Cleaner, Greener Springfield: That’s the name of a new push to improve recycling and reduce the amount of trash dumped into southwest Missouri’s Noble Hill landfill.
Officials with Springfield’s department of environmental services say that 70% of the trash going into Noble Hill is made up of materials that could be recycled.
In a region where recycling is optional, officials say the amount of trash flowing into the landfill is rapidly increasing — and has been for years. Noble Hill is expected to receive 1,200 to 1,400 tons of trash per day this year.
Just 12 years ago, that figure was only 650 tons per day. And back in 1991, when city voters first approved an integrated solid waste management system, the landfill took in 400 tons per day. That’s according to news reports archived by the Springfield-Greene County Library.
Some might ask, why not just buy an additional site for a new city dump?
It’s not that easy, officials say.
Errin Kemper is Springfield’s director of environmental services. On Wednesday he told reporters, "because of environmental regulations, it's really, really hard to site a new landfill. Now, that's not to say that in the future, there aren't options to expand our landfill, but the idea that the state of Missouri would site another landfill — boy, there's just so much work that goes into that.”
Missouri has 17 operating solid waste landfills, according to the Department of Natural Resources website.
Meanwhile, officials last tried to reform Springfield’s waste-disposal arrangements back in 2017, particularly by looking at simplifying Springfield’s open market system of trash haulers. Ultimately, though, City Council left the current system intact.
As Cleaner, Greener initiatives get started, city officials say they met with local trash haulers to begin a new discussion earlier this week.
Then on Wednesday, officials met with Springfield journalists to begin selling the Cleaner, Greener idea to the public. They shared a draft of an official proclamation expected soon from Mayor Ken McClure.
McClure’s term ends in April. But before then, he’s calling on all residents and companies to join the Cleaner, Greener effort by reducing waste, recycling and supporting sustainable practices.
And the city plans a new study to determine what kinds of trash are flowing into the landfill, in hopes of unlocking new solutions.
More information is available online at springfieldmo.gov/solidwaste.
