PLAIN-TEXT TRANSCRIPT
Document: Waste Transfer Stations: A Manual for Decision-Making
Issuer: United States Environmental Protection Agency
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[Page 1]
Waste Transfer Stations:
A Manual for Decision-Making
[Page 2]
Acknowledgments
he Office of Solid Waste (OSW) would like to acknowledge and thank the members
of the Solid Waste Association of North America Focus Group and the National
Environmental Justice Advisory Council Waste Transfer Station Working Group for
Treviewing and providing comments on this draft document. We would also like to
thank Keith Gordon of Weaver Boos & Gordon, Inc., for providing a technical
review and donating several of the photographs included in this document.
Acknowledgements i
[Page 3]
Contents
Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
What Are Waste Transfer Stations?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Why Are Waste Transfer Stations Needed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Why Use Waste Transfer Stations? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Is a Transfer Station Right for Your Community? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Planning and Siting a Transfer Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Types of Waste Accepted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Unacceptable Wastes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Public Versus Commercial Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Determining Transfer Station Size and Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Number and Sizing of Transfer Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Future Expansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Site Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Environmental Justice Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
The Siting Process and Public Involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Siting Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Exclusionary Siting Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Technical Siting Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Developing Community-Specific Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Applying the Committee’s Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Host Community Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Transfer Station Design and Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Transfer Station Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
How Will the Transfer Station Be Used? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Site Design Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Main Transfer Area Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Types of Vehicles That Use a Transfer Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Transfer Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Transfer Station Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Operations and Maintenance Plans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Facility Operating Hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Interacting With the Public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Waste Screening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Emergency Situations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Recordkeeping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Environmental Issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Odors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Contents iii
[Page 4]
Air Emissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Storm Water Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Vectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Litter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Safety Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Exposure to Potentially Hazardous Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Personal Protective Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Exposure to Extreme Temperatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Air Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Hazardous Wastes and Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Ergonomics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Facility Oversight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Applicable Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Federal Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
State Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Local Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Common Regulatory Compliance Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Compliance Inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Glossary of Terms and Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
iv Contents
[Page 5]
Introduction
his manual defines what a transfer In response in to this report, EPA has devel-
station is and how it relates to oped this manual and its companion publica-
municipal solid waste management tion Waste Transfer Stations: Involved Citizens
Tin the context of a community’s Make the Difference (EPA530-K-01-003).
total waste management plan. The The intent of this manual is to promote the
manual identifies issues and factors to consid- use of best practices in transfer station siting,
er when deciding to build a transfer station, design, and operation to maximize facilities’
planning and designing it, selecting a site, and effectiveness and efficiency, while minimizing
involving the community. their impact on the community. It is designed
In many communities, citizens have voiced to assist facility owners and operators; state,
concerns about solid waste transfer stations local, and tribal environmental managers; and
that are poorly sited, designed, or operated. In the public evaluate and choose protective
addition, some citizens might feel that transfer practices for siting, designing, and operation
stations are disproportionately concentrated in of municipal solid waste transfer stations. The
or near their communities. Yet transfer sta- manual is divided into the following chapters:
tions play an important role in a community’s Planning and Siting a Transfer Station
waste management system.
In 1993, the National Environmental Justice Transfer Station Design and Operations
Advisory Council (NEJAC) was formed to Facility Oversight
“provide independent advice, consultation,
and recommendations to EPA on matters relat- What Are Waste Transfer Stations?
ed to environmental justice.” The Waste and Waste transfer stations play an important role
Facility Siting Subcommittee, one of NEJAC's in a community’s total waste management
six subcommittees, received numerous com- system, serving as the link between a commu-
ments from citizens of several major metropol-
itan areas concerning the negative impacts of
waste transfer stations and their dispropor-
tionate siting in low-income communities and
communities of color. The Subcommittee, with
support from EPA, formed the Waste Transfer
Station Working Group in 1998 to investigate
these comments. The Working Group
arranged two fact-finding sessions in New
York City and Washington, DC, during
November 1998 and February 1999 respective-
ly. These sessions were each two-day events
consisting of a day of tours of area waste
transfer stations and a second day of public
meetings. Based upon these two fact-finding
sessions, the Working Group in March 2000
published the draft report, A Regulatory
Strategy for Siting and Operating Waste Transfer
Stations. This report made several recommen-
dations to EPA concerning proper and equi-
table siting and operation of transfer stations. Aerial view of a totally enclosed transfer station.
Introduction 1
[Page 6]
nity’s solid waste collection program and a ties have installed full-service operations that
final waste disposal facility. While facility provide public waste and recyclables drop-off
ownership, sizes, and services offered vary accommodations on the same site as their
significantly among transfer stations, they all transfer stations.
serve the same basic purpose—consolidating Source reduction and recycling also play an
waste from multiple collection vehicles into integral role in a community’s total waste
larger, high-volume transfer vehicles for more management system. These two activities can
economical shipment to distant disposal sites. significantly reduce the weight and volume of
In its simplest form, a transfer station is a waste materials requiring disposal, which
facility with a designated receiving area where reduces transportation, landfill, and incinera-
waste collection vehicles discharge their loads. tor costs. Source reduction consists of reduc-
The waste is often compacted, then loaded ing waste at the source by changing product
into larger vehicles (usually transfer trailers, design, manufacturing processes, and pur-
but intermodal containers, railcars, and barges chasing and sales practices to reduce the
are also used) for long-haul shipment to a quantity or toxicity of materials before they
final disposal site—typically a landfill, waste- reach the waste stream. U.S. Environmental
to-energy plant, or a composting facility. No Protection Agency (EPA) policy promotes
long-term storage of waste occurs at a transfer source reduction as the waste management
station; waste is quickly consolidated and technique of choice.
loaded into a larger vehicle and moved off
site, usually in a matter of hours. Recycling—the collection, processing, and
For purposes of this manual, facilities serv- manufacture of new products—likewise
ing only as citizen drop-off stations or com- diverts materials from the landfill or incinera-
munity convenience centers are not tor. These recyclable materials are prepared for
considered waste transfer stations. Only a shipment to markets in a special facility called
facility that receives some portion of its waste a MRF, which stands for materials recovery
directly from collection vehicles, then consoli- facility. A MRF is simply a special type of
dates and reloads the waste onto larger vehi- transfer station that separates, processes, and
cles for delivery to a final disposal facility, is consolidates recyclable materials for shipment
considered a transfer station. A convenience to one or more recovery facilities rather than a
center, on the other hand, is a designated area landfill or other disposal site. Consequently,
where residents manually discard waste and the concepts and practices in this manual can
recyclables into dumpsters or collection con- be applied to MRFs as well.
tainers. These containers are periodically Aggressive community source reduction
removed or emptied, and the waste is trans- and recycling programs can substantially
ported to the appropriate disposal site (or pos- reduce the amount of waste destined for long
sibly to a transfer station first). Convenience haul transfer and disposal. If these reductions
centers are not suitable for use as transfer sta- are significant enough, a community may find
tions because they cannot readily handle the that fewer or smaller transfer stations can
large volume of waste that is discharged by a meet its needs.
self-unloading collection truck. While these
sites are not considered transfer stations with- Why Are Waste Transfer Stations
in the context of this manual, it is important to Needed?
note that heavily used convenience centers can The nationwide trend in solid waste disposal
face similar concerns as transfer stations (e.g., has been toward construction of larger, more
litter, road access, vehicle queuing, storm remote, regional landfills. Economic consid-
water run on and run off). Consequently, it erations, heavily influenced by regulatory
may be appropriate to consider implementing and social forces, are compelling factors
some of the concepts and practices advocated leading to this result. The passage of federal
in this manual at these sites. Many communi- criteria in 1991 established new design
2 Introduction
[Page 7]
requirements for municipal solid waste land- Figure 1.
fills. These new standards include design, Sample Comparison of Hauling Costs With
operating, and monitoring requirements that and Without a Transfer Station
significantly add to construction, operating, $30
closure, and post-closure monitoring costs.
As older landfills near urban centers reach
capacity and begin closing, cities must $25 Haul cost without
decide whether to construct new landfills or transfer station
to seek other disposal options. Many com-
munities find the cost of upgrading existing
facilities or constructing new landfills to be $20
prohibitively high, and opt to close existing “Break even” point
facilities. For these communities, transferring
waste to a large regional landfill is an $15
appealing alternative. Haul cost with
transfer station
In addition to regulatory requirements, $10
public opposition frequently makes siting new
landfills near population centers difficult. The Transfer station
current atmosphere is such that gaining public capital, operating,
and political approval for constructing new $5 and maintenance
disposal capacity near population centers is cost
challenging. Also, adequate land is often not
available near densely populated or urban $0
areas. These social, political, and geographical 0102030405060
factors have further stimulated the rise in con- Round-trip Distance from Waste Source to Disposal, miles
struction of large, remote, regional landfills.
Economic considerations, especially The following assumptions were used to create this sample comparison:
economies of scale, further promote develop- Cost to build, own, and operate transfer station—dollars per ton $10
Average payload of collection truck hauling directly to landfill—tons 7
ment of large regional facilities. To offset the Average payload of transfer truck hauling from transfer station
high cost of constructing and maintaining a to landfill—tons 21
modern landfill, facility owners construct Average trucking cost (direct or transfer hauling)—dollars per mile $3
large facilities that attract high volumes of
waste from a greater geographic area. By The comparison shows a break-even distance of about 35 miles (round-trip).
maintaining a high volume of incoming waste, In other words, for this example, using a transfer station is cost-effective when
landfill owners can keep the per-ton tipping the round-trip distance exceeds 35 miles. When the round-trip distance is less
fees low, which subsequently attracts more than 35 miles, direct haul is more cost-effective. Although the same economic
business. Rural and urban communities alike principles apply, break-even distances will vary in different situations based on
are finding that the most economically viable the site-specific input data.
solution to their waste disposal needs is ship- lection crews to spend less time traveling to
ping their waste to these facilities. In these cir- and from distant disposal sites and more time
cumstances, a transfer station serves as the collecting waste. This also reduces fuel con-
critical consolidation link in making cost-effec- sumption and collection vehicle maintenance
tive shipments to these distant facilities. costs, plus produces less overall traffic, air
Why Use Waste Transfer Stations? emissions, and road wear.
The primary reason for using a transfer station In addition, a transfer station also provides:
is to reduce the cost of transporting waste to An opportunity to screen waste prior to dis-
disposal facilities. Consolidating smaller loads posal.
from collection vehicles into larger transfer
vehicles reduces hauling costs by enabling col-
Introduction 3
[Page 8]
Flexibility in selecting waste disposal protective disposal sites, even if they are more
options. distant. They can consider multiple disposal
An opportunity to serve as a convenience facilities, secure competitive disposal fees, and
center for public use. choose a desired method of disposal (e.g.,
landfilling or incineration).
At many transfer stations, workers screen Finally, transfer stations often include con-
incoming wastes on conveyor systems, tipping venience centers open to public use. These cen-
floors, or in receiving pits. Waste screening has ters enable individual citizens to deliver waste
two components: separating recyclables from directly to the transfer station facility for ulti-
the waste stream and identifying any wastes mate disposal. Some convenience centers offer
that might be inappropriate for disposal (e.g., programs to manage yard waste, bulky items,
hazardous wastes or materials, white goods, household hazardous waste, and recyclables.
whole tires, auto batteries, or infectious waste). These multipurpose convenience centers are
Identifying and removing recyclables reduces assets to the community because they assist in
the weight and volume of waste sent for final achieving recycling goals, increase the public’s
disposal and, depending on local recycling knowledge of proper materials management,
markets, might generate revenue. Screening for and divert materials that would otherwise bur-
inappropriate wastes is more efficient at the den existing disposal capacity.
transfer station than the landfill.
Waste transfer stations also offer more flexi- Is a Transfer Station Right for
bility in terms of disposal options. Decision- Your Community?
makers have the opportunity to select the Deciding whether a transfer station is appro-
most cost-effective and/or environmentally priate for an individual community is based
on determining if the benefits outweigh the
Calculating Transfer Station Break-Even Points costs. Decision-makers need to weigh the plan-
ning, siting, designing, and operating costs
o calculate the break-even point for a specific facility, first determine against the savings the transfer station might
Tthe following values: generate from reduced hauling costs. To assist
• Transfer Station Cost (cost to build, own, and operate transfer station,in making this determination, public and pri-
in dollars per ton) vate decision-makers often employ third-party
solid waste experts. These experts are familiar
• Direct Haul Payload (average payload of collection truck hauling with both the technical and regulatory issues
directly to landfill, in tons) that must be addressed in developing a suc-
• Transfer Haul Payload (average payload of transfer truck hauling from cessful waste transfer station. It may be help-
transfer station to landfill, in tons) ful to retain qualified consulting or
engineering firms specializing in solid waste
• Trucking Cost (average cost of direct or transfer hauling, in dollars perengineering. It is also important to note that in
mile) some areas, the regulatory agency might
require that the transfer station plans be certi-
Once these values are known, use the following formulas to calculate cost fied by a professional engineer. Again, this
at different distances: engineer should be an experienced solid waste
Cost of Direct Haul (without the use of a waste transfer station) professional. Complex projects might also
Distance (miles) multiplied by Trucking Cost (dollars per mile) divided by require the assistance of architects, geotechni-
Direct Haul Payload (tons) cal engineers, lawyers, and other specialists.
Cost of Transfer Haul Although cost-effectiveness will vary,
Transfer Station Cost (dollars per ton) plus Distance (miles) multiplied by transfer stations generally become economi-
Trucking Cost (dollars per mile) divided by Transfer Haul Payload (tons) cally viable when the hauling distance to the
disposal facility is greater than 15 to 20 miles.
4 Introduction
[Page 9]
Figure 1 demonstrates a representative “cost
versus miles” relationship between direct
hauling waste to disposal facilities in collec-
tion vehicles versus consolidation, transfer,
and hauling in larger vehicles. Using the
assumptions listed below Figure 1, we see
that the average cost per ton to move the
waste from the collection vehicle onto the
transfer vehicle is $10 before the hauling vehi-
cle leaves the transfer station. This is the cost
per ton to build, operate, and maintain the
station. Due to its economy of scale, however,
the transfer trailer can move waste on a much
lower “per mile” basis because it can carry
the waste of several individual collection
vehicles.
Using the assumptions listed, the cost per
ton per mile (ton-mile) using a collection vehi-
cle is $0.43 ($3/mile truck operating cost divid-
ed by 7 tons per average load). In this
example, the transfer hauling vehicle’s cost per
ton-mile is much lower, at $0.14 ($3 divided by
21 tons per average load). Figure 1 shows how
this cost per ton-mile advantage for the trans-
fer hauling vehicle soon overcomes the initial
cost of developing and operating the transfer
station. In this case, based on the indicated
assumptions, cost savings will start to be real-
ized when the round-trip hauling distance
exceeds 35 miles (17.5 miles one way). Because
the cost to own, operate, and maintain collec-
tion vehicles, transfer stations, and transfer
hauling vehicles will vary depending on local
parameters, the break-even point indicated on
Figure 1 will vary. The formulas used in gener-
ating Figure 1 are provided below to allow for
site-specific calculations.
Introduction 5
[Page 10]
Planning and Siting a
Transfer Station
variety of issues must be taken multiple utility connections, traffic control
into account during the planning systems, office space, and administration.
and siting stages of transfer sta- This approach also eliminates the cost and
tion development. This section complexity of multiple siting and permit-
Adiscusses the types of waste trans- ting efforts.
fer stations typically accept, factors affecting a
transfer station’s size and capacity, and issues Unacceptable Wastes
regarding facility siting, including process Certain wastes might be unacceptable at a
issues and public involvement. While the transfer station for a variety of reasons,
planning and siting phases of facility develop- including:
ment might involve a significant investment of
resources, this initial investment is crucial to They are prohibited by state or federal reg-
ensuring an appropriate project outcome sen- ulations (e.g., PCBs, lead acid batteries,
sitive to the host community. radioactive materials).
Types of Waste Accepted
In addition to processing mixed municipal
solid waste (MSW), some transfer stations Wastes Commonly Handled at Transfer Stations
offer programs that manage specific materials he following types of waste are commonly handled at transfer stations.
separately to divert waste from disposal and TSpecific definitions of these wastes vary locally.
to achieve recycling objectives. These materi-
als could include construction and demolition Municipal solid waste (MSW) is generated by households, businesses,
debris, yard waste, household hazardous institutions, and industry. MSW typically contains a wide variety of materials
waste, or recyclables. The types of materials including discarded containers, packaging, food wastes, and paper products.
processed often vary depending on where the MSW includes a mixture of putrescible (easily degradable) and nonputresci-
facility is located (urban, suburban, rural) and ble (inert) materials. Three types of MSW are commonly diverted and han-
who owns and operates the transfer station dled separately:
(public entity or private industry). Yard waste (green waste) commonly includes leaves, grass clippings,
Types of waste that transfer stations com- tree trimmings, and brush. Yard waste is often diverted so that it may be
monly handle are described in the adjacent composted or mulched instead of going for disposal.
box. Household hazardous waste (HHW) includes hazardous materials
If a community offers programs that man- generated by households, such as cleaning products; pesticides; herbi-
age parts of the waste stream separately, it cides; used automotive products such as motor oil, brake fluid, and
might reduce expenses by locating the materi- antifreeze; and paint.
al management programs at the transfer sta- Recyclables include discarded materials that can be reprocessed for
tion. Savings might result by: manufacture into new products. Common recyclables include paper,
Using dual-collection vehicles for refuse newsprint, ferrous metals, plastic, glass containers, aluminum cans, motor
and source-separated waste streams and oil, and tires.
delivering all waste to the transfer station Construction and demolition (C&D) debris results from demolition or
in one vehicle. construction of buildings, roads, and other structures. It typically consists of
Continuing to use separate collections for concrete, brick, wood, masonry, roofing materials, sheetrock, plaster, metals,
and tree stumps. Sometimes C&D debris is managed separately from
refuse and source-separated waste streams, MSW; other times it is mixed with MSW.
but having all processing facilities located
at one site, thus minimizing the cost of
Planning and Siting a Transfer Station 7
[Page 11]
They are difficult or costly to process (e.g.,for using the transfer station. The general pub-
tires). lic usually is allowed to use a transfer station
They might pose a health or fire hazard. for any of several reasons: waste collection is
not universally provided in the area; some
They might be prohibited at the disposal wastes, such as bulky items or remodeling
facility to which the transfer station delivers. debris, are not collected; or public access is
They might be prohibited (within a mixed part of a strategy to prevent illegal dumping
waste load destined for disposal) because by providing a convenient, cost-effective place
local regulations require they be recycled. for people to deposit waste. Public unloading
areas and traffic patterns are usually kept sep-
They might be so large that they could arate from commercial vehicles for safety and
damage trucks or equipment during waste efficiency.
loading operations.
