not fenced to control blowing refuse and prevent unsightliness. -18- DISPOSAL SITES LARIMER C O U N T Y, COLORADO #ort eollins tog d.am.p fort coning-`' lovela .d -19- 4. Estes Park This site is approximately one mile north of Estes Park on Highway 34 and 1/2 mite east. (See map). Its size is approximately 7 acres and it has an approximate length of life of 10 years. The city owns the land and pays a private contractor to operate the site. The operational procedures at the disposal site include a trench excavation for solid waste, including some bulk refuse such as washing machines, stoves, etc. In excavating this trench, the face of an older dump operation was exposed permitting rodent access and related vectors. Material in the present trench is not compacted and there is evidence of burning. Generally every day refuse is disposed of on an open faced area which is small enough to confine dumping to a workable area. There is site supervision of the dumping and refuse on the level area at the bottom of the face is watered by hand to keep dust and blowing papers to.a minimum. Paper still escapes from the area during gusty winds and is -not contained by fencing. Refuse in this disposal area is compacted. Satisfactory fill material is present on the site ar.d equipment is on hand for covering the refuse. Daily cover is used only during the summer months. Another portion of the site is used to stockpile abandoned automobiles. 5. Berthoud. This site is located approximately two miles east of Berthoud and 1/2 mile south, in Weld County. (See map). The size is approximately two acres, and its longevity is estimated at less than five years. The land is private. It is leased and operated by the Town of Berthoud. State highway 50 and a county gravel road provide good access for Berthoud residents. It is located along the north hanks of a dry .gulch in the Little Thompson drainage basin. Illegal dumping on the -20- site by non-residents is controlled by locking the entrance to the dumping area with a chain. The key to this lock is obtained from the City Hall where identity is established. Haulers who use the dump regularly have their own keys. There is no daily supervision at the site. As a result of this procedure there are several instances of illegal dumping along the gravel roadto the site by persons who obviously did not have a key to the disposal area. Topography at this site slopes toward the drainage ditch. Refuse is deposited on the upstream slope. Surface drainage has not been. diverted around the refuse fill area; ther-efore, leachate could be. formed by surface runoff and present a potential stream pollution problem. Open burning is allowed under controlled conditions. The amount of combustible material such as brush, paper, cardboard, etc., and general weather conditions determine whenburning operations are conducted. A supervisor is present at this time. Fencing material at the perimeter of the site is inadequate to confine blowing refuse. Since there is no supervision there is no control over the material dumped. 'As a consequence, garbage, rubbish, building materials, large tree stumps,and discarded kitchen appliances such as staves and refrigerators are dumped indiscriminately. Thin will make future compaction difficult. Reuse is not compacted, nor is daily cover provided. As a result there is a prevalence of rats, insects, and other potential disease vectors. Cover material at the site is insufficient and equipment is not available for handling daily refuse disposal. 6. Other Disposal Sites in Larimer County There arc numerous smaller sites located near recreational areas throughout the county. Disposal sites visited were the Forest Service -21- site at Young's Gulch, Livermore disposal site, Red Feathers Lake disposal site, Carter Lake disposal. site, KOA camp ground, Campion disposal site, and several illegal disposal sites scattered through- out the county. Disposal facilities located on or near Forest Service land are accessible to recreational areas and are modified trench and mover operations. Refuse including large amounts of garbage, dead animals, etc., is discharged into the trench excavation by refuse collectors or other individuals hauling their own refuse. The refuse is not covered at the end of each operating day, and there is no super- vision at the site. Exposed garbage present in all these smaller disposal areas is an excellent breeding grounds and source of food supply for insects, rodents, and other vermin. Many of these sites are located less than 1/4 mile from either camp grounds or picnic areas which is well within the disease vector range. At the disposal site near the KOA camp grounds in the vicinity of Carter Lake, septic tank pumpings are discharged into an abandoned refuse diu posal site. (A dead cow was floating in the sludge when inspection was -made). Septic tank sludge contains disease producing bacteria that could be conveyed by vectors such as flies, and mosquitoes to nearby camp grounds. The greatest danger is potential contamination of the ground water supply. Odor nuisances will also persist with proper wind conditions. ?-29- DISPOSAL SITES LARIMER _COUNTY, -COLORADO -23- D. Vector Problems in Larimer County The vector problem associated with the dump sites in Larimer County must be considered in light of the active vector populations that were found during the course of this survey and also the potential problems that one would expect if the present maintenance of many of these sites is continued under present conditions. Three separate categories of vectors will be considered here. These are as follows: 1. Rats and other vertebrate animals. 