Why is a 20-year integrated solid waste management plan necessary?
Most of the existing landfills in Wyoming are unlined and available data suggest that some of them may be leaking and polluting our groundwater. If we continue to bury our trash, we’ll need to start constructing our landfills with liners to protect our groundwater. This may not be practical or cost-effective at many of our existing local landfills. Implementing changes to our existing solid waste management systems will take time and money, so it makes sense to plan carefully and plan ahead. In 2006, the Wyoming Legislature passed a law requiring the operators of our 51 existing landfills to prepare 20-year integrated solid waste management plans. The intent of this law is to encourage landfill operators to carefully consider using larger, regional facilities that are more cost-effective to operate, and provide more environmental protection. This law also encourages landfill operators to evaluate how waste diversion, recycling, and composting facilities can be utilized to help manage t