Determining Transfer Station Size
The following types of wastes are typically not and Capacity
accepted at transfer stations: large bulky The physical size of a planned transfer station
objects such as tree stumps, mattresses, or fur- is typically determined based on the following
niture; infectious medical waste; hazardous factors:
waste; explosives; radioactive materials; fuel The definition of the service area.
tanks (even if empty); appliances; dead ani- Sometimes this is relatively simple, such as
mals; asbestos; liquids and sludges; and dust- “all waste generated by Anytown, USA,” or
prone materials. This is a general list; some “all waste collected by Acme Hauling
transfer stations might be set up to process Company.” Other times, the service area is
these wastes, while others might have a longer more difficult to define because of varying
list of unacceptable materials. While these and public and private roles in solid waste man-
other unacceptable wastes represent a small agement and the changing availability of
fraction of the solid waste stream, properly existing disposal facilities.
managing them can require significant effort
by the transfer station operator and the local The amount of waste generated within the
solid waste management authority. The sec- service area, including projected changes
tion on waste screening in the Transfer Station such as population growth and recycling
Design and Operation chapter further discuss- programs.
es how to properly manage and reduce the The types of vehicles delivering waste (such
frequency of unacceptable waste at a transfer as car or pickup truck versus a specially
station. designed waste-hauling truck used by a
waste collection company).
Public Versus Commercial Use The types of materials to be transferred
Some transfer stations provide public access to (e.g., compacted versus loose MSW, yard
the facility rather than restricting access only waste, C&D), including seasonal variations.
to waste collection vehicles. The types of cus-
tomers accommodated vary depending on Daily and hourly arrival patterns of cus-
where the facility is located and who owns tomers delivering waste. Hourly arrivals
and operates the transfer station. Publicly tend to cluster in the middle of the day,
operated transfer stations are more likely to be with typical peaks just before and after
open to public use. Private transfer stations lunchtime. Peak hourly arrivals tend to
might not be open to the public because resi- dictate a facility’s design more than average
dents deliver relatively small amounts of daily arrivals.
waste with each visit, require more direction The availability of transfer trailers, inter-
for safe and efficient use of the transfer sta- modal containers, barges, or railcars, and
tion, and generally pay relatively small fees how fast these can be loaded.
8 Planning and Siting a Transfer Station
[Page 12]
Expected increases in tonnage delivered waste per day, a tipping floor space of 6,000
during the life of the facility. For example, square feet would be required (i.e., 4,000 ft2 +
in a region with annual population growth (100 TPD x 20 ft2/ton) = 6,000 ft2) “Chapter 4:
of 3 to 4 percent, a facility anticipating a 20- Collection and Transfer” in EPA’s Decision
year operating life would typically be Maker ’s Guide to Solid Waste Management also
designed for about twice the capacity that it provides a series of formulas for helping deter-
uses in its first year of operation. mine transfer station capacity These formulas
The relationship to other existing and pro- are presented in the box below.
posed solid waste management facilities
such as landfills, recycling facilities, and
waste-to-energy facilities. Formulas for Determining Transfer Station Capacity
Stations with Surge Pits
The same factors are used to determine the Based on rate at which wastes can be unloaded from collection vehicles:
size of the following transfer station features: C = PC x (L / W) x (60 x HW / TC) x F
Amount of off-street vehicle queuing (wait- Based on rate at which transfer trailers are loaded:
ing) space. At peak times, vehicles must C = (Pt x N x 60 x Ht) / (Tt + B)
often wait to check in at a facility’s “gate- Direct Dump Stations
house” or “scale house.” It is important that C = Nn x Pt x F x 60 x HW / [(Pt/Pc) x (W/Ln) x Tc] + B
the queue (line) not block public streets or
impede vehicular or pedestrian traffic. Hopper Compaction Stations
Number and size of unloading stalls, and C = (Nn x Pt x F x 60 x HW) / (Pt/Pc x Tc) + B
corresponding number of transfer trailer Push Pit Compaction Stations
loading positions. C = (Np x Pt x F x 60 x HW) / [(Pt/Pc) x (W/Lp) x Tc] + Bc + B
Short-term waste processing and storage Where:
areas (for holding waste until it can be C Station capacity (tons/day)
reloaded into transfer vehicles). PC Collection vehicle payloads (tons)
L Total length of dumping space (feet)
Present and projected daily, weekly, and annu- W Width of each dumping space (feet)
al waste volumes (including seasonal varia- HW Hours per day that waste is delivered
TC Time to unload each collection vehicle (minutes)
tions) are important in planning facility size to F Peaking factor (ratio of number of collection vehicles received during
accommodate waste deliveries. The maximum an average 30-minute period to the number received during a peak
rate at which waste is delivered is a crucial 30-minute period)
consideration as well. In general, it is best to Pt Transfer trailer payload (tons)
build a facility to accommodate present and N Number of transfer trailers loading simultaneously
projected maximum volumes and peak flows, Ht Hours per day used to load trailers (empty trailers must be available)
with a preplanned footprint for facility expan- B Time to remove and replace each loaded trailer (minutes)
sion. A useful exercise is calculating how much Tt Time to load each transfer trailer (minutes)
tipping floor space a facility would require to Nn Number of hoppers
store a full day’s waste in case of extreme Ln Length of each hopper
emergency. One approach to estimating the Lp Length of each push pit (feet)
required tipping floor space is to begin with a Np Number of push pits
Bc Total cycle time for clearing each push pit and compacting waste into
base area of 4,000 square feet and add to it 20 trailer
square feet for each ton of waste received in a
day (assuming the waste will be temporarily Source: Decision-Makers Guide to Solid Waste Management, Secon Edition
piled 6 feet high on the tipping floor).1 For (EPA530-R-95-023), p. 4-23.
example, if the facility receives 100 tons of
1 Solid Waste Association of North America. 2001. Transfer Systems Management Training Course. SWANA. Washington,
DC.
Planning and Siting a Transfer Station 9
[Page 13]
option, even when the longer driving dis-
Queuing in Urban Areas tances are considered. When deciding which
approach is best for a community, issues to
n extreme situations where adequate queuing space cannot be provided consider include the impacts the transfer sta-
Ion the transfer station site, an additional offsite area can be provided as a tion(s) will have on the surrounding area, sit-
holding area for waiting trucks. Transfer station staff can dispatch the wait- ing complications, and the cost to build and
ing trucks via radio when the station is ready to receive them. operate the transfer station(s). Each approach
offers advantages and disadvantages that
Number and Sizing of Transfer Stations must be reconciled with local needs.
Design capacity is determined by the maxi- The biggest advantage of constructing large
mum distance from which waste can be eco- transfer stations is the economies of scale that
nomically delivered to the transfer station. The can significantly reduce capital and operational
area that can efficiently reach the waste trans- costs. Centralizing waste transfer operations
fer station determines the volume of waste allows communities to reduce equipment, con-
that must be managed, which is the facility’s struction, waste handling, and transportation
initial design capacity. Beyond a certain dis- costs. The siting of a single facility may often
tance, another transfer station might be neces- prove easier than siting multiple facilities.
sary, or it might become just as cost-effective Large facilities are also conducive to barge or
to direct haul to the disposal facility. rail operations that can further decrease traffic-
Transfer stations serving rural or tribal areas related impacts on the community. Along relat-
tend to be small. They are optimally located ed lines, however, a major drawback to
within a reasonable driving time from the serv- building a single large facility is locating a tract
ice area’s largest concentration of homes and of land that adequately meets facility require-
businesses. For example, a rural transfer station ments. Large facilities also tend to concentrate
could be located near one of the service area’s impacts to a single area, which can create the
larger towns and sized to take waste from all perception of inequity, especially when one
waste generators within about 30 miles. As an neighborhood is shouldering the burden for
example, two 50-ton-per-day transfer stations the entire city. A single facility can result in
might each serve six small communities. longer travel times, which leads to increased
Alternately, fewer transfer stations could be down time for the collection crew and
used, necessitating longer average travel dis- increased wear and tear on collection vehicles.
tances. For example, one 100-ton-per-day trans- Another consideration is that a single facility
fer station could be used to serve the same 12 cannot divert waste to a backup facility if a
small communities, but it would be located far- need arises. The single facility must have addi-
ther from the outlying communities. tional equipment in case of equipment failure
In urban or subur- or other emergencies.
Addressing Site Size Limitations ban areas, the same In other situations, multiple smaller sites
situations exist. A might better address a community’s waste
hen site size is not adequate to accom- midsize city (popula- management needs. Decentralizing waste
Wmodate ideal designs and practices, tion 500,000), for transfer operations spreads lesser impacts
additional engineering design features will be example, might over a wider area, which helps address equity
needed to mitigate the facility’s potential nega- decide that two 800- issues. Although it is generally more expen-
tive impacts. For example, sound barriers might ton-per-day transfer sive to build and operate several small trans-
need to be incorporated into the site plan to stations would best fer stations rather than one large station with
reduce noise. Another approach is to select serve its community. the same total capacity, savings from reduced
multiple, smaller capacity sites if a single parcel This same city could travel times might offset these capital costs
of land large enough to accommodate an ideal alternately decide and result in lower overall system costs.
facility does not exist. These separate sites Multiple facilities also are better able to serve
could be used to hold trucks awaiting delivery, that a single 1,600-
or to store transfer trailers. ton-per-day transfer as backups for one another in case of sched-
station is its best uled or emergency shutdowns of facilities. The
10 Planning and Siting a Transfer Station
[Page 14]
major disadvantage to building multiple facili- Environmental Justice Considerations
ties is that the difficulties encountered in siting During the site selection process, steps should
a single facility can become multiplied. be taken to ensure that siting decisions are not
imposing a disproportionate burden upon
Future Expansion low-income or minority communities.
Transfer stations are frequently designed to Overburdening a community with negative
accommodate future expansion. Often, this is impact facilities can create health, environ-
accomplished by siting the facility on a larger mental, and quality of living concerns. It can
parcel of land than would otherwise be neces- also have a negative economic impact by low-
sary and preplanning the site and buildings so ering property values and hindering commu-
expansion can occur without negatively affect- nity revitalization plans. These are just a few
ing other functions on the site or the sur- of the reasons environmental justice concerns
rounding community. Although expansion of need to be addressed when selecting a site for
effective capacity can sometimes be accom- a waste transfer station.
plished simply by expanding the hours of
operation, this approach is not always effec- The Siting Process and Public
tive because the transfer station must accom- Involvement
modate the collection schedules of vehicles A siting process that includes continuous pub-
delivering waste to the facility. In addition, lic participation is integral to developing a
increased operating hours might not be com- transfer station. The public must be a legiti-
patible with the surrounding community. mate partner in the facility siting process to
integrate community needs and concerns and
Site Selection to influence the decision-making process.
Identifying a suitable site for a waste transfer Addressing public concerns is also essential to
station can be a challenging process. Site suit- building integrity and instituting good com-
ability depends on numerous technical, envi- munications with the community. Establishing
ronmental, economic, social, and political credibility and trust with the public is as
criteria. When selecting a site, a balance needs
to be achieved among the multiple criteria Maximizing Public Committee Participation
that might have competing objectives. For
example, a site large enough to accommodate ublic committees are often convened to assist with developing public
all required functions and possibly future Ppolicy. To maximize participation, the process should:
expansion, might not be centrally located in • Give committee members a chance to be actively involved.
the area where waste is generated. Likewise,
in densely developed urban areas, ideal sites • Allow the committee to remove the selected facilitator if concerns
that include effective natural buffers simply about objectivity exist.
might not be available. Less than ideal sites • Encourage members to discuss relevant concerns and to raise questions
may still present the best option due to trans- or objections freely. Criticisms or challenges should be directed toward
portation, environmental, and economic con- the issues; the facilitator should swiftly mitigate personal criticisms.
siderations. Yet another set of issues that must
be addressed relates to public concern or • Agree on a means to resolve disagreements before they arise.
opposition, particularly from people living or • Allow members to discuss the results of each meeting with their con-
working near the proposed site. The relative stituents.
weight given to each criteria used in selecting
a suitable site will vary by the community’s • Provide technical experts to educate participants.
needs and concerns. Whether the site is in an
urban, suburban, or rural setting will also play • Distribute literature about upcoming issues before meetings.
a role in final site selection.
Planning and Siting a Transfer Station 11
[Page 15]
examples of how to integrate public participa-
Informing the Community tion into the waste management facility siting
and development process. Following are some
hen initiating a siting process, education must be extended beyond general guidelines for developing and imple-
Wthe siting committee and include a communitywide outreach initia- menting a siting process that is open to and
tive. Components of this type of public outreach typically include: integrates meaningful public input.
• Special public meetings. For publicly developed transfer stations, a
• Interviews with local newspapers for feature stories. good first step by public officials in the site
selection process is establishing a siting com-
• Interviews with media editorial boards. mittee. The committee’s main responsibility
• Interviews with broadcast media. includes developing criteria to identify and
evaluate potential sites. The committee should
• News conferences, press releases, and press kits. consist of key individuals who represent vari-
ous stakeholder interests. These stakeholders
• Paid advertising. might include:
• Internet sites. Community and neighborhood groups.
• Informational literature. Industry and business representatives.
• Direct mail with project updates. Civic and public interest groups.
• City council/county commission presentations. Environmental organizations.
• Presentations to civic, environmental, religious, and professional groups. Local- and state-elected officials.
Public officials, such as public works
• Presentations to neighborhood groups. employees and solid waste professionals.
• Community education programs and workshops. Academic institutions.
• Reading files located in public libraries or community centers that docu-
ment the process. Committee members should be selected to
Beyond communitywide outreach, initiate specific and targeted contact ensure broad geographical representation
with key members of potential host communities, and identify community- from across the area to be served by the trans-
specific conditions that need to be considered. Individuals might become fer station. In addition, committee representa-
proponents of the proposed facility if contacted directly for input, rather tion should seek gender balance and racial
than opposing it based on misleading secondhand information. diversity. Volunteer participation should also
be solicited.
important as addressing environmental, social, The committee’s meeting times and dates
and economic concerns about the solid waste must be planned and scheduled to facilitate
facility.2 A companion document to this manu- attendance by all committee members and
al, Waste Transfer Stations: Involved Citizens other members of the public. Therefore, meet-
Make the Difference (EPA530-K-01-003), pro- ing schedules should avoid conflicts with
vides key information citizens require to be other major community, cultural, or religious
effectively involved in the siting and develop- events. To encourage active public participa-
ment process. Two other EPA documents, Sites tion, meetings should be prominently adver-
for Our Solid Waste: A Guidebook for Effective tised in the media in a timely manner and be
Public Involvement (EPA 530-SW-90-019) and held in facilities accessible to the disabled and
RCRA Public Participation Manual (EPA530-R- located on public transportation routes.
96-007), provide further information and Frequently, a facilitator is hired or appointed
to keep the meetings focused, to minimize the
2 McMaster Institute of Environment and Health, “Psychological Impacts of the Landfill Siting Process in Two
Southern Ontario Communities.”
12 Planning and Siting a Transfer Station
[Page 16]
Building Reuse: Weighing the Consequences
dapting an existing building for reuse as a waste transfer • Older structures, particularly older warehouse type struc-
Astation is usually done as a capital cost savings measure. tures, often fail to meet current structural design codes. In
Building reuse saves on new site construction and can avoid the particular, modern seismic and fire code requirements have
permitting process if the existing site already has a permit allow- changed considerably in recent years. Retrofitting older struc-
ing the waste transfer activity. Building reuse can have some ben- tures might prove more costly than demolishing and replacing
efits, including conserving construction materials required for the structure.
new structures and facilities; reducing waste from the demolition
of existing buildings; recycling unused property for which no • Transfer station structures can experience substantial vibra-
other uses were found; and redeveloping contaminated property tions from heavy equipment used to compact and load
(brownfields redevelopment). But the negative aspects frequent- waste into the transfer vehicles. Concrete and steel floors, pil-
ly outweigh the positives. lars, and other building reinforcements must be designed to
accommodate these high levels of vibration. Older buildings
Pitfalls and problems associated with adaptation or retrofitting not designed for this heavy use often can not meet these
of buildings for waste transfer stations include: requirements.
• Transfer buildings have unique requirements rarely found in • Most transfer stations require some amount of grade separa-
structures designed for other uses. These include the need tion so waste can be loaded into open-topped vehicles to
for vertical clearances sufficient to accommodate the tipping simplify the waste loading process. Since customer and trans-
height of commercial collection vehicles. New facilities are fer vehicles both need to access the structure, but at different
usually designed with at least 25 to 30 feet of vertical clear- levels, finding a building that offers this configuration might
ance from the tipping floor to the lowest overhead element. prove difficult. Installing additional levels or tunnels can be
costly or impractical in some areas (i.e., shallow ground water
• Busy transfer stations require adequate onsite space for vehi- or bedrock).
cle parking and queuing, something reused buildings often
lack. In fact, one of the most common problems with building • Waste transfer stations include more than just the tipping
reuse is inadequate queuing space, which leads to vehicles area. While an existing building might be very adaptive to
blocking neighborhood streets. Queuing trucks on city streets waste transfer, the overall building site needs to accommo-
creates health and safety issues, and can be very disruptive date the supporting activities and requirements including traf-
for the surrounding neighborhood. fic queuing, buffer zones, scale facility operations, etc.
• Transfer stations need relatively large, open
floor areas suitable for maneuvering large vehi-
cles. Interior building columns and walls might
not accommodate the kind of safe traffic
movements that are needed, which could
pose a hazard and reduce traffic efficiency.
• Enclosed transfer structures also require large,
very tall access doors. Doors 24-feet high are
not unusual in new transfer buildings. The
design must assume that a collection truck will
inadvertently exit the transfer station building
with its tipping bed extended.
