Dear Editor,
When we first heard about the possibility of a landfill close to my home, we thought it was a bad idea. Now, we’ve learned a lot more about it and we can see it’s a terrible idea; and not just for us, but for the whole county.
Appling County isn’t looking for landfill capacity. Our trash is handled by Sullivan Environmental which uses landfills that will last until at least 2050. Instead, a private company wants to process trash from surrounding areas and this requires our county commissioners to amend a ban on additional landfills. The idea (as best I’ve been able to determine personally) is to set up a recycling center using trash mainly from Jacksonville and then create a landfill with what they can’t recycle. The landfill will remain a permanent eyesore for generations.
A terrible idea
After a considerable fight, Bryan County rejected a similar proposal based on Savannah’s trash. They learned the county benefits were quite small (instead of a large number of jobs that were being talked about, the ACTUAL number was in the range of 8 to 14).
Meanwhile, the liabilities were significant: increased heavy truck traffic with continual trash cleanup from roadways, reduced property values, a mountain of trash that will remain when the recycling center closes, and worst of all the potential for significant environmental damage. This is very similar to Appling County’s situation, except the landfill is to be sited on even more acreage than in Bryan County.
Our current solid waste management plan takes care of Appling County’s needs long into the future, and effectively bans our county from becoming a waste receptacle for Jacksonville. Our county commissioners (www.baxley.org; click on Appling county) are a great group of people and your opinion does matter to them. Please let them know how you feel about lifting this ban.
Steve and Cheri’ Parrott,
Surrency
Meanwhile, the liabilities were significant: increased heavy truck traffic with continual trash cleanup from roadways, reduced property values, a mountain of trash that will remain when the recycling center closes, and worst of all the potential for significant environmental damage. This is very similar to Appling County’s situation, except the landfill is to be sited on even more acreage than in Bryan County.
Our current solid waste management plan takes care of Appling County’s needs long into the future, and effectively bans our county from becoming a waste receptacle for Jacksonville. Our county commissioners (www.baxley.org; click on Appling county) are a great group of people and your opinion does matter to them. Please let them know how you feel about lifting this ban.
Steve and Cheri’ Parrott,
Surrency
Another interesting aspect of this grand idea; is that its proposed location in these Georgia Flatwoods, is that this site at times is almost totally covered by rushing water headed straight to Reedy Creek! Its been a few years .... maybe 5, but I recall having to turn back in my 4 wheel drive truck because the washouts in this area were so severe. Anyone remember this? Wonder how the EPD/EPA would react to this proposed site if they saw some of the pictures that I have of the washouts in this area?
My husband, Leo and I hope (that) the citizens of this county will voice their opinion and realize the importance of not allowing a plant such as this in Appling County. If his health still permitted him to do so, my husband would be on the agenda at the county commissioners' meetings concerning this matter.
Hopefully, the young people of this county will stand up and voice their opinion. They and their children are the ones who will be living (for many years, hopefully) with the decisions that are made now.