2. Flies. 3. Mosquitoes. RATS AND OTHER VERTEBRATE ANIMALS Heavy infestations of the common domestic brown rat were discovered during the course of this survey. The locations of these populations were at Fort Collins tree dump and the Wellington and Berthoud dumps. Several rats were seen at each of these sites. In view of the filth of these animals and diseases that they are capable of transmitting or serving as carriers, their control is essential to safeguard the general health and well-being of the Larimer County residents in these areas. Rats will move considerable distances under the stresses of heavy central population in an effort to establish new territories. This movement will increase the possibility of a general tat population becoming established in all three of these cities, as well as other adjoining areas. Another potentially dangerous situation exists with the Tresence of native wild animals at many of the dump sites. When these animals -are brought into close proximity with domestic animals the possibility of trans- mission of native animal diseases is increased. Rabies is probably the most dangerous of these diseases,while plague must also be considered in this animal to animal relationship. -24- Large numbers of these native animals were found in the vicinity of the dumps in the higher elevations and the recreational areas. The specific dump sites where these were noted were Young's,Carter Lake, and the private dumps in and around Estes Park. FLIES The flight ranges of most of the flies associated with dump operations will permfl an invasion of many of the populated areas of Larimer. County regardless of the seemingly remote locations of the current dump sites. While the majority of flies will be found in a one mile radius from the breeding site, they have beenrecovered in a radius of up to 20 miles. Several species of common blow flies were found at all dump sites. However, these numbers were reduced at the landfill operation at Estes Park. -7g- APPENDIX (Reproduced by the Colorado State Department of Public Health) SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL SITES -AND FACILITIES PROVIDING FOR THE REGULATION AND CONTROL OF SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL SITES AND FACILITIES (Senate Bill No. 225 - 1967 General Assembly of the State of Colorado) Section 1. DEFINITIONS. --(1) As used in this act, unless the context otherwise indicates: (2) "Solid wastes" mean, but are not limited to, refuse, garbage, ashes, rubbish, toxic or inflammable substances, but shall not include mill tailings, metallurgical slag, agricultural wastes, mining wastes, or junk automobiles or parts thereof, nor shall the term include suspended solids collected, treated or di-sposed of within a sanitary sewer system. (3) "Department" means the state department of public health, referred to hereafter in this act as "the department". (4) "Approved" site or facility means a site or facility for which a certificate of designation has been obtained, as provided in this act. (5) "Person" means an individual, partnership, private or municipal corporation, _firm, or other association of persons. Section 2. UNLAWFUL TO OPERATE SITE OR FACILITY WITHOUT CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION. --On and after the effective date of this act, it shall be unlawful for any person to operate a solid waste disposal site or facility in the unincorporated portion of any county without first having obtained therefor a certificate of designation from the board of county commissioners of the county in which such site or facility is located. Section 3. APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATE. --Any person desiring to operate a solid waste disposal site or facility within the unincorporated portion of any county shall make application to the board of county commis— sioners of the county in which such site or facility is or is proposed to be located for a certificate of designation. Such application, shall be accompanied by a fee of twenty -five -dollars which shall not be refundable, and shall set forth the location of the site or facility, the type of site or facility, the type of processing to be used, such as sanitary landfill, composting, or incineration, the hours of operation, the method of supervision, the rates to be charged, if any, and such other information as may be re- quired by the board of county commissioners. Section 4. FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD. --(1) (a) In consid- ering an application fora certificate of designation, the board of county commissioners shall take into account: (b) 'The effect that the site or facility will have on the surrounding property, taking into _consideration the types of processing to be used, sur- rounding property uses and values, and wind and climatic _conditions. (c) The convenience and accessibility of the site or facility to potential users. (d) The ability of the applicant to comply with the health standards and operating procedures provided for in this act and such rules and regula- tions as may be prescribed by the department or by lot -al health agencies. (2) Except as provided in this acL, designation of approved solid waste disposal sites or facilities shall be discretionary with the board of county _commissioners, subject to judicial -review by the district _court of appropriate jurisdiction. Section 5. COMMISSIONERS TO ISS1E LICENSE. --if the board of county commissioners deems that a certificate of designation should be granted to the applicant, then it shall issue the - certificate, and such certificate shall be displayed in a prominent place at the site or facility. Section 6. PRIVATE DISPOSAL PROHIBITED--WHEN.