• Heavy-duty, skid-resistant floors are a necessi-
ty in transfer stations. Sloped floors with posi-
tive drainage are also important. Some Transfer station structures require tall access doors to accomodate collection
buildings are not designed with floors that vehicles.
meet these essential criteria, and replacing the
floors can be costly.
Planning and Siting a Transfer Station 13
[Page 17]
Community Involvement in Privately Developed Facilities
n the past, privately developed facilities have not generally develop sound avenues of communication. These programs
Iformed siting committees. When private facilities have been should educate the community about the need for the facility,
sited, the public’s first—and sometimes only—opportunity for the facility’s design and operations, and provide an opportunity
input has come when the permit application is put out for pub- for community input. A public outreach program helps the
lic comment. Most states do not require private developers to developer understand community concerns and address them
seek public involvement in the site selection or facility design early in the siting and design phases while changes are still readi-
and operation decisions. Private companies, however, should ly incorporated. Adopting, with appropriate modifications, the
consider establishing siting committees and developing public public involvement process outlined above is one approach to
outreach programs to establish credibility, build public trust, and addressing community concerns.
potential for certain individuals or interest of the technical information might be
groups to dominate the process, and to enhanced by encouraging the committee to
encourage active participation by all stake- assist in selecting consultants and technical
holders throughout the process. experts, by encouraging committee members
During the siting committee’s first meeting, to perform their own research, by using a
individual duties, group responsibilities, and third party to review technical studies, and by
process issues need to be addressed. relying on experts who reside within the com-
Expectations and limitations of the committee munity to provide technical information.
need to be clearly communicated and might Information should be relayed in various for-
be summarized in mission statements. Rules mats and should consider language barriers,
for discourse, and a schedule and procedures literacy levels, and preferred types of commu-
for final decision-making, should be deter- nications. For example, committee education
mined and agreed upon. Technical experts might include presentations by technical
should be involved early in the process to experts and tours of existing transfer stations
respond to general questions and to resolve in addition to written materials.
common misconceptions about waste transfer.
After establishing general procedures, com- Siting Criteria
mittee members should be informed of all Once the committee completes the education
details to further ensure equal participation phase, criteria should be developed for
and a means of influencing the decision-mak- identifying and evaluating potential sites. All
ing process. Committee members should siting criteria must be developed before iden-
understand why a transfer station is needed tifying potential transfer station sites. This
and the facility’s role within the solid waste approach ensures siting decisions are based on
management system. In addition, committee objective criteria. Three categories or sets of
members must be taught the numerous tech- criteria applied during various stages of the
nical, environmental, and economic aspects siting process are exclusionary, technical, and
associated with siting, designing, and operat- community-specific criteria. It is important to
ing a transfer station. This ensures that the sit- note that no site may meet all the criteria, in
ing criteria the committee develops will result which case, each criterion’s relative weight
in identifying potential sites feasible from and importance must be considered.
engineering and operational perspectives, as
well as acceptable to the public. Exclusionary Siting Criteria
Educational materials for the siting com- Siting a waste transfer station, or any type of
mittee should provide useful, objective infor- facility, in areas with preclusive siting criteria is
mation. Mistrust of technical information often prohibited by federal, state, or local laws
might develop among the committee mem- or regulations, or requires facilities to incorpo-
bers and should be anticipated. The credibility rate special engineering design and construc-
tion techniques. Even when siting in excluded
14 Planning and Siting a Transfer Station
[Page 18]
zones is allowed, the added engineering
designs or strong public opposition can signifi- Addressing Cluster Zoning
cantly increase construction costs. In general, it
is best to avoid siting in these areas. Exclusion- iting waste transfer stations exclusively in areas zoned for industrial use
ary criteria might include areas such as: Scan lead to a condition known as “cluster zoning.” Especially restrictive
zoning frequently forces transfer stations into a few areas. In general, siting
Wetlands and floodplains. transfer stations in industrial zones eliminates permitting agencies’ discretion
Endangered and protected flora and fauna to deny such use because technically, the transfer station is permitted “as a
habitats. matter of right.” These types of zoning actions also prevent an impacted
community from influencing the zoning decision. Such intensive clustering
Protected sites of historical, archeological, of industrial facilities may have negative impacts on neighboring residents,
or cultural significance. such as increased traffic, noise, odors, and litter. Communities need to
address clustering and zoning issues at the local level through comprehen-
Prime agricultural land. sive planning that considers the aggregate effects of clustering certain activ-
Parks and preserves. ities and the equity in sharing community burdens. To avoid clustering when
siting a new waste transfer station, establish a community stakeholder or
advisory panel to participate in the siting process. This advisory panel
Some examples of federal laws defining these should consist of representatives from all potentially affected communities;
areas include the Endangered Species Act; the state, local, and/or tribal regulatory agencies; public and private waste trade
Migratory Bird Conservation Act; the Coastal groups; local community development organizations; and any other con-
Zone Management Act; the Wild and Scenic cerned community, environmental, or environmental justice organizations.
Rivers Act; the Marine Protection, Research, To prevent disproportionate facility siting:
and Sanctuaries Act; and the National Historic
Preservation Act. • Zoning must not be presumed to prevent significant impacts on poor
and minority communities.
Technical Siting Criteria • The potential for clustering should be examined.
The second category of criteria to develop • Other close or adjacent land uses should be examined to determine
includes technical parameters that help define compatibility.
the best potential facility sites. These criteria
provide guidance on specific engineering, • Other close or adjacent land uses should be examined to analyze
operation, and transportation conditions that cumulative impacts.
should be considered to ensure that potential
sites are feasible from technical, environmen-
tal, and economic perspectives. These criteria areas, direct access to rail lines or barges
address the following issues: will significantly reduce the number of
Central location to collection routes: Tolarge transfer trailers leaving the station
maximize waste collection efficiency, trans- and traveling area
fer stations should be located centrally to roads. It is prefer-
able to avoid rout- Requiring Minimum Distance
waste collection routes. As a rule of thumb ing traffic through Between Transfer Stations
in urban and suburban areas, transfer residential areas
stations should be no more than 10 miles because traffic ommunities with a waste transfer station
away from the end of all collection routes. generated by Cclustering problem might consider requiring
Beyond that distance, collection routes transfer stations a minimum distance between facilities as one
might need to be altered to enable refuse to possible solution. Designating a minimum dis-
be collected and deposited at the transfer contributes to con- tance between waste transfer stations, or other
station within one operating shift. gestion; increased industrial facilities, will limit clustering by forcing
risk to pedestrians; the siting of new facilities away from existing
Access to major transportation routes: Theincreased air emis- operations. The end effect can be a more equi-
transfer station should have direct and con- sions, noise, and table dispersion of facilities and their negative
venient access to truck routes, major arteri- impacts. A community will need to determine
als, and highways (or rail or barge access, what minimum distance is reasonable.
if appropriate). For large metropolitan
Planning and Siting a Transfer Station 15
[Page 19]
wear on roads; and might contribute to lit- routes. Transfer station traffic varies locally,
ter problems. but tends to peak twice a day. The first
Site size requirements: The area requiredpeak is often near the middle of the day or
for specific transfer stations varies signifi- shift, and the second at the end of the day
cantly, depending on the volume of waste or shift. Therefore, the best sites for transfer
to be transferred, rates at which waste will stations are located away from areas that
be delivered, the functions to be carried out have midday traffic peaks and/or school
at the site, and the types of customers the bus and pedestrian traffic.
facility is intended to serve. Locating a site Ability for expansion: When selecting a
of sufficient size is critical to operating effi- site, consider the potential for subsequent
ciencies and minimizing impacts on the increase in the daily tonnage of waste the
surrounding community. Engineering input facility will be required to manage, or
can establish preliminary size criteria based added processing capabilities for recycling
on a conceptual design. and diversion. It is frequently less expen-
Sufficient space for onsite roadways, sive to expand an existing transfer station
queuing, and parking: Transfer stations than to develop a new site due to the ability
typically have onsite roadways to move to use existing operations staff, utility con-
vehicles around various parts of the trans- nections, traffic control systems, office
fer site. Waste collection trucks can be up to space, and buildings.
40 feet long. Transfer trailers that move Space for recycling, composting, and pub-
waste to a disposal facility are typically 50 lic education: A transfer station could be
to 70 feet long. These vehicles need wide sited in areas also conducive to recycling or
roadways with gradual slopes and curves composting activities. Many transfer sta-
to maneuver efficiently and safely. Also, the tions are designed to enable residents and
site will need space for parking transfer businesses to drop off recyclables and yard
vehicles and to allow incoming and outgo- waste in addition to trash. Some transfer
ing traffic to form lines without backing up stations incorporate education centers or
onto public roads. interpretive trails focusing on waste pre-
Truck and traffic compatibility: Transfervention. These types of facilities offer
stations often receive surges of traffic when increased utility to the community.
collection vehicles have finished their Buffer space: To mitigate impact on the
surrounding community, a transfer station
should be located in an area that provides
separation from sensitive adjoining land
uses such as residences. Buffers can be nat-
ural or constructed and can take many
forms, including open spaces, fences, sound
walls, trees, berms, and landscaping.
Gently sloping topography: Transfer sta-
tions often are multilevel buildings that
need to have vehicle access at several lev-
els. Completely flat sites need ramps or
bridges constructed to allow vehicle access
to upper levels (or areas excavated to allow
access to lower levels). Sites with moderate-
ly sloping terrain can use topography to
their advantage, allowing access to the
Many transfer stations are multi-level facilities that allow vehicle access at several upper levels from the higher parts of the
levels. natural terrain and access to lower levels
16 Planning and Siting a Transfer Station
[Page 20]
from the lower parts. Sites with steep Developing Community-Specific Criteria
slopes might require extra costs associated The third category of criteria to consider are
with earthmoving and retaining walls. impacts that the facility will have on the sur-
Access to utilities: Transfer stations gener-rounding community. These criteria are typi-
ally require electricity to operate equip- cally less technical in nature and incorporate
ment, such as balers and compactors; local, social, and cultural factors. Examples of
lighting; water for facility cleaning, rest- these criteria include:
rooms, and drinking; and sanitary sewer Environmental Justice considerations (e.g.,
systems for waste-water disposal. Some clustering, cumulative impacts).
smaller transfer stations use wells for water Impact on air
supply, and some, especially in more rural quality.
settings, use septic systems or truck their
waste water for offsite treatment. Impact on the local infrastructure.
Zoning Designations and Requirements: Adjacent land uses, including other envi-
Zoning ordinances frequently classify trans- ronmental stressors that might already
fer stations as industrial uses, which limits exist.
their siting to areas zoned for industry usu- Proximity to schools, churches, recreation
ally in conjunction with a special use per- sites, and residences.
mit. Exclusive use of predetermined land
use criteria, how-
ever, might result
in locating transfer Using GIS to Narrow the Search
stations in areas
already overbur- geographic information system (GIS) is a com- attribute or exclusionary criteria for siting transfer
dened with indus- Aputer system capable of assembling, storing, stations can be layered on top of municipal maps,
tries or clustering manipulating, and displaying geographically refer- as well as each other, to narrow down potential
of these types of enced information (data identified according to site locations. The maps show these variables in
facilities in areas location). After the data are entered, each positive relationship to infrastructure and housing patterns.
adjacent to poor
and minority com- Wetland Resource Map
munities. If local Tampa Bay Florida
zoning ordinances
are so restrictive
Marine and Estuarine Deepwater Habitats
that they disallow
Deepwater Lakes and Rivers
facility siting out-
Estuarine Marshes and Aquatic Beds
side pre-estab- Tidal Flats
lished industrial Estuarine Forested Wetlands
zones, substantial Palustrine Forested Wetlands
engineering and Inland Marshes and Aquatic Beds
architectural Palustrine Scrub/Shrub
design must be Open Water
incorporated into Major Roads
the facility to mini-
mize impacts on Tampa
the surrounding Gulf of Bay
Mexico
community.
Planning and Siting a Transfer Station 17
[Page 21]
Prevailing winds. Host Community Agreements
Number of residences impacted. Siting any type of solid waste management
facility has often been met with strong commu-
Presence of natural buffers. nity opposition. Whether the facility is publicly
Impacts on existing businesses. or privately owned, many residents may not be
confident that the siting, permitting, and over-
Expansion sight process will be sufficiently rigorous to
capability. address their concerns and protect them from
Buffer zones and screening measures. future impacts. When this type of opposition
arises, it is often advantageous for the develop-
Traffic compatibility. er to enter into a separate agreement with the
Impact on historic or cultural features. surrounding community, laying out all issues
Impact on neighborhood character. of concern and the developer ’s action plan in
response. These “host community agreements”
are most frequently used when private compa-
To maintain objectivity in the facility siting nies are developing a facility, but public agen-
process, the community-specific criteria cies might also find them useful in satisfying
should be prioritized before potential sites are community concerns. These agreements typi-
known. After potential sites are identified, the cally specify design requirements, operating
committee will apply these criteria to evaluate restrictions, oversight provisions, and other
each potential site’s suitability as a waste services and benefits that the immediate com-
transfer station. These issues also factor into munity will receive. Provisions might include
permitting decisions concerning private facili- the following:
ties and should not be ignored by the permit- Steps to reduce negative environmental
ting agency or transfer station developer. impacts in the immediate area, such as
committing to the use of low emission or
Applying the Committee’s Criteria alternative fueled vehicles, or retrofitting
After all three categories of siting criteria are vehicles with particulate filters.
agreed upon, it is time for the committee to Limitations on waste generation sources.
apply the criteria and narrow down all possi-
ble sites. Keep in mind, however, that despite Roadside cleanup of litter on access routes.
the best efforts, every site has some shortcom- Restrictions on facility operating hours.
ings that will need to be addressed. Restrictions on vehicle traffic routes.
First, the exclusionary criteria can be plot- Financial support for regulatory agencies to
ted on maps, which helps the committee visu- assist with facility oversight.
alize where the facility cannot be sited due to
local, state, and federal regulations. Once Independent third-party inspection of
unsuitable areas are eliminated, the commit- facilities, or the use of video monitoring.
tee’s technical criteria and community-specific Assistance with recycling and waste diver-
criteria are applied to all remaining options. sion objectives.
Information for each potential site should be
developed so the committee can rank the sites. A fee paid to the local government for
Based on the committee’s ranking, the top two every ton of waste received at the facility.
to four sites should undergo more rigorous Free or reduced-cost use of the facility for
analysis to determine technical feasibility and the community’s residents and businesses.
compliance with the environmental and com-
munity objectives. Guaranteed preference to the community’s
residents for employment.
18 Planning and Siting a Transfer Station
[Page 22]
Funding for road or utility improvements.
Provisions for an environmental education
center.
Financial support for other community
based activities.
These agreements can also require that commu-
nity representatives have access to the facility
during operating hours to monitor perform-
ance. Safety concerns must be addressed if this
provision is included. Community representa-
tives usually welcome an ongoing communica-
tion process between facility operators and an
established citizen’s committee to encourage
proactive response to evolving issues. The pro-
visions or amenities in a host community
agreement generally are in addition to what
state and local standards or regulations require,
and thus should not be thought of as substi-
tutes for adequate facility design and opera-
tion. The same is true for state, tribal or local
government compliance enforcement. The gov-
ernment agency responsible for transfer station
compliance also should make a commitment to
the community concerning its role in actively
and effectively enforcing all requirements.
Planning and Siting a Transfer Station 19
[Page 23]
Transfer Station Design
and Operation
his section discusses the many fac- How much waste will the facility be
tors that affect a transfer station designed to receive during peak flows?
design. The general design issues How will climate and weather affect facility
Tdiscussed in this section can typi- operations?
cally be applied at a variety of facil-
ity sites and over a wide range of facility sizes. Two other factors to consider when develop-
Specific design decisions and their costs, how- ing a transfer station’s design include:
ever, can only be finalized once a specific site How will environmental impacts to the sur-
is selected. After determining who will use the rounding area be minimized? (Ways to min-
facility and how, a site design plan can be imize environmental impacts on the
developed. A facility’s design must accommo- community are discussed in the
date its customers’ vehicles and the technolo- Environmental Issues section beginning on
gy used to consolidate and transfer waste, page 33.)
provide for employee and public safety, and
address environmental concerns related to How will employee health and safety be
safeguarding health and being a good neigh- ensured? (The Safety Issues section begin-
bor to the surrounding community. ning on page 40 discusses several design
features, technologies, and operational
Transfer Station Design practices to help protect the health and
safety protection of facility employees.)
How Will the Transfer Station Be Used?
The most important factors to consider when Site Design Plan
designing a transfer station are: Once a site is identified for the transfer sta-
Will the transfer station receive waste fromtion, planners, architects, and engineers use
the general public or limit access to collec- the factors described above to develop a site
tion vehicles? If access will not be limited, plan for the proposed facility.2 A site plan
how will citizen traffic be separated from shows the layout of the transfer station site’s
commercial traffic to ensure safe and effi- major features, including access points, road-
cient unloading? ways, buildings, parking lots, utilities, surface-
water drainage features, fences, adjacent land
What types of waste will the transfer sta-uses, and landscaping.
tion accept? Figure 2 shows a simplified example of a
What additional functions will be carried site design plan of a fully enclosed transfer sta-
out at the transfer station (i.e., material tion. This facility has a design capacity of 500
recovery programs, vehicle maintenance)? tons per day and occupies a 25-acre site. It
What type of transfer technology will be serves both the general public and waste col-
used? lection vehicles and has a citizen drop-off area
for recyclables.
How will waste be shipped? Truck, rail, or
barge? Site design plans typically show the following
What volume of material will the transfer features:
station manage?
2 Sometimes a “conceptual site plan” is developed before a site is identified. This can be helpful in identifying and
assessing the size and suitability of candidate sites.
Transfer Station Design and Operation 21
[Page 24]
Figure 2 Primary functions at the transfer station
Transfer Station Site Plan (500 TPD) building. Including tipping floor, tunnels,
ramps, etc.
Buildings. Including entrances and exits
for vehicles and people.
Parking areas. Employees, visitors, and
transfer vehicles.
Public conveniences. Such as separate tip-
ping areas for the general public, recycling
dropoff areas, a public education center,
and restrooms.
