Board approves environmental cleanup along with Laraway Landfill expansion
Waste Management agrees to remediate Olin Ponds, provide additional revenues to county
JOLIET, IL – The Will County Board today amended its host agreement with Waste Management and approved the expansion of Laraway Landfill. The terms and conditions call for Waste Management to perform environmental remediation of the Olin Ponds and increase the fees and surcharges paid to the county.
“This agreement with Waste Management is a win-win for the residents of Will County,” said Speaker Herb Brooks, Jr. “We are able to see hazardous pollutants remediated, increase revenues paid to the county, and provide a suitable site for accepting contaminated soils and special waste that may otherwise end up in local quarries.”
The expansion of Laraway Landfill will take place to the north and south of the current facility. The Olin Ponds are situated on approximately 70 acres in the northern section. Laraway currently generates approximately $4 million annually for the county in fees and surcharges. The amendment to the host agreement increases the per ton fees paid on contaminated soils accepted at Laraway for bio-remediation or landfilling. Waste Management will also pay the county $1.25 million over the next five years, and up to $500,000 more could be paid if the landfill receives in excess of 800,000 tons of soils on an annual basis.
“Our partnership with Waste Management over the years has proven very beneficial for the taxpayers by generating millions of dollars for the county,” said Republican caucus chair Jim Moustis (R-Frankfort). “We believe the expansion of Laraway is another fine example of leveraging our existing resources to increase revenues while holding the line on taxes. Moreover, we are able to better the environment by cleaning up the Olin Ponds and protect the environment by increasing the space available for disposing of special waste.”
The board has fought to keep contaminated soil out of local quarries. Quarries have depths close to the water table, posing risks to local drinking water. There are 11 quarries in Will County accepting such debris, along with 398 private wells and 43 public wells providing drinking water for 350,000 local residents. Sanitary landfills, such as Laraway, are required to have in place numerous environmental protections, but quarries do not face the same regulations.
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The expansion of Laraway Landfill will take place to the north and south of the current facility. The Olin Ponds are situated on approximately 70 acres in the northern section. Laraway currently generates approximately $4 million annually for the county in fees and surcharges. The amendment to the host agreement increases the per ton fees paid on contaminated soils accepted at Laraway for bio-remediation or landfilling. Waste Management will also pay the county $1.25 million over the next five years, and up to $500,000 more could be paid if the landfill receives in excess of 800,000 tons of soils on an annual basis.
“Our partnership with Waste Management over the years has proven very beneficial for the taxpayers by generating millions of dollars for the county,” said Republican caucus chair Jim Moustis (R-Frankfort). “We believe the expansion of Laraway is another fine example of leveraging our existing resources to increase revenues while holding the line on taxes. Moreover, we are able to better the environment by cleaning up the Olin Ponds and protect the environment by increasing the space available for disposing of special waste.”
The board has fought to keep contaminated soil out of local quarries. Quarries have depths close to the water table, posing risks to local drinking water. There are 11 quarries in Will County accepting such debris, along with 398 private wells and 43 public wells providing drinking water for 350,000 local residents. Sanitary landfills, such as Laraway, are required to have in place numerous environmental protections, but quarries do not face the same regulations.
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