--No private dumping of solid wastes shall be made on any property within the unincorporated por— tion of any county except on or at an approved site or facility; but pri- vate dumping of solid wastes on one's own property shall not be subject to the provisions of this act as long as it does not constitute a public nui- sance, endangering the health, safety, and welfare of others. Section 7. DESIGNATION OF EXCLUSIVE SITES AND FACILITIES. --The governing body of any city, city and _county, or incorporated town may by ordinance designate and approve one or more sites or facilities, either within or without its corporate limits if designated and approved by the board of county commissioners, as its -exclusive solid waste disposal site, sites, facility, or facilities, and thereafter each such site or facility shall be used by such city, city and county, or town for the disposal of its solid wastes; but prior to any such designation and approval, such gov- erning body shall hold -a public hearing to review the disposal method Dr methods to be used and the fees to be charged, if any. Section 8. CONTRACTS WITH GOVERNMENTAL UNITS AUTHORIZED. --(1) An approved solid waste disposal site or facility may be operated by any person pursuant to contract with any governmental unit. (2) Any city, city and county, county, or incorporated town acting by itself or in association with any other such governmental unit or units may establish and operate an approved site Dr facility under such terms and conditions as may be approved by the governing bodies of the governmental units involved. In the event such site or _facility is not operated by the governmental unit involved, any Contract to operate such a site or facility shall be awarded on a competitive bid basis if there is more than one appli- cant for a contract to operate such site ar facility. (3) Any city, city and county, - county; or incorporated town acting by itself or in association with any other such governmental unit may acquire by condemnation such sites as are needed for trash disposal purposes. Section 9. DEPARTMENT TO -PROMULGATE RULES AND -REGULATIONS. --The department shall promulgate rules and regulations relating to the public health aspects involved in the storage and disposal of solid wastes, and rules and regulations adopting standards for the operation and maintenance of public dumps, landfills, compost p1 -ants, and similar sites and facilities, for the prevention of disease and of conditions adversely affecting the public health, safety, and welfare. Section 10. MINIMUM STANDARDS. --(1) (a) The rules and regulations promulgated by the department shall subject to the provisions of section 6 contain the following minimum standards: (b) Such sites and facilities shall belocated, operated, -and main- tained in a manner so as to control obnoxious odors, prevent rodent and insect breeding and infestation, and shall he kept adequately covered during their use. (c) Such sites and facilities shall comply with the health laws, standards, rules and regulations of the department, the water pollution control commission, and all applicable zoning laws and ordinances. (d) No radioactive materials or materials contaminated by radio- active substances shall be disposed of in sites or facilities not speci- fically designated for that purpose. (e) Sites and facilities operated as sanitary landfills shall en- compass sufficient area to accommodate machinery to evenly distribute, com- pact, and cover the deposited solid wastes. The wastes shall be distributed within a _restricted working area, compacted to a reasonable depth but the total depth -not to exceed -more than fifteen feet in each cell or layer, and shall he covered at the end of each working day with approximately six inches aif earth or similar inert material. Where the topography of the site permits, successive layers may be added in the same manner. When a section of the site or facility has been compacted and filled to capacity, a perma- nent cover of approximately two feet of earth or similar inert -material shall be placed thereon and thoroughly compacted. (f) Sites and facilities shall be adequately fenced so as to prevent waste material and debris from escaping therefrom, and material and debris shall not he allowed to accumulate along the _fence line. (g) No solid wastes shall be burned except where and when it may be permitted under the "Air Pollution Control Act". Section 11. EXISTING FACILITIES TO COMPLY WITHIN A YEAR. --Within one year after the -effective date of this act, all open dumps, solid waste disposal sites and facilities, landfills, and similar facilities, shall comply with the provisions of this act and the rules and regulations adopted by the department. Section 12. DEPARTMENTS TO -RENDER ASSISTANCE. --The department and local health departments shall render technical advice and services to owners and operators of solid waste disposal sites and facilities in order to assure that appropriate measures are being taken to protect the public health, safety, and welfare. Section 13. REVOCATION OF EERTIFICATE.--She board of _county commis- sioners, after reasonable notice and public hearing, may temporarily sus- pend or revoke -a certificate of designation that has been granted by it for failure of a site or facility to comply with the provisions of this act or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto. Section 14. FACILITIES DEEMED PUBLIC NUISANCE--WHEN.