Space for future expansion of the main
transfer building. Often, this area is shown
as a dotted line adjacent to the initial build-
ing location.
Buffer areas. Open space, landscaping,
trees, berms, and walls that reduce impacts
on the community.
Holding area. For inspecting incoming
loads and holding inappropriate waste
loads or materials for removal.
Main Transfer Area Design
Most activity at a transfer station occurs within
the main transfer building. Here, cars and
Road entrances and exits. Including accel-trucks unload their waste onto the floor, into a
eration/deceleration lanes on public streets, pit, or directly into a waiting transfer container
and access points for waste arriving and or vehicle. Direct loading can simplify opera-
departing from the transfer station. Some tions, but limits the opportunity to perform
facilities have separate access for visitors waste screening or sorting. When not loaded
and employees so these vehicles do not directly, waste deposited onto the floor or into
have to compete with lines of vehicles a pit is stored temporarily, then loaded into a
using the facility. transfer trailer, intermodal container, railcar, or
Traffic flow routes on site. Often, separatebarge. Most modern transfer stations have
routes are established for public use and for enclosed buildings. Some older and smaller
heavy truck use. Designers work to elimi- facilities are partly enclosed (e.g., a building
nate sharp turns, intersections, and steep with three sides) or only covered (e.g., a build-
ramps. ing with a roof but no sides). Small rural facili-
ties might be entirely open but surrounded by
Queuing areas. Queues can develop at thefences that limit access and contain litter.
inbound scales, the tipping area, and the Figure 3 shows the main transfer building
outbound scales. Queuing space should be for the site plan depicted in Figure 2. It shows
clearly identified, and queues should not a 40,000-square-foot building with a pit, sepa-
extend across intersections. rate tipping areas for public versus large
The scale house. Incoming and outgoing trucks on either side of the pit, and a preload
loads are weighed and fees are collected. compactor to compact the waste before it is
loaded into transfer trailers.
22 Transfer Station Design and Operation
[Page 25]
Because the main transfer building is typi- Figure 3
cally quite tall to accommodate several levels Main Transfer Building Floor Plan
of traffic, it can often be seen easily from off-
site locations. Therefore, the main transfer
building should be designed to blend into or
enhance the surrounding neighborhood.
Types of Vehicles That Use a Transfer Station
Traffic is frequently a transfer station’s most
significant community impact. Because the pri-
mary purpose of transfer stations is to provide
more efficient movement of wastes, it is impor-
tant to consider the following types of cus-
tomers and vehicles that commonly use them.
Residents hauling their own wastes in cars
and pickup trucks. Residents regularly
served by a waste collection service typically
visit the transfer station less frequently than
residents in unincorporated and rural areas
not served by waste collection companies (or
who elect not to subscribe to an available
service). Residents typically deliver only a
few pounds to a ton of waste per visit. and hauled away to dispose of the waste.
Businesses and industry hauling their Rolloff boxes also are commonly used at
own wastes in trucks. Many small busi- transfer stations to receive yard waste, recy-
nesses such as remodeling contractors, clables, and solid waste from the general
roofers, and landscapers haul their own public. A typical, large rolloff box measures
wastes to transfer stations. The vehicle type 8 feet tall, 7 feet wide, and 22 feet long.
used and the waste amount delivered by Unlike packer trucks that operate on an
businesses varies considerably. extended route before traveling to the
Public or private waste hauling operations transfer station, rolloff trucks typically trav-
with packer trucks. Packer trucks, which el to one place, pick up a roll-off container,
compact waste during the collection travel to and unload at the transfer station,
process, are commonly used on collection and return the empty rolloff container to
routes serving homes and businesses. the place of origin. Because rolloff trucks
Packer trucks typically visit many waste handle many loads per day, convenient
generators along their routes and unload access to a transfer station is very important
when full, generally once or twice per day. to their operations. Rolloff trucks typically
Convenient access to a transfer station deliver 2 to 8 tons per visit.
helps keep packer trucks on their collection Transfer vehicles hauling waste from the
routes. Packer trucks typically deliver 5 to transfer station. Transfer trailers (similar to
10 tons of waste per visit. large interstate tractor-trailers) commonly
Public or private waste hauling operations haul consolidated waste from transfer sta-
with rolloff trucks. Large rolloff containers tions to disposal facilities. Trains or barges
are typically placed at businesses and are also used to haul waste from some large
industry and collected when they are full. A urban transfer stations (see text box).
rolloff box is a large metal bin, often open Transfer trailers typically haul 15 to 25 tons
at the top, that can be loaded onto a truck per trip, while trains and barges typically
haul thousands of tons. Some stations
Transfer Station Design and Operation 23
[Page 26]
Rural Transfer Station Design not uncommon for remote sites to lack water, sewer, or electrical
service.
ince small transfer stations in rural or tribal settings receive
Sconsiderably lower volumes of waste and customer vehicles Another design approach utilizes a completely contained
than large urban or suburban facilities, many of the design crite- modular system, such as the system pictured below. These
ria outlined previously will simply not apply. Cost frequently is a types of systems are prefabricated and can be quickly assem-
major consideration for small rural transfer stations, limiting what bled in the field. The waste collection bins are completely sealed
can be done. Consequently, rural transfer stations are often and are animal- and people-proof. Waste is deposited into the
uncovered or partially covered facilities. Partially covered sites sealed bin by one of two methods. A small sliding door on the
might be enclosed on three sides with the vehicle entrance side front panel can be opened by hand allowing small waste loads
open, or simply have a roof with no walls. A common design to be deposited, while the entire front panel can be raised to
uses a single open-top trailer situated beneath a raised customer allow collection vehicles to unload. Raising the front panel can-
tipping area. The raised customer tipping area allows customers not be done by hand and requires a power source. For isolated
to back up to the trailer or drop boxes and directly unload their sites lacking electrical power, vehicle drivers can use a power
waste into the rolloff trailer. A hopper is not usually used. When takeoff or a hydraulic connection from their collection vehicles
constructing a raised tipping area, taking advantage of natural to lift the front panel. To unload the system, the transfer vehicle
grades within the site can reduce construction costs. If favorable pulls along side the container which is tipped up, dumping the
grades do not exist, a simple earthen retaining wall and access waste into the waiting vehicle (see the photograph below).
ramp can be constructed to create the multilevel layout desired. Again, if power is not available on site to tip the container,
Some type of safety restraint should be incorporated on the tip- hydraulic power from the transfer vehicle itself can be used. This
ping area to guard against falls. Using a removable constraint, feature makes such arrangements ideal for unmanned or remote
such as a rope, chain, gate, or posts, allows tipping vehicles to transfer stations. If desired, or required by state, tribal, or local
unload waste unimpeded and facilitates site cleaning. regulations, leachate collection tanks also can be installed onsite.
Driving surfaces ideally are paved to minimize dust generation,
but all-weather gravel surfacing is a cost-effective alternative to
asphalt pavement. Another alternative is hosing down dirt areas dur-
ing operating hours. The use of drop boxes requires a concrete or
asphalt pad. Ideally, the facility is surrounded by a fence and gated.
The gate should
be locked during
nonoperating
hours to keep out
large vectors, tres-
passers, and illegal
dumpers. Fences
also are helpful in
containing wind- An example of a modular, self-contained waste transfer sys-
blown litter. It is tem. Source: Haul-All Equipment Systems. 1999. Reprinted by
Partially covered rural facility. permission of Haul-All Equipment Systems.
transfer materials by using intermodal sys- ways when extended. When these vehicles
tems, which combine short distance truck unload, they typically require 25 to 30 feet
transport with longer distance rail or barge of vertical clearance. Large transfer stations
transport. can more readily accommodate this require-
ment. Small and medium-sized transfer sta-
The following design issues should be consid- tions can provide this clearance, but doing
ered for the various vehicle types: so tends to make these buildings unusually
tall for their size, particularly if they are
Packer trucks and rolloff trucks require a multilevel facilities.
tall “clear height” inside buildings so they
do not hit overhead lights, beams, or door-
24 Transfer Station Design and Operation
[Page 27]
Packer trucks and rolloff trucks need space
on the tipping floor to pull forward as the
load is deposited if they are unloading on a
flat floor (rather than into a pit).
Packer and rolloff trucks require large areas
to turn, back up, and maneuver into the
unloading area.
Residential loads, particularly those pulling
trailers, require additional time and space
to back up into the unloading area. In the
interest of safety and site efficiency, many
transfer stations have a separate access road
and receiving area for residential deliveries
so that they do not tie up unloading space
reserved for trucks. Residents typically A collection vehicle dumps its load onto the tipping floor.
unload materials by hand, which takes
additional time.
Curves and intersections along roads on or Transfer Technology
near the transfer station site need large The method used to handle waste at the trans-
turning radii so the rear wheels of trucks fer station from the time it is unloaded by col-
do not run over curbs or off the road when lection vehicles until it leaves the site is
making moderate or sharp turns. central to any transfer station’s design. In the
simplest cases, waste from collection vehicles
Slopes on ramps should be limited to less is unloaded directly into the transfer container
than 8 percent, particularly for fully loaded or vehicle. As this eliminates opportunities to
transfer trailers. inspect or sort the material, other floor tipping
In colder climates, measures and equip- methods are more common.
ment for seasonal or severe weather should This section describes the basic methods of
be incorporated. Road sanders and snow- handling waste at transfer stations, explains
plows for ice and snow removal are some which methods are most appropriate for small
examples. and large transfer stations, and addresses the
Rail and Barge Transport one or two large containers. A single train can take more than
two hundred truck trips off the highway and in many situations
ail Transport is suitable for high-volume transfer stations, par- can move the waste at a lower cost per ton mile, with greater
Rticularly those that need to haul waste long distances. Using fuel efficiency and lower overall air emissions.
railcars for transport offers some advantages over long hauling via
truck. Railcars have a very large capacity and offer an economi- Rail transport is dependent upon the availability of adequate
cal mode of long-haul transport. Rail transport also eliminates numbers of rail cars and containers and the ability of the railroad
highway out-haul traffic and allows out-haul vehicles to avoid system to pickup and move the waste in a timely manner. Long
highway traffic delays. Similar to trucks, rail transport uses a range delays before departure or along the route can result in odor
of waste transfer containers and loading methods. Rail operations problems.
typically use direct top loading of noncompacted waste, loading Barges carrying sealed intermodal containers are even more
of precompacted waste into intermodal containers, or placement efficient than train transport. A single barge can replace 350
of bales in conventional boxcars. When intermodal containers truck trips. Barge transport is best suited for very large waste
have to travel public highways between the rail terminals and transfer operations because of the high capital cost of loading
either the transfer station or the disposal site, the container load and unloading terminals and transport containers and marine
must stay within the highway weight limit. In some cases this may vessels. Siting of marine terminals may also be more difficult
mean using several smaller containers per railcar rather than just than siting a conventional waste transfer station.
Transfer Station Design and Operation 25
[Page 28]
Figure 4
Basic Transfer Station Technologies
Waste can be unloaded directly into the “open top” of the trailer, but is most
often unloaded on the tipping floor to allow for materials recovery and waste
inspection before being pushed into the trailer. Large trailers, usually 100 cubic
yards or more, are necessary to get a good payload because the waste is not A.
compacted. This is a simple technology that does not rely on sophisticated
equipment (e.g., compactor or baler). Its flexibility makes it the preferred option
for low-volume operations.
B. The surge pit is not a loading technology, but an intermediate step normally used
with open-top or precompactor systems. The pit can store peak waste flow, thus
reducing the number of transfer trailers needed. A tracked loader or bulldozer is
used to compact the waste before loading, increasing payload. Because waste is
often unloaded directly into the surge pit, this technology might deter materials
recovery and waste screening efforts.
Stationary compactors use a hydraulic ram to compact waste into the transfer C.
trailer. Because the trailer must be designed to resist the compactive force, it is
usually made of reinforced steel. The heavy trailer and the weight of the onboard
unloading ram reduce the payload available for waste. This technology is declining
in popularity.
D. Precompactor systems use a hydraulic ram inside a cylinder to create a dense
“log” of waste. The log is pushed into a trailer that uses “walking floor” technolo-
gy to unload or relies on a tipper at the landfill to unload by gravity. Most precom-
pactor installations have two units in case one unit requires repair. The capital cost
is relatively high at more than $250,000 per unit, but the superior payload can
offset these initial costs.
Balers are units that compress waste into dense, self-contained bales. Wire straps E.
may be used to hold the bales intact. They are usually moved by forklifts and
transported by flatbed trailers. The baler units can also be used for recyclables
such as paper and metal. Payloads are very high, but so are capital costs. Most bal-
ing stations have at least two units in case one is down, and they cost more than
$500,000 apiece. This high-technology option is normally used only in high-volume
operations, and special equipment or accommodations might be required at the
landfill (or balefill).
In this alternative, waste is tipped at a transfer station, then loaded into intermodal
F. containers. These containers typically have moisture- and odor-control features
and are designed to fit on both flatbed trailers and railroad flatcars. The contain-
ers may be loaded directly onto railcars or transferred by truck to a train terminal.
The sealed containers can be stored on site for more than 24 hours until enough
containers are filled to permit economic transport to the landfill. At the landfill,
these containers are usually unloaded by tippers. This option allows for reduction
of total truck traffic on local roads and can make distant disposal sites economi-
cally viable.
Source: DuPage County. 1998. Solid Waste Transfer in Illinois: A Citizen’s Handbook on Planning, Siting and Technology. Reprinted by permission of DuPage County.
26 Transfer Station Design and Operation
[Page 29]
advantages and disadvantages of each method. Table 1 summa-
Figure 4 shows simple diagrams of the various rizes the advantages
transfer methods described in this manual. and disadvantages of
Options for unloading waste from collec- the various transfer
tion or residential vehicles at the transfer technologies. Some
station include: transfer stations use a
combination of tech-
Directly unloading material into the top of nologies to mitigate
a container or transfer trailer parked below some of the disadvan-
the unloading vehicle, or onto a tipping tages of a particular
floor at the same level as the unloading design. For example, A trailer tipper emptying a transfer trailer at a waste
vehicle (Figure 4-A). large transfer stations disposal facility.
Unloading into a surge pit located below themight have a top-
level of the unloading vehicle (Figure 4-B). loading system as a backup in case the pre-
load compactor breaks down or in case of an
electric power outage. It also illustrates that
Waste can be moved and piled for short-term many interrelated factors need to be consid-
storage on the tipping floor or in a pit. Short- ered when deciding on the appropriate tech-
term storage allows waste to be received at the nology for a transfer station. The major factors
transfer station at a higher rate than it leaves include design capacity, distance to the dis-
the facility, increasing a transfer station’s abili- posal site, cost, reliability, safety, and method
ty to handle peak waste delivery periods. of unloading at the disposal site.
Options for reloading waste into a transfer
container or vehicle include: Transfer Station Operations
Reloading directly from a tipping floor or This section describes transfer station opera-
pit into top-load containers or transfer tions issues and suggests operational practices
trailers parked below the tipping floor or intended to minimize the facility’s impact on
pit (Figures 4-A and 4-B). its host community. Issues covered include:
Reloading into a compactor that packs the Operations and maintenance plans.
waste into the end of a container or transfer Facility operating hours.
trailer (Figure 4-C). Interacting with the public.
Reloading into a preload compactor that Waste screening.
compacts a truckload of material and then
ejects the compacted “log” into the end of a Emergency situations.
container or transfer trailer (Figure 4-D). Recordkeeping.
Reloading into a baler, which makes bales
that can then be forklifted onto a flatbed Operations and Maintenance Plans
truck (Figure 4-E). Although a transfer station’s basic function as
a waste consolidation and transfer facility is
Options for unloading waste at the disposal straightforward, operating a successful station
facility from transfer containers or vehicles involves properly executing many different
include push-out blades, walking floors, and tasks. Some tasks are routine and easily
trailer tippers. With push-out blades and understood, while others occur infrequently
walking floors, the trailers unload themselves. and might be difficult to conduct properly
A trailer tipper lifts one end of the trailer (or without step-by-step directions. To help
rotates the entire trailer) so that the load falls ensure proper operations, transfer stations
out due to gravity. Baled waste can be manip- should have written operations and mainte-
ulated at the landfill using forklifts. nance plans. These plans are often required by
Transfer Station Design and Operation 27
[Page 30]
28 Transfer Station Design and Operation
[Page 31]
Transfer Station Design and Operation 29
[Page 32]
30 Transfer Station Design and Operation
[Page 33]
Transfer Station Design and Operation 31
[Page 34]
Emergency procedures.
Facility Operating Hours
A transfer station’s operating hours must
accommodate the collection schedules of vehi-
cles delivering waste to the facility. Operating
hours need to consider the local setting of the
transfer station, including neighboring land
uses, as well as the operating hours of the dis-
posal facility receiving waste from the transfer
station.
Operating hours vary considerably
depending on individual circumstances.
Many large facilities located in urban indus-
trial zones operate 24 hours, 7 days per week.
