Expert Help Sought in Possible Landfill Sale

The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to seek proposals from mergers and acquisitions specialists interested in helping the county find a buyer for its landfill system.

Officials emphasized that the action is only preliminary and would help them decide whether it would be practical--or even possible--to sell the landfills to the private sector. Such a sale would take many years to complete and would require a variety of environmental reviews.

Many trash haulers, community activists and city officials have opposed privatizing the landfills, expressing concern that corporate control might mean higher fees, weaker environmental standards and possibly a monopolization of the trash business.

Supervisors said they are far from deciding whether a sale is in the best interests of the county. “Just looking at options does not mean we are rushing off and making a decision,” Board Chairman Roger R. Stanton said.

Also Tuesday, officials presented a plan to reorganize the Integrated Waste Management Department, which runs the county’s four operating landfills and more than 20 closed dumps.

The plan calls for the department to continue reducing overhead costs while working to keep county dumping fees competitive with those of other jurisdictions, contracting out work to the private sector and maintaining the current customer base.

Officials also want to restructure the county’s waste management commission to give cities more of a voice in landfill policy.