This January, the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) concluded a study, led by Burns & McDonnell, to forecast regional landfill capacity.
According to MARC, the Regional Landfill Capacity Study is intended to inform solid waste planning, programming and permitting activities at the state, regional and local levels and to serve as a prelude to a future regional solid waste plan.
The study reviewed seven active municipal solid waste landfills serving the Kansas City region and one landfill in the process of being permitted, Presidio Landfill, to develop a forecast of regional capacity.
It used publicly available data for its analysis including permitted airspace, remaining capacity, annual tonnage, and population.
The report found that the region has anywhere from 19 to 37 complete years of landfill capacity remaining, after assessing a range of scenarios accounting for possible population and capacity changes.
The permitting process for solid waste facilities, including landfills and transfer stations, takes a minimum of five years, and is more often closer to 10 years, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
It noted that recycling and composting infrastructure and waste reduction efforts can also lengthen landfill capacity.
The report concludes for the MARC Solid Waste Management District to update its comprehensive integrated solid waste plan, emphasizing the importance of active public participation and regional planning.
A public meeting will discuss its findings on Wednesday, January 24 at 6 PM.
The full Regional Landfill Capacity Study is available at marc.org.