Solid waste baler compacts waste into dense, self-contained bales. Urban, suburban, and rural transfer stations
of various sizes commonly open early in the
morning (6 a.m. to 7 a.m.) and close in the late
state, tribal, or local regulations. They should afternoon (4 p.m. to 5 p.m.). In many cases,
be written specifically for a particular facility the last trailer must be loaded with sufficient
and include the following elements: time to reach the disposal site before it closes
Facility operating schedule, including days (typically 4 p.m to 6 p.m.).
of the week, hours each day, and holidays. Transfer stations that serve both the general
Staffing plan that lists duties by job title,public and waste hauling companies typically
minimum staffing levels, and typical work operate 6 or 7 days per week. Facilities that
schedules. are not open to the public typically operate 5
or 6 days per week because many waste haul-
Description of acceptable and unacceptable ing companies do not operate on Sundays and
wastes, and procedures for diverting have limited operations on Saturdays. Many
restricted waste before and after unloading. smaller and rural facilities operate only on cer-
Operating methods for each component of tain days of the week and have limited hours.
the facility, including waste-screening meth- The hours described above represent when
ods, truck-weighing procedures, tipping the transfer station is open to receive waste
floor operations, transfer vehicle loading, from customers. Operations often extend
onsite and offsite litter cleanup, and waste- beyond the “open for customers” hours,
water collection system operations. however, as workers load waste into transfer
Description of maintenance procedures for vehicles, clean the facility, and perform equip-
each component, including the building, ment maintenance. Depending on the nature
mobile equipment, utilities, and landscap- of the operation, transfer trucks leaving the
ing. site can sometimes operate on a schedule
somewhat independent of the rest of the oper-
Employee training. ations. For example, some operations maintain
Safety rules and regulations. an inventory of empty transfer containers and
vehicles and loaded containers and vehicles at
Recordkeeping procedures. the transfer station site. Loaded containers
Contingency plans in the event of transfer and vehicles can be hauled off site according
vehicle or equipment failure, or if the dis- to the best schedule considering traffic on area
posal site is unavailable. roadways, neighborhood impacts of truck traf-
fic, and the hours the disposal facility receives
32 Transfer Station Design and Operation
[Page 35]
waste from the transfer station. State, tribal, or Ideally, this person would regularly work at
local regulations might limit the overnight the transfer station and be available to
storage of waste in the transfer station or even respond quickly to questions and concerns.
in transfer trailers. The person should also be good at listening
carefully to community concerns before
Interacting With the Public responding. Advertising an e-mail address
Every transfer station has neighbors, whether or Web site is another way to provide infor-
they are industrial, commercial, residential, or mation and allow community input.
merely vacant land. The term “neighbor” Organize periodic facility tours. Neighbors
should be broadly interpreted, as some of unfamiliar with the transfer station’s opera-
those impacted might not be immediately tions are more likely to have misconcep-
adjacent to the transfer station. For example, tions or misunderstand the facility’s role.
vehicles traveling to and from a transfer sta- Establish positive relationships by working
tion could significantly affect a residential with community-based organizations,
neighborhood a mile away if those vehicles improvement districts, civic associations,
travel on residential streets. business associations, youth employment
An important part of successful transfer bureaus, and other organizations.
station operations is engaging in constructive Interaction with the community should
dialogue with the surrounding community. focus on positive issues, not just occasions
The appropriate level of interaction between when a neighbor is upset about odor, litter,
transfer station personnel or representatives or traffic.
and their neighbors varies depending on Offer support services such as newspaper
many factors. A transfer station in the middle drives, household hazardous waste (HHW)
of a warehouse district with direct access to drop-off days, and spring cleaning disposal
expressways might find that joining the local at the facility.
business association and routinely picking up
offsite litter are adequate community activi-
ties. While a transfer station located adjacent Waste Screening
to homes and restaurants might find that As described in the section on Unacceptable
monthly meetings with neighbors, landscap- Wastes in the Planning and Siting a Transfer
ing improvements, commitments to employ Station chapter, some types of wastes are not
local workers, an odor reporting hotline, and appropriate for handling at a transfer station.
daily cleanup of litter are more appropriate. These unacceptable wastes might be difficult to
When developing a community outreach handle, dangerous, prohibited at the disposal
plan, transfer station operators should consid- facility where the waste is sent, or subject to a
er the following: recycling mandate.3 Transfer station operators
should screen for unacceptable materials
Develop a clear explanation of the need forbefore, during, and after customers unload,
the transfer station and the benefits it will and should tell customers where they can dis-
provide to the immediate community and pose of wastes inappropriate for that transfer
surrounding area. station.
Develop a clear process for addressing com- If their wastes are refused at a transfer sta-
munity concerns that is communicated to tion, some customers might illegally dispose
the neighborhood even before the facility of unacceptable materials or might try to hide
becomes operational. these materials in a future delivery. When cus-
Designate one person as the official contacttomers arrive with unacceptable materials,
for neighborhood questions and concerns. operators could give them a preprinted fact
3 For example, some states, tribes, or cities prohibit the disposal of yard wastes in landfills. Thus, grass clippings
would be prohibited in a mixed waste load.
Transfer Station Design and Operation 33
[Page 36]
sheet that describes the issue and suggests ly into a transfer container or vehicle. Ideally,
alternative management methods. In addition, unacceptable wastes would be noticed before
community programs dedicated to reducing the delivery vehicle has left the site.
the use of products that generate dangerous Regardless of screening efforts, transfer sta-
wastes can decrease unacceptable waste deliv- tion operators should expect that some unac-
eries to transfer stations. ceptable wastes will be discovered after the
At the transfer station, screening for unac- responsible party is gone. Transfer stations
ceptable wastes could start at the scale house should set aside an area for safe temporary
(where customers first check in upon arrival at storage of unacceptable wastes until appropri-
the facility). Employee training on identifying ate disposal is feasible, and develop a step-by-
and managing suspect materials is the corner- step plan to follow. In some cases, the party
stone in any waste-screening program. that deposited the waste can be contacted to
Operators could interview customers about retrieve it. In other cases, the transfer station
types of waste they have and from where the operator must properly manage the waste.
waste was collected. Proper material management depends on the
A list of common type of waste discovered. For example, man-
Fact Sheets About unacceptable items agement of hazardous wastes requires compli-
Unacceptable Waste could be posted, and ance with federal regulations issued under
onsider developing simple fact sheets to operators could ask if authority of the Resource Conservation and
Cinform customers why certain wastes are any of the items are Recovery Act (RCRA) (40 CFR Parts 260 to
not accepted at the transfer station and where present in the load. 299) or the Toxic Substances Control Act
they can dispose of the unacceptable wastes. Visual inspections (TSCA) (40 CFR Part 700 to 799), whereas
A typical fact sheet could include: can also help identify recyclable materials screened from the waste
unacceptable wastes. stream can be collected and processed with
• A picture or graphic of unacceptable waste.Some facilities pro-similar materials.
• A definition of what the unacceptablevide overhead cam-
waste is and a brief description of why it is eras or walkways to Emergency Situations
not accepted at the transfer station. facilitate a view of Most days at a transfer station involve routine
the top of uncovered operations. Transfer station operators should
• The dangers, drawbacks, or penalties forloads (or loads that prepare for emergencies, however, and
improper disposal of unacceptable waste. can easily be uncov-
ered at the scale include emergency procedures in their written
• Safe consumer alternatives. house). Walking operations plans. State regulatory agencies
• Where the waste can be appropriatelyaround the truck to often require submission of a Plan of
managed, including driving directions, hours examine its contents Operations and a Contingency Plan for review
of facility operation, and contact informa- and checking for and approval. At minimum, the following
tion. smoke or suspicious emergency events should be anticipated:
• Telephone numbers and Web sites ofodors might be Power failure. The plan should address
appropriate regulatory agencies that can appropriate. Sensors how to record customer information, collect
provide more information. for detecting radioac- fees, and load transfer trailers during a
tive materials can be power outage. Many larger transfer stations
used at the scale have backup power generators so at least
house or at a point along the incoming truck some operations can continue during a
route to the tipping area. power failure.
Some unacceptable wastes might not Unavailability of transfer vehicles. The
become apparent until the unloading process. plan should address what to do if poor
Operators should observe waste unloading weather, road closures, or strikes prevent
and examine suspected unacceptable wastes. empty transfer vehicles from arriving at the
Waste unloaded onto the floor or into a pit is transfer station. The plan should also
easier to monitor than waste unloaded direct- address when the transfer station should
34 Transfer Station Design and Operation
[Page 37]
stop accepting waste deliveries if the waste
cannot be hauled out in a timely manner.
Unavailability of scales. The plan should
describe recordkeeping and fee assessment
in the event that scales are inoperable. At
facilities with both inbound and outbound
scales, one scale can temporarily serve both
purposes.
Fire. Fire response and containment proce-
dures should address fires found in incom-
ing loads, temporary storage at the transfer
station, compaction equipment, transfer
vehicles, and other locations. Typically, fire
procedures focus on protecting human
health and calling professional fire depart-
ments. Ceiling sprinkler systems by them-
selves might not be completely effective in A transfer station scale house.
preventing small fires from spreading. Due
to the high ceilings common in transfer sta- emergency phone numbers, and routes to
tions, a fire could spread substantially nearby hospitals.
before it gets hot enough at the ceiling level Robbery. Some scale houses handle cash
to activate sprinkler systems. Consequently, and include security provisions to deter
facilities should have fire hoses or other fire robbery.
fighting equipment in the area, in addition
to ceiling mounted sprinklers. A water can- Emergency plans should include a list of
non on a washer truck can also be used to emergency contacts, including daytime and
contain small fires until the fire department evening phone numbers for facility manage-
arrives. ment, facility staff, emergency response teams,
Spill containment. Spills can occur fromfrequent customers, and regulatory agencies.
waste materials or from vehicles delivering
waste. For example, hydraulic compaction
system hoses on garbage trucks can break. Recordkeeping
Spill containment plans should address Detailed operating records enable both facility
spill identification, location of spills, managers and regulatory overseers to ensure
deployment of absorbent materials, and that the transfer station is operating efficiently
cleanup procedures. For large spills, the and in accordance with its permit require-
plan should also address preventing the ments. Medium and large transfer stations
spill from entering storm drains or sewers. typically record the following information as
part of their routine operations:
Discovery of hazardous materials. Incoming loads: date, time, company, driv-
Hazardous materials plans should include er name, truck number (i.e., company fleet
methods to identify and isolate hazardous number), weight (loaded), weight (empty),4
materials, temporary storage locations and origin of load, fee charged.
methods, and emergency phone numbers.
Injuries to employees or customers. The Outgoing loads (typically transfer trucks):
plan should include first aid procedures, date, time, company, driver name, truck
number (i.e., company fleet number),
weight (loaded), weight (empty), type of
4 For repeat customers, the empty truck (tare) weight is often kept on file so trucks do not need to weigh out during
each visit.
Transfer Station Design and Operation 35
[Page 38]
Urban Transfer Station Design and Operations
ll transfer stations must address issues such as noise, odors, • Install misting systems with deodorants to mask or neutralize
Adust, vectors, traffic, and litter. Urban transfer stations, how- odors. Be prepared to make seasonal adjustments as needed
ever, frequently lack the key component that suburban and rural to control odors.
facilities use to mitigate these problems: space. Where a subur- • Install ventilation systems with air filters or scrubbers.
ban or rural facility can simply use large buffer zones between • Plant vegetative barriers, such as trees, to absorb and dis-
operations and receptor populations, urban sites are frequently perse odors.
unable to do so due to severe site size limitations. Urban transfer • Use odor vestibules on truck entrances and exits. Odor
stations must employ a combination of planning, design, and vestibules are 2-door systems in which the outer door closes
operating practices to help minimize impacts upon the surround- before inner door opens to prevent odors from escaping.
ing community. Listed below are several engineering designs, • Install plastic curtains on entrances and exits to contain odors
technologies, and operating practices that an urban transfer sta- when doors are opened to allow vehicles to enter or exit.
tion should consider employing to mitigate facility impacts upon • Use biofilters – which pass malodorous air through organic
the neighboring community. matter, such as wood chips, mulch, or soil – to capture odor
Noise molecules. Bacteria in biofilters consume and neutralize odor
Structural and Site Layout Approaches molecules.
• Totally enclose all waste-handling operations to contain noise. • Set up a community “odor complaint” phone line, and
• Use concrete walls and structures, which absorb sound bet- respond to community complaints.
ter than metal structures. Dust
• Install double-glazed windows which contain noise better Dust from Vehicles
than single-glazed windows. • Pave all roads on site, or lay gravel as a less expensive option.
• Install shielding or barriers, such as trees, berms, or walls, • Clean facility roads frequently with street-sweeping equip-
around the facility to block and absorb noise. Size of the ment.
shielding, distance to receptors, and shielding materials all • Wash waste collection vehicles before they leave the transfer
determine effectiveness. Walls can be made from concrete, station to remove dust-generating dirt and debris.
stone, brick, wood, plastic, metal, or earth. Vegetate berms
with grasses, shrubs, or trees to further mitigate noise and Dust from Waste Handling Operations
increase aesthetics. Barriers should be continuous, with no • Align building openings to minimize exposure to prevailing
breaks, and long enough to protect the intended receptors. winds.
• Wing walls, usually constructed of concrete, on transfer build- • Install plastic curtains over building openings.
ings can also block noise from trucks entering and exiting the • Keep station doors closed during operating hours, except
building and noise from interior operations. when trucks are entering or exiting.
• Insulate transfer building walls with sound-absorbing materials. • Install misting systems over tipping areas to “knock down”
• Locate administrative buildings between sources of noise and dust particles. Misting system operations should be adjusted
community. seasonally or as the dryness of the waste dictates.
• Orient transfer building openings (i.e., doors) away from Vectors (e.g., rats, mice, cockroaches, and other
receptors. insects)
Operational Practices • Hire a professional licensed pest control company with
• Keep doors closed during operating hours, except when expertise and experience in controlling specific vector popu-
vehicles are entering or exiting. lations.
• Use the lowest allowable setting on vehicle backup alarms, or • Seal or screen openings that allow rodents and insects to
use visual warning devices if state and local regulations allow. enter the building, such as door and window frames, vents,
• Establish operating hours that avoid early morning or late- and masonry cracks. Also check for and repair chewed insu-
night operations. lation at points where utility structures, such as wires and
• Set facility noise level limits (e.g., 55 decibels at the site pipes, enter the transfer building.
boundary) and adhere to them. • Treat insect breading areas and eliminate as many of these
breading areas as possible. Implement practices that do not
Odors create new breeding areas.
• Remove all waste at the end of each operating day. Do not • Implement practices that reduce the likeliness of attracting
allow any waste to remain on site overnight. vectors (e.g., remove all waste at the end of the operating
• Frequently clean/wash down the tipping floor or surge pit. (continued next page)
36 Transfer Station Design and Operation
[Page 39]
(continued from previous page) • Do not allow incoming trucks to queue on public streets. If
day, wash tipping areas daily, pick up litter and other debris inadequate space is available on site to accommodate waiting
daily). trucks, use a remote site as a waiting area for the trucks. Use
• Some municipalities require transfer stations to pay neighbors’radios to dispatch trucks from the waiting area to the transfer
extermination/pest control costs if it can be proven that the station.
facility is the source of the problem. Consider this policy • Where possible, schedule incoming traffic so that it does not
even if it is not required by law. coincide with local rush hours.
Traffic Litter
• Create acceleration, deceleration, or turning lanes at site• Require all incoming and outgoing loads to be covered.
entrances and exits as needed to maintain steady traffic • Ensure that all incoming and outgoing trucks are leak-proof
flows around facility. This may require widening roads. to avoid leachate spills on public streets.
• Fund road improvements and upgrades around the facility to• Implement daily litter inspections and pickup at the facility
reduce congestion and prevent damage from additional truck and on surrounding streets.
traffic. • Install a perimeter fence to prevent windblown litter from
• Work with the community to designate inbound and out- leaving the site.
bound truck traffic routes and ensure that drivers follow
these routes.
material (e.g., waste, compostables, recy- viewed (such as with packer trucks), cubic
clables), destination of load. yards are generally based on the vehicle’s
Facility operating log: noting any unusual capacity. Loads in cars and pickup trucks are
events during the operating day. typically charged a minimal flat fee.
Complaint log: noting the date, time, com- Environmental Issues
plaining party, nature of the complaint, and Developing transfer stations that minimize
followup activity to address the complaint. environmental impacts involves careful plan-
Accidents or releases: details any accidentsning, designing, and operation. This section
or waste releases into the environment. focuses on neighborhood quality or public
Testing results: such as tests for suspectednuisance issues and offers “good neighbor
unacceptable waste. practices” to improve the public’s perception
of the transfer station. Design and operational
Environmental test results: such as surfaceissues regarding traffic, noise, odors, air emis-
water discharges, sewer discharges, air sions, water quality, vectors, and litter are dis-
emissions, ground-water, or noise tests. cussed below. Proper facility siting, design,
Maintenance records: for mobile and fixed and operation can address and mitigate these
equipment. potential impacts on the surrounding natural
environment and the community.
Employee health and safety reports. Careful attention to these issues begins with
Employee training and operator certifica- the initial planning and siting of a facility and
tion documentation. should continue with regular monitoring after
operations begin. Transfer station design must
Some transfer station operators, particularly at account for environmental issues regardless of
smaller facilities, find it necessary to record surrounding land use and zoning. Stations
only some of the above items. In order to sited in industrial or manufacturing zones are
avoid the cost of installing and operating a subject to the same environmental concerns
scale, some small and medium-size transfer and issues as stations located in more populat-
stations substitute estimated load volume (as ed zones. Minimizing the potentially negative
measured in cubic yards) instead of weighing aspects associated with these facilities requires
loads (in tons). When loads cannot be easily thoughtful design choices. Identifying and
Transfer Station Design and Operation 37
[Page 40]
tomer service and the operating efficiency of
the facility. It is common, particularly in
urban and suburban areas, for tribes and
other local jurisdictions to require significant
offsite improvements to mitigate traffic
impacts or to assess traffic impact fees to off-
set improvements needed for traffic
upgrades.
Typically, transfer stations can indirectly
control when traffic arrives at the facility by
adjusting operating hours. Relatively few
transfer stations are able to schedule inbound
traffic because collection vehicles need to
unload when they are full so collection crews
Depositing incoming waste on a tipping floor facilitates waste screening. can resume their routes or end their working
day. Also, many transfer stations are not oper-
addressing these important issues can be a sig- ated by the same company delivering waste
nificant part of the overall cost to develop the to the facility, so control over specific timing is
waste transfer station. difficult. Some transfer stations have the abili-
ty to schedule transfer vehicle traffic, however.
These stations often schedule trips to avoid
Traffic rush-hour traffic on area routes.
