It could soon get a little harder to get rid of your garbage in rural areas of Klamath County…as seven transfer stations are targeted for closure.
Roger Owen gets rid of his trash at the Keno transfer station on a regular basis…
“I come here once a week, and I can’t go to town.”
Klamath County is considering closure of transfer stations in Bly, Beatty, Fort Klamath, Langell Valley, Odessa, Malin, and Keno.
“Because of cost.” States Klamath County Solid Waste Division Director Tom Crist. “We’re losing about 400 thousand a year on the transfer stations.”
Transfer stations would remain open in Merrill, Sprague River, Chiloquin, Bonanza, and Crescent – each less than 20 miles from a station being closed.
Crist notes the shutdowns would affect about 27 customers per day…
“And it ranges from 1 customer at day at Langell Valley, to 10 at Keno.”
Some think the closures could result in more illegal dumping.
“It’s going to fill the woods full of garbage.” Warns Roger Owen. “Because people can’t, and won’t drive 20 miles to get rid of their garbage.”
Crist isn’t so sure…
“People are very responsible. I suspect they’ll hire Waste Management, make arrangements there, or perhaps they’ll use the remaining 5 transfer stations.”
But Roger Owen hopes the county will reconsider…
“If they’re going to close these down, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
No specific date has yet been set for when the transfer stations could close.
Tom Crist says transfer station customers are already being notified on the potential closures…which could take place before the end of this year.
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