Hunter Ferrell Landfill, the City of Irving’s solid waste disposal facility, is getting ready to expand into the second of its three tracts, with planners keeping longevity and the environment in mind.
The landfill has been in operation since April 1981 just north of the West Fork of the Trinity River and west of Loop 12. It accepts refuse and recycling materials for approximately 240,000 residents as well as local businesses.
The landfill is divided into west, middle and east tracts. Currently, the city operates the west tract. After nearly 40 years in operation, the west tract is nearing maximum capacity. In April, construction began on roughly 19 acres of middle tract to expand waste disposal capabilities and ensure continuous disposal capacity.
Long-Term Planning
The Solid Waste Services Department’s goal is to build and maintain a self-sufficient landfill — one that with innovative measures in place, will continue to be a vital asset for future generations of Irving residents.
The nearly $6 million landfill liner project is slated for 12 months of construction, including excavation to 85 feet deep and the installation of a synthetic plastic landfill liner. The liner will be laid along the floor and walls of the landfill. The plastic sheets will be fused together to create a solid piece of material.
The project also will include a leachate collection system, which collects fluid produced by rainwater and waste, and recirculates it into other areas of the landfill to increase the speed of trash settling and decomposition.
The landfill liner serves as a barrier to protect the environment from leachate and other associated pollutants.
Testing, Routine Sampling
An important part of the landfill operation is continuous testing to ensure the facility is operating properly. Hunter Ferrell Landfill is one of the most environmentally monitored facilities in the city. The Solid Waste Services Department routinely monitors methane gas, stormwater, groundwater, leachate and air quality as part of the various permit requirements from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Solid Waste Services strives to operate the landfill with a focus on the future. With the design and construction of the middle tract, as well as routine testing to ensure the safety of groundwater and stormwater, the department hopes to instill an added sense of protection toward the health and well-being of the community.
Life of a Landfill
- Hunter Ferrell has been in operation for nearly 40 years.
- The middle tract will have a 20-30 year capacity, while the entire landfill can provide approximately 50-60 years of capacity.
- Irving’s last landfill liner project was completed in 1999.
- There are about 150 active landfills in Texas.
- The middle tract landfill project will carve out 1 million cubic yards of soil.
- Several hundred feet of the Eagle Ford Shale rock formation lines the base of the Irving landfill site.
- Irving buries about 200,000 tons of trash annually.
- Irving will be the third city in Texas to implement the leachate recirculation collection system.
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