Traffic causes the most significant offsite envi- Any queuing should occur on the transfer
ronmental impacts associated with larger station site so as not to inhibit the traffic flow
waste transfer stations. This is particularly on public streets. Queuing on streets creates
true for stations in urban and suburban areas public safety concerns, blocks traffic and
where traffic congestion is often already a sig- access to adjacent properties, and in some
nificant problem for the local community. cases, causes damage to streets not designed
Although transportation routes serving rural for heavy vehicles. Exhaust from idling truck
stations typically receive less traffic, these engines queuing on public streets can also cre-
routes might still be affected by limitations on ate air quality and health concerns. (See the
gross vehicle weight or individual axle Air Emissions section on page 37 for discus-
weights for certain roads or bridges. sion of air emission issues.) If space on the site
By consolidating shipments to the disposal is insufficient, alternatives should be consid-
site, a waste transfer system will have net pos- ered. These could include providing a sepa-
itive impacts in terms of reducing community- rate tipping area for certain types of customers
wide truck traffic, air emissions, noise, and (such as self-haulers, who generate a lot of
highway wear. Some of these negative traffic, but not much waste) or establishing a
impacts, however, might be concentrated in remote holding lot for inbound vehicles to use
the immediate vicinity of the transfer station before joining the onsite queue. Regulatory
as a result of increased local traffic generated agencies sometimes can address and control
by a transfer station, even though overall queuing problems through the permitting
impacts are reduced. process. Permitting agencies can incorporate
Evaluating travel routes and the resulting provisions that require transfer stations to pro-
traffic impacts should receive significant atten- vide adequate queuing space on site or off site
tion during facility siting and design to mini- or that prohibit queuing on public streets.
mize the traffic’s offsite environmental As a result of community input, the opera-
impacts. Furthermore, dependable access and tor might designate traffic routes to the facili-
smooth traffic flow are essential for good cus- ty. A simple “right turn only” at the exit can
38 Transfer Station Design and Operation
[Page 41]
relieve some traffic conflicts. If offsite routes pickup trucks. (One residential collection
are designated, clear authority for enforce- vehicle can haul as much as 15 to 30 cars
ment needs to be established (e.g., by local and pickup trucks.)
police or by the station operator refusing
access to violators). Noise
Some specific design and operation features Transfer stations can be a significant source of
that might be necessary to reduce the environ- noise, which might be a nuisance to neigh-
mental impacts of station traffic are described bors.5 Heavy truck traffic and the operation of
below: heavy-duty facility equipment are the primary
Designating haul routes to and from the sources of noise from a transfer station. Offsite
transfer station that avoid congested areas, traffic noise in the station’s vicinity will be
residential areas, and other sensitive areas. perceived as noise
from the station itself.
Adding offsite directional signs, pavement Equipment noise Noise Abatement: Leon County,
markings, and intersection signals. includes engines, Florida
Providing acceleration and deceleration backup alarms (beep-
lanes that allow vehicles to enter and leave ers), hydraulic power s part of its site selection process for a
the flow of offsite traffic smoothly, reducing units, and equipment Awaste transfer station, Leon County,
congestion and the likelihood of accidents. buckets and blades Florida, commissioned a study to evaluate and
banging and scraping address noise concerns. Parcels adjacent to the
Using right turns to enter and leave the sta-on concrete and steel site include residential, commercial, and light
tion site and minimizing left turns to surfaces. The unload- industrial. To the west is undeveloped residen-
reduce congestion and the likelihood of ing of waste or recy- tial land. The study used a 5-step procedure to
accidents off site. clables (particularly determine the impact that noise from the
transfer station would have on the adjoining
Providing adequate onsite queuing space so glass) onto a tipping community. It also assessed the effectiveness
lines of customers and transfer vehicles floor, pit, steel drop and feasibility of abatement. The study resulted
waiting to enter the facility do not interfere box, or trailer can in nine recommendations relating to building
with offsite traffic. also create substantial orientation, truck routing, operating hours,
noise, depending on berm and wall construction, and vegetative
Installing and using compaction equipment the type of waste, fall plantings to buffer noise (Leon County, FL;
to maximize the amount of waste hauled in distance, and surface. February, 2000).
each transfer trailer, thus reducing the num- Stations that use sta-
ber of loads leaving the site. tionary solid waste
Establishing operating hours, including compactors or engine-driven tamping equip-
restrictions, that encourage facility use dur- ment have additional sources of mechanical
ing nonpeak traffic times on area roads. equipment noise with which to contend. Good
Schedule commercial waste deliveries to facility design and operations can help reduce
avoid rush-hour traffic. noise emanating from the station. This
includes:
Providing or requiring the provision of resi- Maximizing the utility of perimeter site
dential waste collection service to reduce buffers, particularly along site boundaries
the number of people hauling their own with sensitive adjoining properties.
wastes to the transfer station. Although the Increasing the distance between the noise
transfer station will handle the same source and the receiver, or providing natu-
amount of waste, more of it will arrive as ral or man-made barriers are the most effec-
combined collection vehicle loads, reducing tive ways of reducing noise when the
the number of loads brought in by cars and sound generation level cannot be reduced.
5 Although repeated exposure to high noise levels can lead to hearing impairment, noise levels associated with
impairment are typically a concern only to employees; neighborhood impacts are typically a nuisance issue, not a
health issue.
Transfer Station Design and Operation 39
[Page 42]
Orienting buildings so the site topography ment options can also be selected during
and the structure’s walls buffer adjacent design.
noise-sensitive properties from direct expo- Properly maintaining mufflers and engine
sure to noise sources. enclosures on mobile equipment operating
Providing sound-absorbent materials on within the transfer station. Also insist that
building walls and ceilings. operators of commercial hauling vehicles
Shutting off idling equipment and queuing keep their equipment, including the muffler
trucks. systems, in good repair.
Keeping as many doors closed during sta-
tion operating hours as practical.
Conducting activities that generate the
loudest noise during selected hours, such as
the morning or afternoon commute hours,
when adjoining properties are unoccupied
or when offsite background noise is at its
highest.
Odors
MSW, food waste, and certain yard wastes
such as grass have a high potential for odor
generation. Odors might increase during
warm or wet weather. Thus, transfer stations
handling these wastes need to address odor
management based on current and projected
Surge pit separating public and commercial vehicles. Water sprays along the walls adjacent land uses. Odors can be managed
of the pit are used to suppress dust. with proper facility design and operating pro-
cedures, including:
As with noise mitigation, increasing the dis-
Avoiding traffic flows adjacent to noise- tance between the odor source and the
sensitive property. receiver effectively reduces the impact of
Arranging the facility layout to eliminate odors.
steep uphill grades for waste-hauling Evaluating the prevailing wind direction to
trucks, as driving uphill can significantly determine building orientation and setback
increase noise levels. to adjacent properties.
Facing building openings such as entrances Carefully orienting the building and its
away from noise-sensitive adjoining prop- doorways with respect to odor-sensitive
erty. neighboring property and closing as many
Considering alternatives for beeping back- doors as practical during operating hours.
up alarms, such as strobe lights and prox- Designing floors for easy cleanup, includ-
imity detectors (if state and local ing a concrete surface with a positive slope
regulations allow). to drainage systems. Eliminating crevices,
Confining noisy activities within specified corners, and flat surfaces, which are hard to
buildings or other enclosures. In particular, keep clean and where waste residue can
enclose hydraulic power units associated accumulate.
with compactors and rams in areas with Sealing concrete and other semiporous sur-
acoustic silencing materials. Quieter equip- faces to prevent absorption of odor-produc-
ing residues.
40 Transfer Station Design and Operation
[Page 43]
Minimizing onsite waste storage, both in procedures help minimize air emissions,
the facility and in the loaded trailers, by including:
immediately loading odorous or potentially Paving all traffic carrying surfaces.
odorous wastes into transfer trailers and
quickly transferring them to the disposal Keeping paved surfaces and tipping floors
site. clean, and ensuring any street sweeping
Incorporating odor neutralizing systems. operations use sufficient water to avoid stir-
ring up dust.
Removing all waste from the tipping floor Restricting vehicles from using residential
or pit at the end of each operating day, then streets.
cleaning those areas to remove remaining
residues. Selecting alternative fuel or low-emission
Using enclosed trailers whenever possible equipment or retrofitting facility equipment
when loaded trailers must sit on site tem- with oxidation catalysts and particulate
porarily before transfer. traps.
Practicing “first-in, first-out” waste han- Working with truck fleet operators to
dling practices so wastes are not allowed to reduce exhaust emissions through the retro-
sit on site for long periods of time. fit of emission control devices, use of clean-
er fuels, and use of alternative fuel vehicles
Collecting and removing partially full con- (e.g., compressed natural gas)
tainers at rural stations where accumulation Installing misting systems to suppress dust
of full loads could take several days. inside the building or using a hose to spray
Keeping building catch basins, floor drains dusty wastes as they are unloaded and
and drainage systems clean so odor-causing moved to the receiving vehicles. (In rural
residues do not build up. areas, small stations might not have a readi-
Treating drainage systems periodically with ly available water supply, or might have to
odor-neutralizing and bacteria-inhibiting rely on a portable water supply for house-
solutions. keeping needs.)
Diverting odorous waste loads to facilities Maintaining engines in proper operating
with less sensitive surroundings during condition by performing routine tune-ups.
adverse weather conditions. Considering the purchase of newer genera-
Refusing to accept certain highly odorous tion, low-emission diesel engines.
wastes. Minimizing idling of equipment by turning
Practicing other “good housekeeping” off engines when not in use. Truck stop
measures, including regularly cleaning and electrification technology can be installed at
disinfecting containers, equipment, and designated queuing areas to provide truck
other surfaces that come into contact with cabs with comforts such as climate con-
waste. trolled air, electricity, and phone lines while
engines are shut off.
Air Emissions Cleaning truck bodies and tires to reduce
Air emissions at transfer stations result from tracking of dirt onto streets.
dusty wastes delivered to the transfer station, Maintaining building air filtering systems
exhaust (particularly diesel) from mobile so that they perform effectively.
equipment such as trucks and loaders, driving
on unpaved or dusty surfaces, and cleanup Storm Water Quality
operations such as street sweeping. As with Rainfall and wash-down water flows from
odor control, proper design and operating roofs, roads, parking lots, and landscaped
Transfer Station Design and Operation 41
[Page 44]
Removing as much debris from the tipping
Water Quality at Rural Transfer Stations floor as possible by mechanical means (e.g.,
scraping or sweeping) before hosing the
t stations in rural areas where water might not be available for sanitary floor down.
Auses, portable toilets might provide a solution. But even at these sta-
tions, there is likely some amount of potentially contaminated runoff that Installing drain covers on floor drains.
needs to be managed as sewage. In rural areas and other areas not served During normal operations, floor drains
by a piped sanitary sewer system, it is common to connect building drains should be covered to prevent spilled liquid
to underground holding tanks. The tanks are pumped as needed, and the wastes from entering the sewer system.
leachate is trucked to a sewage treatment plant or other approved process- Covers can be opened or removed during
ing facility. floor cleaning.
Installing low-flow toilets, showers, and
areas at a transfer station, eventually reaching faucets.
natural or constructed storm water drainage Providing appropriate pretreatment of
systems. Runoff might also percolate into the water that comes into contact with waste
ground-water system. Keeping surface water (leachate). Pretreatment requirements vary
free of runoff contamination from waste, mud, depending on the capabilities of the receiv-
and fuel and oil that drips from vehicles is ing sewer, but could include provisions
important to maintaining the quality of both allowing solids to settle out of the sewage,
the surface and ground water systems. The the use of oil/water separators, or the use
quality and amount of runoff often is regulat- of other treatment systems.
ed by state, tribal, or local water management
authorities. Transfer station development typi-
cally results in the addition of new impervious Other design and operation measures to con-
surfaces (i.e., paved surfaces) that increase the sider in managing surface water quality
total quantity of runoff and can contribute to include:
flooding potential. Complying with all surface water manage-
When runoff contacts waste, it is considered ment regulations applicable in the jurisdic-
potentially contaminated and is known as tion where the station is located. In
“leachate.” Transfer station design and opera- jurisdictions with well-developed regula-
tion should ensure that contaminated water is tions, design and operation measures usual-
collected separately, then properly managed on ly include development of surface water
site or discharged to the sewer. Most transfer detention facilities (ponds, tanks, or large
stations send some amount of waste water to holding pipes) that limit the runoff rate to
sewer systems. In addition to leachate, waste the predeveloped rate. In addition, water
water from daily cleaning of the waste han- quality requirements might involve desilt-
dling areas and the facility’s restrooms and ing facilities and applying various forms of
support areas typically are discharged to the biofiltration to remove contaminants. Some
sewer. Local waste water treatment plants jurisdictions might require pH adjustment
establish guidelines for pretreatment and and other forms of pretreatment.
analysis with which transfer stations must Locating stations outside local flood zones.
comply when discharging waste water into the Minimizing impervious areas and maximiz-
sewer. To minimize impacts on sewer systems, ing landscape and vegetative cover areas to
transfer stations should consider: reduce total runoff.
Covering waste handling and storage areas Limiting outside parking of loaded contain-
that drain to the sanitary sewer system. ers or alternatively using rain-tight, leak-
This reduces the amount of rainfall con- tight containers. If loaded containers or
tributing to the total volume of sewer flow. transfer vehicles are parked or stored out-
side, providing catch basins connected to
42 Transfer Station Design and Operation
[Page 45]
the sanitary sewer system might be neces- Routinely inspecting the facility for poten-
sary. tial vector habitat, and taking corrective
Maintaining all surface water management action when needed.
facilities in good operating condition. This Using commercial vector control specialists
includes periodic cleaning and removal of as necessary.
silt and debris from drainage structures and
ponds, as well as removing collected oil Litter
from oil-water separators. In the normal course of facility operations,
Responding promptly to exterior spills to stray pieces of waste are likely to become litter
prevent waste materials from entering the in and around the facility. In jurisdictions that
surface water system. do not have or do not enforce regulations to
Cleaning up liquid spills such as oils, paints,cover customer vehicles, the litter problem is
and pesticides with absorbent material rather often most prevalent on routes leading to the
than hosing them into drains. Although station. Dry, light materials such as plastic
transfer stations generally do not accept grocery bags can be blown from the backs or
these liquids, they might find their way into tops of vehicles, or from the tipping area to
the waste stream in small quantities. the facility’s outside areas.
Using secondary containment around tem- Design and operation considerations that
porary storage areas for HHW, batteries, can reduce the litter problem include:
and suspect materials. Conducting all waste handling and process-
ing activities in enclosed areas, if possible.
Vectors Orienting the main transfer building with
Vectors are organisms that have the potential respect to the predominant wind direction
to transmit disease. Vectors of concern at so it is less likely to blow through the build-
transfer stations can include rodents, insects, ing (or tunnel) and carry litter out.
and scavenging birds. Seagulls are particularly Generally the “blank” side of the building
troublesome birds in coastal zones and certain should face into the prevailing wind.
inland areas. Much of the concern surround- Strictly enforcing the load covering or tarp-
ing vectors is associated with general nuisance ing requirements will reduce litter from
factors, but this issue justifies diligent atten- waste trucks. Some transfer station opera-
tion. A few basic design elements and opera- tors have the authority to decline uncov-
tional practices can greatly reduce the ered loads and
presence of vectors, including: have instituted
Eliminating or screening cracks or openings surcharges to pro-
in and around building foundations, waste vide incentives for Vector Control at Rural Transfer
containers, and holding areas at enclosed- customers to cover Stations
type stations. This reduces opportunities for their loads. n less densely populated areas, other vectors
entry by terrestrial vectors (especially Providing wind- Iof concern could include bears, raccoons, and
rodents). breaks to deflect dogs, especially if waste is not tightly enclosed.
Installing bird-deterrent measures, such as wind away from The best way to keep large vectors out of the
suspended or hanging wires to keep birds waste handling facility is to totally enclose the waste storage
out of structures, and eliminating horizon- areas. area or to fence and gate the site. Bird-scare
tal surfaces where birds can congregate. devices, such as recordings of predatory birds
Locating doors inor plastic decoys, can help alleviate scavenging.
Removing all waste delivered to the facility areas that are less Baited traps can be used to control rodents,
by the end of each day. likely to have and humane traps can capture larger mammals
potentially litter- such as raccoons and weasels.
Cleaning the tipping floor daily. producing materi-
Transfer Station Design and Operation 43
[Page 46]
als stored near them, regardless of building approach roads and the hauling route(s).
orientation. Litter patrols, especially at unattended
At small rural stations, providing contain- sites, can also detect any illegal dumping
ers with lifting lids that are normally that has occurred along the site perimeter.
closed. Cleaning the tipping floor regularly and
Minimizing horizontal ledges where litter maintaining good housekeeping practices.
can accumulate. This will minimize the amount of loose
material that can be blown outside.
Facility Operating Plans Safety Issues
Thoughtful facility design coupled with good
any states (as well as some tribes and local governments) require operating practices help ensure transfer sta-
Mwaste transfer stations to prepare and maintain facility operating plans. tions are safe places. Transfer stations should
Often, these plans must be submitted with the permit application. The be designed and operated for the safety of
operating plan format and the specific information it must contain can vary employees, customers, and even persons ille-
greatly. Some states may also require operating plans prepared or certified gally trespassing when the facility is closed.
by a licensed or certified professional engineer. Operating plans might Designers need to consider that people might
require the following information: trespass on facility grounds during operating
• Facility-specific information such as location and ownership. Some stateshours or after the facility is closed for the
require maps and diagrams of the site and facility as well. night. Most state regulations require security
and access control measures such as fences
• Facility capacity and expected operating life. and gates that can be closed and locked after
• Description of the type of waste the facility will handle, including wastehours. Signs should be posted around the
origination, composition, and weight or volume. perimeter, with warnings about potential risks
due to falls and contact with waste. Signs
• A list or description of unacceptable wastes, including procedures forshould be posted in multiple languages in
storing and handling these materials if they do arrive at the facility. jurisdictions with high percentages of non-
• A description of daily operations, including waste handling techniques,English-speaking residents.
vector controls, and hours of operation. Federal Occupational Safety and Health
• Emergency or contingency plans and procedures. Administration (OSHA) regulations require
facilities to provide safe working conditions
for all employees. Although regulations spe-
cific to waste transfer stations do not currently
Providing skirts (usually wide rubber belt- exist, general OSHA regulations apply as they
ing or strip brushes) that close the gap would to any other constructed facility. State,
between the bottom of the chute and the tribal, and local workplace safety regulations,
top of the receiving container at stations which can be more stringent than federal reg-
that employ chutes and hoppers to contain ulations, also might apply.
waste as it is deposited in trailers and drop Some state, tribal, or local governments
boxes. might require a facility’s development permit
Installing fencing and netting systems to to directly address employee and customer
keep blowing litter from escaping the sta- safety. State and tribal solid waste regulations,
tion site. This is particularly necessary at for instance, often require development of
small rural facilities that are likely open- operating plans and contingency plans to
sided or that lack an enclosing building. address basic health and safety issues.
