Section 10-A1310. IN-3.1 SOLID WASTE TRANSFER FACILITIES

 

1310.1An efficient solid waste transfer station system is essential for the District. There are currently five solid waste transfer facilities, three of which are privately owned and two of which are District operated. Map 13.1 on the next page shows the location of these stations. Approximately 60 percent of the District’s municipal solid waste is processed at the Fort Totten Station, and the remaining 40 percent is processed at the Benning road facility. All municipal solid waste is removed by truck from the area since there are no active incinerators or landfills in the District. Trash is loaded onto long-haul trailers for removal to landfills as far away as North Carolina. 1310.1

 

1310.2Map 13.1: Trash Transfer Stations in the District of Columbia

 

http://www.planning.dc.gov/planning/frames.asp?doc=/planning/lib/planning/2006_revised_comp_plan/13_infrastructure.pdf

 

1310.3The Benning Road facility was recently renovated; the Department of Public Works estimates that it has a functional capacity of 2,000 tons per day. The Fort Totten facility is scheduled to undergo major repairs to improve building safety and operations, including environmental pollution control measures. Major improvements will include brickwork and masonry repair, replacement of foundations and roofs, repair of utility systems, and replacement of machinery. Once these improvements are completed, the District will be able to process more than 4,000 tons daily including trash that was formerly handled by privately operated trash transfer stations. The text box to the right provides more information about trash transfer facilities. 1310.3

 

1310.4The District does not currently have a construction and demolition debris (C&D) transfer station, but it does permit disposal of a limited amount of C&D at the Fort Totten processing station. Large-scale commercial building debris disposal is handled privately. The majority of C&D is currently processed by several transfer stations in the surrounding areas of southern Maryland and northern Virginia. 1310.4

 

1310.5Policy IN-3.1.1: Solid Waste Collection

 

Ensure safe, reliable, adequate solid waste collection from residences, business establishments, institutions and other facilities. 1310.5

 

1310.6Policy IN-3.1.3: Reducing Community Impacts

 

Reduce the adverse effects of solid waste facilities, including noise, odors, and truck traffic, on District neighborhoods. 1310.6

 

1310.7Action IN-3.1.A: Upgrade Fort Totten Facility

 

Upgrade the Fort Totten transfer facility to provide a fully enclosed, modern solid waste transfer station to meet the District’s solid waste needs. Consider expansion of this facility to provide adequate space to meet other solid waste needs, including vehicle storage, “white goods” such as washing machines, refrigerators and other large household appliances, and other special waste disposal. 1310.7

 

1310.8Action IN-3.1.B: Trash Transfer Regulations

 

Enact regulatory changes that enable the private sector to provide more efficient trash transfer stations, be in compliance with enforceable regulations, and potentially provide a much needed state-of the- art construction and demolition waste processing site under private operation and ownership. Work with ANCs and community organizations in drafting these regulations to ensure that neighborhood concerns are addressed. 1310.8

 

1310.9What is a Solid Water Transfer Facility?

 

A solid waste transfer facility is a light industrial facility where trash collection trucks discharge their loads for compacting. Once compacted, trash is reloaded onto larger vehicles (e.g., trucks, trains and barges) for shipment to a final disposal site. Transfer facilities are typically fully enclosed. Workers screen incoming wastes on the receiving floor or in an earthen pit, recovering materials from the waste stream that can be recycled and separating out any inappropriate wastes (e.g., tires, large appliances, automobile batteries). Transfer facility operators usually unload, compact, and transport waste off the site in a matter of hours.

 

The District undertook a Needs Assessment and Site Selection Study for trash transfer stations in 2000-2001 to assess the adequacy of existing facilities and determine how future needs might be met. Among the recommendations of the study were:

 

•Changes to siting and permitting requirements, including setback and buffering standards;

 

•Upgrading of the Fort Totten and Benning Road transfer stations;

 

•Development of drop-off facilities for residents at Fort Totten and Benning Road; and

 

•Further analysis of costs, needs, public education programs, and employee training initiatives.

 

notation

The provisions of Title 10, Part A of the DCMR accessible through this web interface are codification of the District Elements of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital. As such, they do not represent the organic provisions adopted by the Council of the District of Columbia. The official version of the District Elements only appears as a hard copy volume of Title 10, Part A published pursuant to section 9a of the District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1994, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; D.C. Official Code § 1 -301.66)) . In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions accessible through this site and the provisions contained in the published version of Title 10, Part A, the provisions contained in the published version govern. A copy of the published District Elements is available www.planning.dc.gov.