DARKE COUNTY — The Darke County Solid Waste Management District Policy Committee is announcing a thirty-day public review and comment period for the five-year Darke County Solid Waste Management Plan Update. The public comment period will start on May 11, 2021, and will extend through June 9, 2021. The Policy Committee will conduct a public hearing on June 23, 2021, at 2:30 p.m. in the Commissioner’s Boardroom, at 520 S. Broadway, Greenville. The plan will be available on the Solid Waste District website at co.darke.oh.us/solidwaste/2021%20Proposed%20Plan.html

The version of the Darke County Solid Waste Management Plan under which the District is currently operating was approved by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency on Aug. 15, 2015. As required by law, the Darke County Solid Waste Policy Committee has reviewed and updated the plan. The plan update continues the District policies and programs that were established in previous plans. This plan places an emphasis on increasing participation in established recycling programs and on strategies to reduce the amount of contamination in the recyclable materials placed in curbside recycling setouts and in the District provided recycling drop-off containers.

In the updated plan, the Board of Directors of the Darke County Solid Waste Management District is authorized to continue the already established facility designation in accordance with Section 343.014 of the Ohio Revised Code. The District has designated several landfills and transfer facilities to receive waste generated in the District for disposal. These are the only facilities authorized to receive solid waste generated in Darke County for transfer or disposal.

The District believes that adequate out-of-district landfill capacity exists or will be developed and made available to manage the District’s waste for the duration of this plan. The District does not plan to construct any new in-district transfer or disposal facilities. Disposal capacity needs will be secured through contracts with private sector service providers.

The funding mechanism for the Darke County Solid Waste District is a contract fee which is remitted to the Darke County Solid Waste District as a condition of the Designation Agreements between the District and disposal facilities which are

designated to accept solid waste generated within the District. The District has entered into Designation Agreements with several landfills and transfer stations pursuant to which each Designated Facility agrees to pay the District a Designation Fee in the amount of $8 per ton of Solid Waste received which is generated in the District. The Plan requires the Designation Fee to increase to $9 per ton on Jan. 1, 2028. However, a new plan update will be completed before 2028 and the increase will not be included unless it is necessary. The Designation Fee is the District’s only revenue source. The District plans to continue to fund the District’s activities and programs with the proceeds of the Designation Fee. The District will take the necessary steps to ensure that the Designation Agreements are in place to secure continued transfer and disposal capacity and funding to implement the Plan.

The District requests that all written comments on the plan be submitted to the Solid Waste District, to the attention of Krista Fourman, District Director, at the Darke County Solid Waste District Office, 684 Wagner Avenue, Suite C, Greenville, OH 45331, no later than June 9, 2021. Questions may be addressed to Krista Fourman at the District office, 937-547-0827, weekdays between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Locations where a printed copy of the Darke County Solid Waste Management Plan is available for review:

-Arcanum Public Library, 101 W. North Street, Arcanum, OH 45304

-Greenville Public Library, 520 Sycamore Street, Greenville, OH 45331

-New Madison Public Library, 142 S. Main Street, New Madison, OH 45346

-Worch Public Library, 790 S. Center Street, Versailles, OH 45380

-Darke County Commissioners, 520 S. Broadway, Greenville, OH 45331

-Darke County General Health District, 300 Garst Avenue, Greenville, OH 45331

-City of Greenville, Mayor’s Office, 100 Public Square, Greenville, OH 45331