Why do we need another landfill?

Kansas City produces 7,500 tons of trash every day and 2.7 million tons a year and the three main landfills that currently serve the metro area have a combined total of less than 15 years of remaining space left. Landfills are necessary for all communities. Considering the city’s population growing at an increasing rate, having added nearly half a million people since 2000, it is critical that the city builds another landfill to address this problem before it is too late.

Where would the landfill be located?

The area proposed is located in a mostly undeveloped and rural area in south Kansas City. The landfill itself will not span larger than 200 acres, but 580 acres would be acquired to ensure a sufficient buffer between the waste site and surrounding neighborhoods.

Will this change the city’s two-bag trash limit?

Potentially. Kansas City’s two-bag trash limit has been a factor in trash littering the city’s streets and highways and a rise in illegal dumping. A new landfill will reduce the city’s trash disposal costs and provide the city additional revenue for trash collection services, enabling the City Council to lift the 2-bag trash limit if they desire.

What are the financial impacts of the new landfill?

Developing a new landfill in a rural area of Kansas City could significantly reduce the future costs associated with transporting the city’s waste across the metro. These cost savings will be passed on to the city’s residents, resulting in cheaper trash/recycling collection fees and freeing up an estimated $500,000,000 of the city’s budget.

How will this impact our carbon footprint?

Soon, there will not be enough space for all of Kansas City’s trash and it will need to be transported over long-distances to other landfills. A new landfill in the proposed location will cut out the need for long-distance waste transportation, resulting in a decrease in emissions and a much smaller carbon footprint.