In this Q&A interview, Brian J., Ops Manager, and Patrick W., Maintenance Shop Clerk, at Carleton Farms Landfill in New Boston, Michigan, shed some light on the post-collection side of Republic Services, including the benefits of landfills, what’s involved in operating a successful landfill, and the one word they want you to dump from your vocabulary!
To start, what are some facts and figures about the Carleton Farms Landfill where you work?
Brian – Carleton Farms Landfill opened 31 years ago in 1993. As one of the largest landfills in Michigan, we cover 648 square acres. Daily, we take in an estimated 8,000 tons of trash from as far away as Canada. When completed, Carleton Farms Landfill will stand an estimated 1,000 feet above sea level and could contain as much as 12 billion cubic feet of trash.
Imagine the entire Island of Manhattan, spanning 23 square miles, buried under a staggering 20-foot-deep layer of trash, completely transforming its streets, parks, and buildings into a sprawling sea of waste. This should give you an idea of the volume of trash that we are responsible for.
Recently, we completed the drilling of two deep-well sites. These wells will digest 100 percent of all leachate collected from the Landfill to the tune of an estimated 50 million gallons every year or the equivalent of 76 Olympic-sized swimming pools, or closer to home, 1.2 million bathtubs. Eliminating the need to transport Leachate liquids to off-site treatment facilities is one more way landfills are improving sustainability.
What’s involved in operating a successful landfill?
Brian – Ultimately the key to any successful operation is the people. Balancing safely thousands of tons of trash every day, from the smallest residential drop-off to the 150,000-pound trash hauler requires a strong relationship between every person on our team and our customers. It’s these relationships that make our landfill successful.
What does “a day in the life” look like for you?
Brian – One of the greatest aspects of working at the landfill is the spontaneity of the day. Each day starts as early as 4:30 a.m., long before the sun comes up. The first order of business is always the “Morning Safety Brief.” The importance of this huddle cannot be overstated in making sure that not only the operation runs smoothly but at the end of the day, all of our team goes home safe – safety is our number one priority.
Throughout the day, we have countless operations going on and we all jump in when and where we’re needed, including management. No one stays clean on the job!
Leachate is a byproduct of our business. Fully half the day is focused on the upkeep and running of our leachate collection system, which includes miles of underground pipes, junctions and wells.
In summary, my days are full but very rewarding when I see a job well done.
Landfills do more than collect trash. Can you explain some of the benefits of landfills?
Patrick – Most people only give their trash a second thought when they realize they forgot to take it to the curb for pick-up. Those of us who work at a landfill think about trash in a whole different way. We are caretakers and wardens of the environment. We take things that are no longer useful or wanted and we take care of them in a way that makes sure the environment is safe both now and into the future.
Republic Services’ landfills across the country are responsible for bringing electricity to people’s homes through solar power and energizing communities through landfill gas-to-energy conversion. Many public places like parks, soccer fields and golf courses were once landfills.
What do you like most about what you do?
Patrick – For me, what I like most is showing visitors the level of detail that goes into the safe and responsible way to run a landfill. I explain the protections that Republic Services has put into place to keep communities safe.
Is there anything we did not ask you that you would like to mention?
Brian – The terms “dump” and “landfill” are often mistakenly used interchangeably, but they are quite different in terms of structure, regulation and environmental impact. A “dump” is an informal, unregulated site where waste is simply left in the open without concern for environmental protection, often leading to pollution and health hazards. In contrast, a “landfill” is a highly regulated facility designed to manage waste safely. Landfills have protective liners to prevent contamination of soil and groundwater, compact waste in layers, and collect and treat gases and leachate produced by decomposing waste.
If you find yourself visiting a landfill and refer to it as a “dump” do not be surprised if every employee, in unison, corrects you with a hard stare and a quick “LANDFILL.”