County Studies New System of Contracts for Trash Haulers

In the wake of a recent move by one Orange County trash hauler that threatened to unravel the county’s landfill operations, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a far-reaching study to examine a new system of trash contracting.

The study, which will examine creation of a joint-powers authority to oversee the county landfills, marks the first attempt by the county to create a system that would force local haulers to bring their waste to Orange County landfills.

The Orange County League of Cities is also asking its members to consider drafting contracts giving cities the power to specify where garbage collected inside their boundaries must be dumped.

The issue erupted suddenly this month when county officials learned that Anaheim Disposal, which collects 2,500 tons of garbage a day from North County residents, had begun taking most of its load to a private landfill in West Covina.

That threatened to cost the county $12 million a year in lost gate fees at the Olinda landfill.

County supervisors and others furiously objected to the move by Anaheim Disposal, and on Aug. 15 the company issued a statement promising to return its business to the county landfill by Sept. 1. That move stirred great concern about the county’s lack of control over local haulers, who pay the gate fees that make up the county’s waste management budget.

“We just averted a crisis in the Integrated Waste Management Department,” Supervisor Harriett M. Wieder said, adding that the study will help the county “figure out how to get control of the waste stream.”

Even as the supervisors were acting, the resolution of the Anaheim Disposal issue was in doubt again. Vincent Taormina, chief executive officer of the company, said Tuesday that before the company can bring its business back to the Olinda landfill it needs to have the approval of the cities with whom it has contracts.

Taormina added that he expects to have a final decision by late this week. He would not elaborate on the chance that ultimately Anaheim Disposal might not return to the county. However, he said it was a “very good possibility” that some cities would let the company return while others would ask it to continue shipping trash to West Covina.

County officials have warned that if Anaheim Disposal continues to send much or all of its load to the BKK Landfill in West Covina, they could be forced to hike garbage rates to some residents or even solicit Los Angeles County garbage.

Fees generated from that garbage would be used to make up the projected deficit caused by Anaheim Disposal’s switch, and officials have already begun studying the idea.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Gaddi H. Vasquez, who helped persuade Anaheim Disposal to bring its business back after the flurry of concern earlier this month, said he was aware that the decision now is in question, but he declined to comment in detail.

“Until I hear from them directly, I’m reserving judgment,” he said.