Would someone please explain to me what’s so god-awful about importing trash from other states? As long as the landfills are properly permitted, why does it matter from an environmental perspective whether trash winds up in Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York or somewhere else?
The Free Lance-Star observes that trash “imports” decreased 10 percent last year — but “don’t rejoice,” it cautioned, as if declining volumes of garbage were something to celebrate: Waste Management Inc., wants to bring in more trash on barges.
I’d say that the declining volume of trash is bad news, especially for the poor, rural counties that reap a $40- to $50 windfall for every ton of garbage dumped in their state-of-the-art landfills. Take a look at the budgets of some of these counties, like Amelia, Charles City and King George counties. Local residents get tremendous benefits from the presence of a business they can’t see, hear or smell.
The Free Lance-Star cites the problem of traffic accidents caused by the trash-hauling trucks.
After numerous reports of nonfatal accidents involving trash haulers, two motorists died when their vehicles were struck by trash trucks. Then recently, a county deputy was run off the road on a foggy morning by three trucks traveling together, possibly going too fast for the conditions. The three drivers were arrested on reckless- driving charges; two of them face deportation to their native Ecuador. Though the truckers in the fatal accidents were not ruled at fault, the situation points to a roadway woefully unprepared for the heavy truck traffic that is using it.
The answer isn’t fewer trucks, it’s more. With more tax money rolling in, Prince George can afford to fix the roads!