Allied Waste has announced that it will close the Hillside Landfill in the spring of 2008. This will dramatically improve air quality in and around the site - and the quality of life for area residents and businesses.
Allied Waste, a national leader in the waste disposal industry, recently assumed control over day-to-day management of the landfill operation, and will be responsible for closure and post-closure operations.
As managing partner, Allied Waste has been working closely with the Village of Hillside to develop a detailed plan to safely and efficiently expedite closing operations at the facility. An agreement setting out the timeline for the closure was signed on March 12, 2007.
The legally binding agreement between Allied Waste and the Village states that no solid waste will be received at the site after June 15, 2008, without Allied Waste incurring significant financial penalties. The final cover will be placed on the landfill by December 31, 2008.
In the coming weeks and months, residents can expect to see an increase in activity as efforts begin to fill and cap the landfill. Allied Waste’s immediate next steps, some of which are already in progress, include:
- Filling the landfill to form a hill-like shape, which is a necessary step in covering and capping the landfill with a combination of plastic tarps, soil and grass cover.
- Installing a new gas collection and monitoring system to ensure that the odor problems are eliminated.
- Remove the tall soil pile at the southeast corner of the landfill.
- Improving the overall look of the landfill by cleaning up the facility and landscaping the site.
The increase in site activity may result in a short-term increase in traffic in the immediate area. Allied Waste is working to address traffic flow with the Illinois Department of Transportation. A modification of the signal light at the intersection of Mannheim Road and the Hillside Landfill's entrance is expected to alleviate congestion resulting from trucks and other vehicle traffic related to the closure project.