--Any solid waste disposal site or facility that is operated or maintained in a manner so as to violate any of the provisions of this act or any _rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto shall be deemed a public nuisance, and such violation may be enjoined by a district court of competent jurisdiction in an action brought by the department or by the board oT county commissioners of the county wherein the violation occurred. Section 15. VIOLATION--PENALTY.--Any person who violates any provi— sion of this act shall be -deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of one hundred -dollars, or by impris- onment in the county jail for not more than thirty days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Nothing in this article shall preclude or preempt a city, a city and county, or an incorporated town from enforcement of its local ordinances. Section 16. APPLICABILITY: -=Except for the provisions of section 11, the -provisions of this act shall apply only to _solid waste _disposal sites and facilities that are established and commence operation on or after the effective date of this act. Amines, of the Section 17. Section 18. and declares public peace EFFECTIVE DATE. --This act shall take effect July 1, 1967 SAFETY T;LAUSE.--The general assembly hereby finds, deter that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation , health, and safety. PROPOSED DRAFT 7/18/67 COLORADO STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC: HEALTH SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL REGULATIONS REGULATION: Rules and Regulations Relating to the Public Health Aspects Involved in the Storage and Disposal - of Solid Wastes. ADOPTED: EFFECTIVE DATE: REPEALS None A DEFINITIONS OF TERMS: The following definitions apply in the interpretation -and enforcement of these rules and regulations. (1) "Gel1" means the unit of compacted solid waste covered on all surfaces by compacted earth, or similar inert material. (2) "Composting" means the biochemical degradation of organic materials to a sanitary nuisance Free, humus like material. (3) "Construction and Demolition Wastes" means waste building materials -and rubble resulting from construction, remodeling, repair, and demolition operations on houses, commercial buildings, pavements and other structures. (4) 'IDisposal Site" means the location where any final treatment, utilization, processing, or depositing of solid wastes occurs. (5) "Garbage" means all putrescible wastes including vegetable and animal offal and carcasses of dead animals except sewage and human body wastes. (6) "Incineration." is the process of burning solid, liquid, or gaseous com- bustible wastes to an inoffensive gas and a sterile residue containing little or no combustible material. (7) "'Refuse" means putrescible and non-putrescible solid wastes including garbage, rubbish, ashes, incinerator ash, incinerator residue, street cleanings grid solid commercial and industrial wastes except body wastes. (8) "Rubbish" means non-putrescible solid wastes, including ashes, consisting of both combustible and non-combustible wastes, such es paper, cardboard, tin cans, yard clippings, wood, glass, bedding, crockery, - or litter of any kind. (9) "Salvage" means controlled removal of reuseable materials. (10) "Sanitary Landfill" consists of the final disposal of solid waste on the land by a method employing compaction of the waste and covered with earth or other inert material. (11) "Scavenging" means the uncontrolled picking of refuse. (12) "Sewage Treatment Residue" means solids from coarse screenings, grit chambers, clarifiers, sludge thickeners or digesters from sewage treatment plants (See 66-1-7 (5)) or septic tank wastes. 7/1-8/67 (13) "Toxic Material" means materials, such as pesticides and poisons, which even in small concentrations can be dangerous to human, animal and plant life. (14) "Transfer Station" means a loading site where solid waste is transferred from one vehicle to another for transfer to a permanent disposal site. B. GENERAL REGULATIONS: 1. All solid waste disposal sites and facilities shall comply with the health laws, standards, .rules and regulations of the Department, the Mater -Pollution _Control Commission, and all applicable zoning laws and ordinances, and the regulations and standards contained in and under the "Air Pollution Control Act." -No radioactive materials contaminated by radioactive substances shall be disposed of in sites or facilities not sepcifically designated for that purpose. 2. No person shall dispose of any solid waste except at a site designated by the County Commissioners of the County where located, or at a site authorized within corporate limits of any City, Town, or City and County, except as exempted by Section 6 of S.B. 225, 1967 Session. Laws. 3. Any person disposing of solid waste on his own property shall comply with all of the requirements of these regulations except. Section R. General Regulations, Items 5. (d) and (g). 