Conducting routine litter patrols to collect Transfer station safety issues are the facility
trash on site, around the perimeter, on operator ’s responsibility.
immediately adjacent properties, and on
44 Transfer Station Design and Operation
[Page 47]
This section describes general safety con- weather is addressed by proper clothing, pro-
cerns associated with solid waste transfer sta- tection from wind and precipitation, and
tions. A facility must take steps to eliminate or access to warming areas. Extreme tempera-
reduce risk of injury from many sources, tures typically should not pose problems for
including: customers because their exposure times are
much less than those of facility workers.
Exposure to Potentially Hazardous Equipment
Transfer station employees work in close Traffic
proximity to a variety of hazards, including Controlled, safe traffic flows in and around
equipment with moving parts, such as con- the facility are critical to ensuring employee
veyor belts, push blades, balers, and com- and customer safety. Ideally, a transfer station
pactors. Facility operators should develop an is designed so traffic
employee equipment orientation program from large waste-
and establish safety programs to minimize collecting vehicles is
the risk of injury from station equipment. kept separate from
Utilizing locks or tags that prevent equipment self-haulers, who typ-
from operating until they are removed (lock- ically use cars and
out/tagout systems), for example, effectively pickup trucks.
minimize hazards associated with transfer Facility designers
station equipment. Transfer stations operators should consider:
must implement and strictly enforce rules Directing traffic
requiring children and pets to remain in the flow in a one-way
vehicle at all times. Posting signs and apply- loop through the
ing brightly colored paint or tape to hazards main transfer
can alert customers to potential dangers. building and
around the entire
Personal Protective Equipment site. Facilities with
Transfer station employees coming in close one-way traffic
contact with waste and heavy machinery flow have build-
should wear appropriate personal protective ings (and some-
equipment. Common pieces of protective gear times entire sites)
include hard hats, protective eye goggles, dust with separate
masks, steel tipped boots, and protective entrances and
gloves. If working in close proximity to loud exits. The transfer
machinery, hearing protection should be used trailers, in particu-
as well. Check state and local codes and regu- lar, are difficult to
lations to see if any personal protective equip- maneuver and
ment standards exist. Ensure that all facility require gentle Well marked, color-coded traffic routes can help
employees are using the appropriate equip- slopes and suffi- minimize contact between commercial and public
ment and are properly maintaining it. cient turning radii. vehicles.
Ideally, these trail-
Exposure to Extreme Temperatures ers should not have to back up.
Facilities located in areas of extreme weather Arranging buildings and roads on the site
must account for potential impacts to employ- to eliminate or minimize intersections, the
ees from prolonged exposure to heat or cold. need to back up vehicles, and sharp turns.
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are addressed Providing space for vehicles to queue when
with proper facility operations, including good the incoming traffic flow is greater than the
ventilation inside buildings, access to water facility’s tipping area can accommodate.
and shade, and periodic work breaks. Cold Sufficient queuing areas should be located
Transfer Station Design and Operation 45
[Page 48]
after the scale house and before the tipping reducing the height of falls, but they present
area. This is in addition to and separate their own hazards. These include standing
from any queuing area required before the and walking on floor surfaces that could be
scale house to prevent traffic from backing slick from recent waste material and being
up onto public roads. close to station operating equipment that
Providing easily understood and highly removes waste after each load is dumped.
visible signs, pavement markings, and Depending on the station design (pit or flat
directions from transfer station staff to indi- floor), a number of safety measures should be
cate proper traffic flow. considered to reduce the risk of falls.
Providing bright lighting, both artificial For direct gravity loading of containers by
and natural, inside buildings. Using light- citizens, a moderate grade separation will
colored interior finishes that are easy to reduce the fall distance. For example, some
keep clean is also very helpful. When enter- facilities place rolloff boxes 8 feet below
ing a building on a bright day, drivers’ eyes grade to facilitate easy loading of waste
need time to adjust to the building’s darker into the container (so the top of the rolloff
interior. This adjustment period can be dan- box is even with the surrounding ground).
gerous. Good interior lighting and light- This approach, however, creates an 8-foot
colored surfaces can reduce the contrast fall hazard into an empty rolloff box.
and shorten adjustment time. Alternatively, the rolloff box can be set
about 5 feet below grade, with the sides
Providing an area for self-haulers to unload extending about 3 feet above the floor. This
separately from large trucks. Typically, self- height allows for relatively easy lifting over
haulers must manually unload the back of the box’s edge, yet is high enough to
a pickup truck, car, or trailer. This process reduce the chance of accidental falls.
takes longer than the automated dumping For pit-type operations, the pit depth can
of commercial waste collection vehicles and be tapered to accommodate commercial
potentially exposes the driver to other traf- unloading at the deep end (typically 8 to 12
fic. It is often a good idea to provide staff to feet) and public unloading at the shallow
assist the public with safe unloading prac- end (3 to 6 feet).
tices.
Requiring facility staff to wear bright or Safety barriers, such as chains or ropes, can
conspicuous clothing. Personnel working in be placed around the pit edges at the end
the tipping area especially must wear high of the day or during cleaning periods to
visibility clothing at all times. prevent falls. These barriers, however,
should be removed during normal operat-
Installing backup alarms on all moving ing hours as they are a trip hazard and can
facility equipment and training all vehicle interfere with the unloading of waste.
operators in proper equipment operations Substantial wheel stops can be installed on
safety. Backup alarms must be maintained the facility floor to prevent vehicles from
in proper working condition at all times. backing into a pit or bin. Some curbs are
Cameras and monitors can also be installed removable to facilitate cleaning.
as an additional precaution.
Locating wheel stops a good distance from
Falls the edge of the unloading zone ensures that
Accidental falls are another concern for facili- self-haul customers will not find them-
ty employees and customers, especially in selves dangerously close to a ledge or the
facilities with pits or direct dump designs operating zone for station equipment.
where the drop at the edge of the tipping area To prevent falls due to slipping, the floor
might be 5 to 15 feet deep. Facilities with flat should be cleaned regularly and designed
tipping areas offer greater safety in terms of with a skid-resistant surface. Designers
46 Transfer Station Design and Operation
[Page 49]
need to provide sufficient slope in floors back, however. They tend to collect dirt and
and pavements so that they drain readily grime and are hard to keep clean and bright.
and eliminate standing water. This is espe- Using a rubber shoe on the bottom of waste-
cially crucial in cold climate areas where moving equipment buckets and blades and
icing can cause an additional fall hazard. avoiding use of track-type equipment that
Because of transfer stations’ large size and produce high mechanical noise also limits
volume and the constant flow of vehicles, it noise. These approaches, however, can affect
is impractical to design and operate them the transfer system’s operational efficiency.
as heated facilities. Regardless of which approaches are
Use of colored floor coatings (such as employed, transfer station employees exposed
bright red or yellow) in special hazard to high levels of noise for prolonged periods
zones (including the area immediately next of time should use earplugs or other protec-
to a pit) can give customers a strong visual tive devices to guard against hearing damage.
cue.
Designing unloading stalls for self-haulAir Quality
customers with a generous width (at least Tipping areas often have localized air quality
12 feet when possible) maximizes the sepa- problems (dust and odor) that constitute a
ration between adjacent unloading opera- safety and health hazard. Dust in particular
tions and reduces the likelihood of injury can be troublesome, especially where dusty,
from activity in the next stall. For commer- dry commercial loads (e.g., C&D wastes) are
cial customers, stall widths of at least 15 tipped. Prolonged exposure to air emissions
feet are needed to provide a similar safety from waste and motorized vehicles operating
cushion. This is particularly necessary inside the building provides another potential
where self-haul and commercial stalls are health threat to facility employees. Facility air
located side-by-side. quality issues can be addressed through a
number of design and operational practices.
If backing movements are required, designThese include:
the facility so vehicles back in from the dri- Water-based dust suppression (misting or
ver ’s side (i.e., left to right) to increase visi- spray) systems used to “knock down” dust.
bility. Different types of systems are available.
They typically involve a piping system
Noise with an array of nozzles aimed to deliver a
Unloading areas can have high noise levels fine spray to the area where dust is likely to
due to the station’s operating equipment, the be generated (e.g., over the surge pit). They
unloading operation and waste movement, typically are actuated by station staff “on
and customer vehicles. Backup safety alarms demand” when dust is generated. Dust
and beepers required on most commercial suppression systems can operate using
vehicles and operating equipment also can be water only or can have an injection system
particularly loud. The noise level also might that mixes odor-neutralizing compounds
cause customers not to hear instructions or (usually naturally occurring organic
warnings or the noise from an unseen extracts) with the water. These dual pur-
approaching hazard. pose systems effectively control both dust
Designers have limited options for dealing and odors. Water-based dust suppression
with the noise problem. The principal way to systems, however, can have adverse eco-
reduce the effects of high-decibel noise in nomic impacts. The additional moisture
enclosed tipping areas is to apply a sound- added to the waste increases the weight of
absorbing finish over some ceiling and wall outbound loads, potentially reducing truck
surface areas. Typically, spray-on acoustical capacity and increasing costs.
coatings are used. These finishes have a draw-
Transfer Station Design and Operation 47
[Page 50]
Use of handheld hoses to wet down the hours, or during special single or multiple day
waste where it is being moved or events.
processed, typically in a pit. Designers need All transfer stations need to be equipped to
to consider using convenient reel-mount handle the occasional occurrence of hazardous
hoses for this purpose. waste, real or suspected, mixed with other
Ventilation systems can control air qualitywastes. Personal protective equipment such as
inside enclosed transfer buildings. While goggles, gloves, body suits, and respirators
the high roofs and large floor areas com- should be on hand and easily accessible to
mon in transfer stations put unique employees. Because staff or customers might
demands upon ventilation systems, it is still inadvertently come in contact with a haz-
possible through engineering techniques to ardous substance, it is also good practice, and
create the air velocities needed to entrain often required by code, to have special eye-
dust particles. One approach is to concen- wash and shower units in the operating areas.
trate system fans and air removal equip- Typically, the transfer station’s operating plan
ment above the dustiest and most will outline detailed procedures to guide sta-
odor-prone area to create a positive air flow tion personnel in identifying and managing
from cleaner areas. Often, the air-handling these kinds of wastes. Many stations have a
equipment is designed with multiple speed secure area with primary and secondary con-
fans and separate fan units that can be acti- tainment barriers near the main tipping area
vated during high dust or odor events. where suspect wastes can be placed pending
Filtering and scrubbing exhaust air from evaluation and analysis. Public education
transfer stations is also possible. efforts can reduce the likelihood of hazardous
If employees’ direct exposure to harmful materials showing up in solid waste.
emissions from vehicles and waste at the
facility is not sufficiently minimized, respi- Ergonomics
ratory aids such as masks might be neces- Improper body position, repetitive motion,
sary. and repeated or continuous exertion of force
contribute to injuries. Both employers and
Hazardous Wastes and Materials employees should receive ergonomics training
While MSW is generally nonhazardous, some to reduce the likelihood of injury. Such train-
potentially hazardous materials such as pesti- ing provides guidance on minimizing repeti-
cides, bleach, and solvents could be delivered tive motions and heavy lifting and using
to a transfer station. Facility operators should proper body positions to perform tasks. At
ensure that employees are properly trained to this time there are no federal ergonomic stan-
identify and handle such materials. Some sta- dards. A few states, however, do have such
tions have a separate household hazardous standards under their job safety and health
waste (HHW) receiving and handling area. If programs. The Occupational Safety and
the transfer station operates a program that Health Administration’s Web site includes a list of states
by appointment only, during designated with such programs and provides links to a
number of these states’ Web sites.
48 Transfer Station Design and Operation
[Page 51]
Facility Oversight
his section describes the types of while others require certification of key per-
regulations that generally apply to sonnel. Some states also require compliance
transfer stations and addresses typi- with regional solid waste planning efforts or
Tcal regulatory compliance methods. demonstrations of “need.”
Appendix A provides a state-by-state
checklist of major transfer station regulatory
Applicable Regulations issues. Appendix A shows that:
Transfer stations are affected by a variety of All but five states require waste transfer
federal, state, tribal, and local regulations, stations to have some type of permit, per-
including those related to noise, traffic impact mit-by-rule, or state license to operate.
mitigation, land use, workplace safety, taxes,
employee right-to-know, and equal employ- All 50 states have at least minimal operat-
ment opportunity that are applicable to any ing standards for waste transfer stations
other business or public operation. Many either through regulations, statutes, operat-
jurisdictions also have regulations specifically ing plans, or construction permits.
applicable to transfer stations. These regula- Some states require analysis of transfer sta-
tions typically emphasize the protection of tion impacts under general environmental
public health and the environment. review procedures.
Federal Regulations Local Regulations
No federal regulations exist that are specifical- Local regulation of transfer stations can take
ly applicable to transfer stations. EPA, howev- many forms. Typical regulatory bodies include
er, initiated a rulemaking process exclusively counties, cities, regional solid waste manage-
for marine waste transfer stations under
authority of the Shore Protection Act in 1994.
These rules would regulate vessels and
marine transfer stations in the U.S. coastal
waters. EPA is currently working with the U.S.
Coast Guard on finalizing these rules.
State Regulations
State solid waste regulatory programs usually
take primacy in transfer station permitting,
although local zoning and land use require-
ments apply as well. State regulations vary
widely. Some have no regulations specific to
transfer stations; others mention them as a
minor part of regulations that generally apply
to solid waste management; and others have
regulations specifically addressing transfer
station issues such as design standards, oper-
ating standards, and the maximum amount of
time that waste can be left on site. A few states
also require transfer stations to have closure
plans and to demonstrate financial assurance, Example of a state issued transfer station facility permit.
Facility Oversight 49
[Page 52]
ment authorities, health departments, and air tions. The entity responsible for performing
pollution control authorities. inspections and the frequency and level of
Counties, cities, and regional authorities detail of inspections vary widely around the
often are required to prepare comprehensive country. Some inspections are complaint driv-
solid waste management plans describing en, some occur on a regular frequency, and
long-range plans for waste prevention, recy- some occur on a random basis. A typical
cling, collection, processing (including transfer inspection involves a representative of the
stations), and disposal. Other local regulations local health department or state or tribal solid
likely to apply to transfer stations include waste regulatory program walking through
zoning ordinances, noise ordinances, and traf- the facility, looking for improper waste stor-
fic impact analysis. age or handling methods and writing up a
short notice of compliance or noncompliance.
Public health departments are involved Other inspections for specific issues are also
with transfer stations because of the potential conducted. Special inspections might target
health concerns if solid waste is improperly workplace safety, proper storm-water runoff
managed. In some states, the state environ- management, and compliance with applicable
mental protection agency delegates authority roadway weight limits for transport vehicles.
to local health departments to oversee solid
waste management facilities, including trans-
fer stations. This typically includes overseeing Reporting
general compliance with a facility’s operating Some transfer station operators are required to
permit; regular cleaning of the tipping floor; compile monthly, quarterly, or annual reports
limits on the amount of waste the facility can for submission to regulatory agencies and host
accept; and employment of adequate meas- communities. These reports typically include
ures to prevent vectors such as rats, birds, and the following information:
flies from contacting waste. Weight (tons) and loads (number of cus-
Local or regional air pollution control tomers) received at the transfer station each
authorities often regulate odor, dust, and vehi- month. This sometimes includes details
cle exhaust emissions at transfer stations. Air such as day of the week, time of day, type
pollution control agencies might regulate of waste, name of hauler, and origin of
chemicals used to control odor, exhaust from waste.
vents on the facility’s roof or walls, and Weight (tons) and loads (number of transfer
whether dusty loads can be delivered to the truck shipments) shipped from the transfer
transfer station. The local sanitary district often station each month. This sometimes
establishes waste water standards and might includes a breakdown by time shipped,
be involved in storm water management and type of waste, and the final destination of
protection. the waste.
Common Regulatory Compliance A description of any unusual events that
Methods took place at the transfer station, including
accidents and discoveries of unacceptable
Compliance Inspections waste.
Many transfer stations are inspected periodi- A summary of complaints received and the
cally for compliance with the transfer station’s actions taken to respond to the complaints.
operating permit and other applicable regula-
50 Facility Oversight
[Page 53]
Resources
Leon County, Florida. Leon County Solid Waste Transfer Station: Noise Study Report. February 2000
(Draft).
Lund, Herbert F. 1992. Solid Waste Handbook. McGraw-Hill Companies.
National Environmental Justice Advisory Council. 2000. A Regulatory Strategy for Siting and
Operating Waste Transfer Stations, (EPA500-R-00-001). Washington, DC.
Solid Waste Association of North America. 2000. Certification Course Manual: Managing Transfer
Station Systems. SWANA. Washington, DC.
Tchobauoglous, George, Hilary Theisen, and Samuel A. Vigil. 1993. Integrated Solid Waste
Management: Engineering Principles and Management Issues. McGraw-Hill Companies.
U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. 2000. Waster Transfer Stations: Involved
Citizens Make the Difference, (EPA530-K-01-003). Washington, DC.
U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. 1995. Decision-Maker ’s Guide to Solid
Waste Management, Second Edition (EPA 530-R-95-023). Washington, DC.
DuPage County Solid Waste Department. 1998. Solid Waste Transfer in Illinois: A Citizen’s
Handbook on Planning, Siting and Technology. Weaver Boos & Gordon, Inc. (For information on
ordering copies of the DuPage County publication entitled Solid Waste Transfer in Illinois: A
Citizen’s Handbook on Planning, Siting and Technology contact Kevin T. Dixon, Director, Solid
Waste Department, DuPage County Center, 421 N. Country Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois
60187, telephone (630)682-7373.)
Resources 51
[Page 54]
Glossary of Terms and
Acronyms
Baler: This technology compresses waste into Host community benefits: A transfer station
high-density, self-contained units (bales) of or landfill operator can offer specific benefits
either waste or recyclables. Baled waste is to the community selected for a proposed
transported on flatbed trailers (as opposed to facility. The benefits are listed in a Host
transfer trailers) and is most often sent to a Community Agreement. Benefits can include
“balefill” that has special equipment (e.g., cash, free tipping, highway improvements,
forklifts). and tax reductions.
