SLOC rethinks Olympic trash disposal

The Salt Lake Organizing Committee says it is highly unlikely that any Olympic trash will be incinerated in Layton.

While at least 85 percent of Olympic garbage will be recycled or turned to compost, a small percentage will need to be placed in a landfill or burned.

"It's very likely that waste will be landfilled," said Diane Conrad, Salt Lake Organizing Committee environmental director.

SLOC had considered incineration as an option. That move would allow organizers to reach their no-landfill goal. However, given the shaky environmental performance of the state's lone garbage incinerator in Layton, landfilling is now the preferred option, Conrad said.

The decision puts the kibosh on SLOC's hopes of becoming the first Olympics not to landfill any waste.

Conrad's statements came a day after Wasatch Energy Systems approved a contract with a Minnesota-based recycling company to help dispose of trash generated during Salt Lake's 2002 Olympics.

Wasatch Energy — the special service district that operates the Layton incinerator for 15 cities in Davis and Morgan counties — has come under fire from the Environmental Protection Agency and the state Division of Air Quality for frequent emissions violations. Many residents also blame the incinerator's emissions for myriad health problems in the area; however, there is no scientific evidence linking the plant to illnesses.

Under Wasatch Energy's contract with Green Valley Recycle and Compost — the company SLOC hired to dispose of Olympic trash — Wasatch Energy will take Olympic trash that is not fit for recycling or compost.

Wasatch Energy's executive director Nathan Rich said his district has no problem placing that trash in a landfill if SLOC is dead set against incineration.

"This isn't about us wanting to incinerate Olympic waste," he said.

What it is about is good public relations for Wasatch Energy.

In addition to disposing of waste, Wasatch Energy will provide some 30 acres where Olympic composting can occur.

John Madole of Green Valley said during the Atlanta Games the Olympic composting site was widely visited and became a makeshift tourist attraction.

Similar to Atlanta, visitors will be able to tour the Layton composting facility as well as Wasatch Energy's incinerator.

Rich said the site could be important for Davis County, which is the only Wasatch Front county without an Olympic sports venue.

"Davis County's kind of been left out of the Olympics," Rich said. "We anticipate a lot of tours and a lot of positive publicity around the site."

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