New disposal-site option set to speed Hurricane Ian recovery
The Lee Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday voted to dispose of Lee County storm debris at the Gulf Coast Landfill, which Waste Management plans to reopen as part of the community’s response to Hurricane Ian cleanup.
The landfill closed in 2007 and is located near the intersection of Colonial Boulevard and State Road 82. Reopening the landfill will help expedite storm-debris pickup because its location minimizes travel distance for debris-hauling trucks. Other disposal sites will continue to be used as well.
The landfill will accept Hurricane Ian construction/demolition storm debris only – not household garbage or horticulture waste – on an emergency basis. Waste Management and the county estimate the landfill could be used for 18 to 24 months.
Waste Management plans to build berms to the west and southeast to create visual buffers and will limit operations to daylight hours to minimize inconvenience to surrounding communities. Landfill-bound traffic will be along major roads, not through neighborhoods.
Gulf Coast Landfill is closer to many of the debris management sites than other disposal options in Hendry and Charlotte counties and use of the site can reduce debris-truck travel time by as much as 33%. Maximizing collections during the initial weeks post-landfall and during the FEMA-reimbursement period is a major goal for county leaders.
Waste Management and the county will hold several neighborhood meetings to answer questions of any nearby residents. The meetings will be open-house format with informational stations and one-on-one conversations. They are planned for 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, and Thursday, Nov. 10. Locations for the Nov. 3 and Nov. 10 meetings will be announced online.
For more information about debris and to track debris collection, visit www.leegov.com/storm/debris.
For more Hurricane Ian updates and information, check www.leegov.com/storm or follow @Lee County Government on Facebook, www.facebook.com/leecountyflbocc.