4. All solid waste with the exception of radioactive materials' shall be dis- posed of by incineration, composting, or by a sanitary landfill operation., 5. The following rules and regulations shall apply to ell solid waste disposal sites. (a) There shall be no permanent ponding .,f water on the ground surface of any -disposal site, and no solid waste disposed of -or stored at a disposal site shall come in -contact with any surface or subsurface water. (b) Adequate measures shall be applied to control flies, mosquitoes, rodents, and other disease vectors at the disposal site, as well as such nuisances as dust and obnoxious odors. (c) Salvaging, at any disposal site when permitted,• shall not interfere with -the prompt disposal of refuse. Materials held for salvage over 24 hours shall be stored in rodent proof, screened storage area;. Scavenging shall not be permitted. (d) Disposal sites and facilities shall. be adequately fenced so as to prevent waste material and debris from escaping therefrom, and material and debris shall not be allowed to accumulate along the fenceline. .All live animals and fowl shall be excluded from the site. Any debris blown -from a disposal site shall be picked up within 24 hours. A dump may be closed during high winds when debris cannot be controlled. (e) Hazardous material, industrial wastes, sewage treatment residue, and toxic ssubstanres may be disposed of at sites only when specifically designated by the County Commissioners and/or municipal administration. (f) All disposal sites shall have facilities adeguate for safety, first aid, and personal hygiene. (g) Access roads shall be maintained in. a manner to permit smooth -traffic_ flow during all weather conditions. -3- (h) For disposal sites receiving toxic or hazardous wastes, records shall be maintained as to the volume and location of disposed waste and the method of disposal. Records for disposal of hazardous and toxic materials shall be kept including location of disposal, quantity of material, and storage container if applicable. (i) When a transfer station is provided it should comply with all require- ments for solid waste disposal sites. C. SPECIAL REGULATIONS: 1. Sanitary Landfill: The following rules and regulations shall in addition apply specifically to sanitary landfill operations: (a) Sanitary landfill sites shall encompass sufficient area to accom- modate machinery to evenly distribute, compact, and cover the deposited solid waste. (b) The wastes shall be distributed within a restricted working area. During the filling operation, waste deposited in the fill shall be compacted into shallow layers not to exceed a depth of approximately two feet. Wastes deposited shall be covered at the end of each working day with approximately six inches of earth or similar inert material. The total cell depth shall not exceed 15 feet. Successive cells may be added in the same manner. (c) All parts of the carcasses of dead animals disposed of at a sanitary landfill shall be buried to a depth of at least two feet, immediately after deposition. (d.) Special provisions shall be made for the disposal of large, heavy, or bulky items, construction and demolition materials and logs, in a nuisance free manner. (e) The sanitary landfill upon its completion shall be covered with at least two feet of compacted cover material and graded to prevent pond:ing and control surface runoff. Upon completion and/or abandonment of a sanitary landfill, all cracked eroded or uneven areas in the final cover shall be eliminated. 2. Incineration: The following rules and regulations shall in addition apply specifically to incineration. (a) All refuse delivered to the incinerator site shall be disposed of on a daily basis. No uncovered refuse shall be kept in storage areas overnight. (b) The unloading area shall be adequate in size and design to facilitate rapid unloading with a minimum of delay, and provisions shall be made to control blowing refuse. If storage pits are pro- vided, their capacity shall be equivalent to at least the rated capacity of the incinerator for one day's operation. In the event of a breakdown, additional pit capacity or nearby sanitary landfill capacity shall be provided. (c) Bulky items which cannot be incinerated shall be disposed of by sanitary landfill or by other means acceptable to the responsible authorities. 7/18/67 -4- (d) Operating temperatures at the combustion chamber exit of the incinerator shall be maintained between 1300°F. and 1800°F., or according to limits established by the design engineer. (e) The residue from the incinerator shall contain less than 10% -organic material and shall be disposed of in a sanitary landfill. Gaseous and particulate emissions from the incinerator stack shall be in compliance with the "Air Pollution Control Act". Water used to quench the incinerator residue or scrub the flue gases shall be discharged into a sanitary sewer or disposed of in accordance with standards of the Colorado Water Pollution Control Commission. (f) (g) 3. Composting: The following rules and regulations shall in addition apply -specifically to composting. (a) All refuse delivered to the compost plant shall be disposed of on a daily basis. No uncovered refuse shall be left in storage areas overnight. (b) The unloading area shall be adequate in size and design to facilitate rapid unloading with a minimum of delay and provisions shall be made to control blowing refuse. If storage pits are provided, their capacity shall be equivalent to at least the rated capacity of the compost plant for one day's operation. In the event of a breakdown -additional pit capacity or nearby sanitary landfill capacity shall be provided. (c) Solid wastes that cannot be ground and composted shall be removed and salvaged. Non -salvageable refuse shall be disposed of in a sanitary landfill. (d) The ground refuse shall be composted by methods in which every portion of the compost material is subject to a