Buffer zone (also setback): The distance Household hazardous wastes (HHW): HHW
between the transfer station or roadways and come from residences, are generally produced
adjacent properties; often used for screening. in small quantities, and consist of common
household discards such as paints, solvents,
Collection vehicle: Residential collection vehi- herbicides, pesticides, and batteries.
cles include front-loading and rear-loading
garbage trucks, as well as special trucks with Loadout: The process of loading outbound
compartments used to pickup source-separat- transfer trailers with waste; or loading trucks
ed recyclables. Commercial (businesses), insti- with recyclables destined for the market.
tutional (hospitals and schools), and industrial
(plants) waste, as well as C&D waste, is often Municipal solid waste (MSW): Generally
discarded in rolloff boxes, which are dropped defined as discards routinely collected from
at the facility and then collected on schedule. homes, businesses, and institutions, and the
nonhazardous discards from industries.
Construction and demolition debris (C&D):
Includes broken concrete, wood waste, Queuing distance: The space provided for
asphalt, rubble. This material can often be sep- incoming trucks to wait in line.
arated for beneficial use.
Convenience center (also citizen’s dropoff or Source-separated: Recyclables discarded and
green box): Small transfer facilities used in collected in containers separate from non-recy-
low-volume or rural settings. These low-tech- clable waste. Bins or blue bags are used to
nology options often use rolloff boxes with an separate residential recyclables; separate boxes
inclined ramp for cars and pickups. Bins can or containers are used for commercial/indus-
be included for recyclables that are source- trial discards (e.g., corrugated cardboard pack-
separated. aging, wood pallets). Source-separated wastes
usually are delivered to a material recovery
facility.
Direct haul: The historic practice of sending
collection vehicles (mostly garbage trucks) Surge pit: A pit usually made of concrete that
directly to the landfill without using transfer receives waste from the tipping floor. Surge
stations. When landfills were close to the pits provide more space for temporary storage
waste sources, a residential collection vehicle at peak times and allow for additional com-
customarily made two trips per day to the paction of waste before loadout.
landfill.
Glossary of Terms and Acronyms 53
[Page 55]
Tipping fee: The unit price charged at the dis- Walking floor: A technology built in to light-
posal site or transfer station to accept waste, weight transfer trailers and used to unload
usually expressed as dollars per ton or dollars waste at the disposal site. Moving panels
per cubic yard. “walk” the waste out of the trailer bed.
Tipping floor: The floor of the transfer station Waste diversion: The process of separating
where waste is unloaded (tipped) for inspec- certain materials at the transfer station to
tion, sorting, and loading. avoid the cost of hauling and the tipping fee
at the landfill.
Tons per day (TPD): The most common unit
of measurement for waste generation, trans- Waste screening: Inspecting incoming wastes
fer, and disposal. Accurate TPD measure- to preclude transport of hazardous wastes,
ments require a scale; conversion from “cubic dangerous substances, or materials that are
yards” without a scale involves estimated incompatible with transfer station or landfill
density factors. operations.
54 Glossary of Terms and Acronyms
[Page 56]
Appendix A: State Transfer
Station Regulations
he table starting on page A-2 is state regulations stipulate that a transfer sta-
designed to serve as a quick refer- tion operator must be a “qualified solid waste
ence guide and comparative index manager” but do not have requirements for
Tof all state transfer station regula- any specific type of certification.
tions. Almost all of these regula- Storage Restrictions. Many states have estab-
tions are available over the Internet, and the lished time limits on how long waste may
URLs are provided at the end of this section. remain in a transfer station. Storage time
Permit Requirements.Nearly all states require restrictions vary from state to state, and some-
transfer facilities to obtain a permit before times even within a state, depending upon the
beginning operations. The vast majority of size of the transfer station.
states issue standard permits after a transfer sta- Recordkeeping Requirements. The majority
tion’s application has been reviewed and of states require a transfer station to maintain
approved. A few states have permit-by-rule pro- onsite records of all incoming and outgoing
visions, which allow transfer stations to forego waste as well as copies of the facility permit,
the application process by demonstrating com- operating plan, contingency plan, and proof of
pliance with a set of designated standards. Of financial assurance, when such things are
the states not requiring permits for transfer sta- applicable.
tions, about half require the facility to register
with the state prior to beginning operation. Reporting Requirements. Many states require
Siting Requirements. Siting requirements transfer stations to submit reports at least
refer to any additional regulatory require- annually to the state environmental agency.
ments beyond relevant and applicable state or These reports often include information such as
local zoning requirements or conditions. Siting the name and location of the transfer station,
requirements could include prohibitions the amounts and types of waste accepted, and
against siting in or near wetlands, flood the source and final destination of this waste.
plains, endangered species habitats, airports, Monitoring Requirements. Monitoring refers
or other protected sites. to any surface water, soil, or air compliance
Design Standards. Nearly all states have at monitoring that a transfer station may be
least minimal design criteria for transfer sta- required to perform by its state.
tions. These requirements typically set stan- Closure Requirements. Closure requirements
dards for waste receiving areas and include standards or timetables for removing
waste-storage areas that include building wastes and cleaning the transfer station site
structural features, access control, vector con- after the facility stops receiving waste and per-
trol, and dust and odor controls. manently ends operations. Most states with
Operational Standards.These standards estab- closure requirements require transfer stations
lish how the transfer station will be run and to remove all wastes and close the facility in a
how wastes will be handled. Standards often manner that eliminates any threats to human
include hours of operation, safety issues, litter health and the environment and minimizes
control, dust and odor control, disease vector the need for further maintenance.
control, facility cleaning/sanitation practices, Financial Assurance Requirements.Some states
waste removal, traffic control, and contingencies. require transfer stations to demonstrate that they
Operator Certification. Only five states have have sufficient funds to properly close the facili-
mandatory operator certification for transfer ty when it ceases operation. Financial assurance
station operators (Arkansas, New Hampshire, mechanisms often include trust funds, insurance
New Mexico, New York, and Ohio). Other policies, letters of credit, or other financial tests.
Appendix A: State Transfer Station Regulations A-1
[Page 57]
State Transfer Station Regulations
State Regulation Permit Siting Design Operational Operator
Requirements Requirements Standards Standards Certification
Alabama Chapter Yes Yes Yes Yes No
420-3-5-.12
Alaska 18 AAC 60 No No No Yes No
Arizona None1 No - But must No No Yes No
self-certify or
notify state2
Arkansas Reg. 22, Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Chapter 9
California Title 14 Yes No Yes Yes No
Article 6
Colorado 6 CCR 1007-2 No4 No Yes Yes No
Connecticut 22a-209 RCSA Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Delaware Delaware S.W. Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Regs., Section 10
Florida Rule 62-701- Yes Yes Yes Yes No
FA C
Georgia Chapter 391- Yes - Permit-by- No No Yes No
3-4 rule, must notify
state
Hawaii Title II, Yes No Yes Yes No
Chapt. 58.1
Idaho (current IDAPA 58.01.06 Yes - Conditional No No Yes No
rules use permit
Idaho (proposed IDAPA 16 Yes Yes Yes Yes No
rule)5
Illinois IAC Title 35, Yes No No (Yes)6 No (Yes) No
Subtitle G,
Chapter I,
Subchapter I,
Part 807,
Subparts A&B
Indiana 329 IAC 11 Yes No No Yes No
Iowa IAC 567 Yes No Yes Yes No
Chapter 100
Kansas KAR 28-29 Yes Yes Yes Yes No
A-2 Appendix A: State Transfer Station Regulations
[Page 58]
Storage Recordkeeping Reporting Monitoring Closure Financial
Restrictions Requirements Requirements Requirements Requirements Assurance
Requirements
Yes - 24 hours Yes No No Yes No
No No No No No No
No No No No No No
Yes - No extended Yes Yes - Periodic No No Yes - At state
storage of discretion
putrescibles
Yes - 48 hours for Yes Yes - Quarterly Possible - As part Yes No
facilities; within 7 of nuisance control
days for operations3 measures
Yes - No overnight Yes No No Yes No
storage on tipping
floor
Yes - 48 hours Yes Yes No No No
Yes - 72 hours, all Yes Yes Possible - State may Yes Yes
overnight storage in require post-closure
enclosures monitoring
NoYesNoNoNoNo
No No No No Yes No
No Yes Yes - Annual, No Yes No
by June 30
NoYesNoNoNoNo
No Yes No No Yes No
No (Yes) No (Yes) No (Yes) No Yes No
Yes - Remove next Yes Yes - Annual, by No Yes Yes
day (except on January 31 and
weekends and quarterly tonnage
holidays) reports
Yes - 72 hours No No No Yes No
Yes - Loaded into Yes Yes - Annual, by Possible - At state’s Yes Yes
transfer vehicle March 1 discretion
next day
Appendix A: State Transfer Station Regulations A-3
[Page 59]
State Regulation Permit Siting Design Operational Operator
Requirements Requirements Standards Standards Certification
Kentucky 401 KAR 47 Yes - Registered Yes No Yes No
permit-by-rule
Louisiana LAC 33: VII Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Subpart I
Maine ME SW Mgt. Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Rules Chapter
402
Maryland Title 26 Yes No Yes Yes No
Chapter 07
Massachusetts 310 CMR 16.00 Yes Yes Yes Yes No
& 19.00
Michigan MAC R299, Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Pa r t 5
Minnesota Chapter 7035 Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Mississippi Section V Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Missouri 10 CSR 80-5 Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Montana ARM Title 17 Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Chapter 50,
Sub-Chapters 4
and 5
Nebraska Title 132 Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Nevada NAC 444.666 No7 No Yes Yes No
New Hampshire NHCAR Env- Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Wm Chapters
314 & 2100
RSA 149M
New Jersey NJAC 7:26 Yes Yes - Must Yes Yes No
perform an EHIS
New Mexico 20 NMAC 9.1 Yes No No Yes Yes
New York 6 NYCRR Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Part 360
North Carolina NCAC Title 15A, Yes No No Yes No
Subchapter 13B
A-4 Appendix A: State Transfer Station Regulations
[Page 60]
Storage Recordkeeping Reporting Monitoring Closure Financial
Restrictions Requirements Requirements Requirements Requirements Assurance
Requirements
NoYesNoNoNoNo
No Yes Yes - Annual, No Yes Yes
by August 1
No Yes Yes - Annual, Possible - At state’s Yes Yes
by October 31 discretion
Yes - No overnight No Yes - Annual No No No
storage, unless in
containers
Yes - no Yes No No Yes Possible - At state’s
accumulation of discretion
odor-causing wastes
Yes - No overnight, No No No No No
unless in closed
containers
Yes - 1 week if in Yes Yes - Annual, Possible - At state’s Yes No
leak-and vector- by February 1 discretion
proof container or
enclosure
Yes - Waste YesNoNoNoNo
removed at least
once per week
Yes - No YesNoNoNoYes
putrescibles longer
than 24 hours
Yes - waste No Yes - Annual, No No No
containers emptied by April 1
at least once a
we e k
NoYesNoNoYesYes
Yes - 72 hours Yes No No Yes No
after acceptance
Yes - Remove Yes Yes - Annual, No Yes Yes
putrescibles within by March 31
1 week or before
producing an odor
Yes - No Yes Yes - Monthly No No No
overnight storage
Yes - <250 yards3, Yes Yes - Annual, No - But must Yes Yes
every other day; within 45 days of demonstrate
>250 yards3, no end of calendar groundwater will
overnight storage year be protected
Yes - When all Yes Yes Yes Yes Possible - At state’s
containers full or discretion
7 days
No No No Possible - At state’s No No
discretion
Appendix A: State Transfer Station Regulations A-5
[Page 61]
State Regulation Permit Siting Design Operational Operator
Requirements Requirements Standards Standards Certification
North Dakota Article 33-20 Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Ohio 3745-27- Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
(15, 21-24)
Oklahoma OAC 252:520 Yes Yes No Yes No
Oregon OAR Chapter Yes No Yes Yes No
340, Division 96
Pennsylvania 25 PA Code Yes Yes Possible - at Yes No
Chapt. 271, 279 state’s discretion
Rhode Island Solid Waste Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Regulation No.1
& No.3
South Carolina Chapter 61, Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Part 8 (61-107.7)
South Dakota Article 74:27 Yes No Yes Yes No
Tennessee Chapter Possible8- Yes Yes Yes No
1200- 1-7 Permit-by-rule
Texas 30 TAC, Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Chapter 330
Utah R315-313 No9 No Yes Yes No
Vermont Chapter 6 Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Virginia Title 9 VAC Yes - Permit- Yes Yes Yes No
20-8-340 by-rule
Washington WAC 173-304 Yes No Yes Yes No
West Virginia 33 CSR 1 Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Wisconsin NR 502.07 Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Wyoming 3292 Chapter 6 Yes Yes Yes Yes No
A-6 Appendix A: State Transfer Station Regulations
[Page 62]
Storage Recordkeeping Reporting Monitoring Closure Financial
Restrictions Requirements Requirements Requirements Requirements Assurance
Requirements
No Yes Yes No Yes No
Yes - Must be in Yes Yes - Annual, by Possible - At state’s Yes Yes
covered container April 1 discretion
or building if stored
longer than 12 hours
Yes - 24 hours Yes Yes - Monthly, No Yes Yes
(48 hours with by the 10th of
vector/odor each month
controls)
No Possible - At state’s Possible - At state’s No No No
discretion discretion
Yes - 24 hours Yes Yes - Annual, Possible - At state’s Yes Yes
(up to 72 over by June 30 discretion
weekend)
Yes - Remove No No No Yes Yes - Though state
combustible SW may wave if
within 48 hours decides
unnecessary
Yes - Remove Yes No Possible - At state’s Yes No
putrescibles w/in discretion
24 hours
No Yes No No Yes No
No Yes No No Yes Yes - If facility has
storage capacity of
1000 yds3 or
greater
No Yes No No Yes Possible
Yes - 7 days Yes Yes - Annual, No Yes No
by March 1
Yes - Remove Yes Yes - Quarterly No Yes Yes
waste from tipping
floor by end of
operating day
Yes - Remove No No No Yes Yes
waste at end of
work day
No Yes Yes - Annual, No Yes No
by March 1
Yes - Remove Yes Yes - Monthly No Yes Yes
waste at end of tonnage reports;
day/not more than and annual by
24 hours January 31
Yes - 24 hours No No Possible - At state’s Yes Possible - At state’s
(with some discretion discretion
exceptions)
No Yes No Possible - At state’s Yes Yes
discretion
Appendix A: State Transfer Station Regulations A-7
[Page 63]
Notes
1. Arizona currently does not have regulations gov- dards for each facility by requiring a facility to
erning waste transfer stations, but the Arizona demonstrate in its permit application that it will
Revised Statutes (ARS) have requirements that meet specific standards. The Illinois regulations
govern these facilities. The information in this require a facility to provide to the state all the
matrix reflects these statutory requirements found information requested in its permit application and
at ARS 49-762. once the permit is approved to comply with the
2. In Arizona transfer stations that receive greater terms of its permit.
than 180 cubic yards/day must self-certify and 7. While no permit is required in Nevada, a facility
demonstrate that the facility is in compliance with must submit and have approved by the state an
state rules. Transfer stations receiving less than application to build or modify a transfer station
180 cubic yards/day must notify the state prior to prior to any action being taken.
commencement of operations and operate in 8. In Tennessee transfer stations that compact or
accordance with state BMPs. otherwise process waste are considered “process-
3. California classifies a transfer station as a facility if ing facilities” and are subject to the permit-by-rule
it receives greater than 60 cubic yards or 15 tons requirements. If no processing occurs at a transfer
of waste per day or as an operation if it receives station, then the facility is not subject to permit-
less than 60 cubic yards or 15 tons of waste per ting. Tennessee currently has rule amendments
day. under review which would make all transfer sta-
4. While Colorado does not require a permit for tions subject to the permit-by-rule standards. The
transfer stations, the local governing body (county responses in this appendix apply to permit-by-rule
or municipal government) may. facilities.
5. Idaho has proposed a three-tiered system based 9. While Utah does not require a transfer station to
upon the type of waste handled at a facility. This obtain a permit, it does require a transfer station
matrix assumes a solid waste transfer station to get a plan approval. In a plan approval, the
would be considered a Tier II facility. operator states how the facility will meet the
6. Illinois does not have explicit design, operating, transfer station guidelines found in the solid waste
storage, recordkeeping, or reporting requirements regulations.
in its regulations. The state establishes these stan-
A-8 Appendix A: State Transfer Station Regulations
[Page 64]
Transfer Stations: State Iowa:
Regulations URLs (as of Kansas:
Alabama: Note: waste/regs/regulati.htm>
Chapter 420-3-5: Solid Waste Collection and Louisiana:
governing transfer stations but are not
available on Alabama Public Health Web Maine: . 06/chaps06.htm>
Alaska: comar.html>
Arizona: Arizona Administrative Code Massachusetts:
_Contents.htm>. Applicable statutes are Michigan:
title49.htm>.
Arkansas: index.html>
California: Mississippi: Look under
Colorado: Missouri:
on the Internet (as of 12/3/01). Montana:
dnrec2000/Divisions/AWM/hw/sw/ Nebraska: RuleandR.nsf/Pages/Rules>
Florida:
categories/solid_waste/default.htm>
Georgia: New Hampshire:
Hawaii: resource/rules.htm>
Idaho: New Mexico:
/IDAPA58/58INDEX.HTM> — Idaho has
proposed new solid waste management New York:
ments for transfer stations. See
99index.htm> - Select Bulletin 99-8, Vol. 1.
Illinois: ndhd/environ/wm/>
Indiana: pages/currentrule.html>
Appendix A: State Transfer Station Regulations A-9
[Page 65]
Oklahoma: swrules.htm>
Oregon: rulessum.htm>
Pennsylvania: Virginia:
regs/index.htm> Washington:
coderegs/statmast.htm> West Virginia:
South Dakota: rsb/code/>
Tennessee: win/sscgi_1.exe>
Texas:
A-10 Appendix A: State Transfer Station Regulations
[Page 66]
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5306W)
EPA530-R-02-002
June 2002