County says at least one new waste transfer station needed

Kane County will need at least one and possibly two new waste transfer stations at the north and south ends of its western border in the near future, officials say.

Bringing a waste transfer station to a local area isn't considered as controversial as a new landfill, but can still become a political football. A couple years ago in West Chicago protests ultimately defeated the construction of a new transfer facility.

A transfer station is the middleman of the trash cycle, serving as the place garbage gathers before being taken to a landfill.

Gary Mielke, who oversees solid waste disposal for the county, told county board members Wednesday that waste transfer stations are needed in the areas of Hampshire and Sugar Grove where the bulk of the county's population growth is occurring.

"There is a need for additional transfer station capacity," Mielke said. "As those areas grow, we're going to need to put some transfer stations out there."

Mielke said it doesn't make sense for waste haulers in Hampshire to bring trash to the nearest transfer station in Elgin before it heads back out the same way to the landfill in Rockford. With that in mind, the county will keep an open mind for any transfer stations proposed in those areas of the county.

Mielke said the good news is studies show there is no need to create new landfills in the state for the next 18 years since landfill capacity is double what it was as recently as 1992.

Board members said if a new waste transfer station comes in, they'd like it to be paired with a new drop-off site for household hazardous waste, including old paint and expired prescription drugs. The nearest location to drop off such items is in Naperville.