minimum temperature of 340°F. for no less than forty hours. (e) Compost shall be of uniform quality, acceptable from pathogenic and hygienic criteria. Inert materials, such as glass, and metals, shall be finely ground, mixed and uniformly disbersed. Sharp slivers -of glass and metal shall not be contained in the finished product. Gaseous and particulate emissions and/or objectionable odors from compost plant operations shall be in compliance with the "Air Pollution Control Act" and of a quality acceptable to the community where the plant is established. If sewage treatment residue and other hazardous materials are disposed of in a composting plant, special provisions shall be made to insure }proper handling satisfactory to the local health officer and/or the county commissioner. (1) (g) 7/i8/67 "SUGGESTED RESOLUTION" (for use by County Commissioners) SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL RESOLUTION , Colorado WHEREAS Senate Bill No. 225, "Providing for the Regulation and Control of Solid Waste Disposal Sites and Facilities", as enacted by the Forty-sixth General Assembly of the. State of Colorado, empowers the Board of County Commissioners to issue certificates of designation to persons desiring to operate a disposal site or facility, it is hereby resolved that: A. Applicants for certificates of Designation for Solid Waste Disposal Sites shall make such application on a prescribed form, supplying the following information. 1. Topographic maps - a topographic map showing all existing roads, streams, ponds, lakes, wells, and residences within one mile of the proposed site, including the disposal site. A topographical map showing the site after its establishment, including access roads, drainage, added utilities, employee facilities, and pro- jected ultimate topography. An analysis by a registered engineer of the geolog- ical features of the site including soil tests, planned protection of surface and ground water, availability of cover material, etc. 2. Pertinent meteorological data. 3. Estimates of present and anticipated weight or volume and kinds of wastes to be handled per day. 4. Specifications for drainage, access routes, fencing, shelter and sanitary facil- ities for personnel, fire control, salvage, and transfer stations, if used. 5. A plan of operation outlining operational procedures to be employed to meet the Rules and Regulations of the State Department of Public Health relating to the method of disposal i.e., sanitary landfill, incineration, or composting. 6. A statement by a professional engineer certifying that the plan will, when implemented, result in a disposal site meeting the requirements of the State Department of Public Health. 7. A statement of approval by the City and/or County zoning authority that the loca- tion is approved. B. Specific items in the above list shall in addition meet the following considerations. These items shall be furnished at the expense of the applicant, or as determined by the County Commissioners. I. The final surface of the site shall be graded to prevent ponding of water. Adequate drainage facilities shall be provided to drain the site and divert flood or storm water around it. 2. Access routes shall be designed to minimize congestion and hazard at the entrance and exit of the site. Access roads shall be designed and constructed so that traffic can flow smoothly and not be interrupted by inclement weather or traffic problems. 3. Suitable fencing shall be provided to prevent access to the site by unauthorized persons and animals. A portable fence or equivalent device shall be provided to prevent scattering of paper or other light materials. 4. Shelter and sanitary facilities for personnel shall include a shelter of -suitable -size that is adequately heated and screened, has safe drinking water, and sanitary toilet and locker and hand washing facilities. Telephone or radio communications shall be provided at or near the disposal site. 5. Provisions shall be made for fire control facilities. 6. When salvage storage is to be permitted for more than one day, a storage facility -shall be constructed and located so that it will not interfere with the prompt -sanitary disposal of solid wastes, create unsightliness, or provide a breeding -site for insects and rodents. 7. When a transfer station is provided it shall comply with all requirements for solid waste disposal sites. 8. Toxic materials, chemicals, solvents and petroleum wastes shall be disposed of either in adequately sealed containers, or be sufficiently neutralized, diluted, disbursed or otherwise processed prior to disposal. C. In processing an application for Certificate of Site Designation, the following shall be taken into consideration: 1. The effect that the site or facility will have on the surrounding property, taking into consideration the types of processing to be used, surrounding property uses and values, and prevailing wind and climatic conditions. 2. The convenience and accessibility of the site or facility to potential users, 3. The ability of the applicant to comply with the health standards and operating procedures provided for in this Act and such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Department or by Local Health Agencies. D, _Prior to issuance of approval for site designation, the governing body shall hold a Public hearing to review the disposal method or methods and the fees to be charged, if any. Signed Attest Approved Commissioner or Councilmen (Distributed by Colorado State Department -of _Public Health) July 18, 1967 Hello