Convenience Sites – sometimes referred to as dumps, container sites, canister sites, etc. - were established to provide residents of Richland County an opportunity to dispose of household garbage only at locations much closer than the Richland County Landfill is to their homes. The best way to explain what household garbage is, is whatever waste you generate that can fit in a garbage bag. This does not include any commercial waste, construction demolition, concrete, dirt, pallets, furniture, mattresses, appliances, trees, branches, shrubs, animal waste, oils, fuels, barrels, etc. The reasoning behind these waste restrictions is the amount of additional space and processing that it takes to handle and the associated health and safety risks. If you do need to dispose of these types of wastes, you are welcome to haul them directly to the landfill. If that is not possible, there are currently two licensed waste haulers in Richland County: Great Plains Solid Waste and Triple S Disposal. They would be happy to help you.
The Convenience Sites provided by the Richland County Solid Waste District, in their current form, are inherently challenging. They are all a little different but are generally open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They are not staffed. Most sites require the safe and responsible transportation of acquired waste to the landfill – for some sites, that takes place upwards of 50 times per month. Each site requires support from the community in which it’s located. At the moment, that community support is extremely important. That support includes the responsible use of the sites.
Convenience Sites can be dangerous places if not used properly. There are countless slip and trip opportunities, sharp edges, and long falls just to name a few of the hazards. We have made some modifications to the sites to try to prohibit these types of risks, but they are unavoidable. Many municipal landfills have abandoned their satellite convenience sites because there is simply too much risk.
The continual misuse of our Convenience Sites is something that we hope to address by asking the people using these sites, to do so responsibly. This means following all rules and regulations for disposal and use. If it will not fit in the canister, do not set it on the ground. If it is in the canister, please leave it there. Dispose of allowed wastes safely and responsibly. We have to keep our employees and the public safe and we can only do that if we work together.
If you have questions about acceptable wastes or site usage, please contact the Richland County Landfill at 406-798-3352. Their business hours are Monday-Saturday from 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Lastly, we are collecting information from comparable municipal landfills in Montana and their convenience sites to better understand how we can improve our operations at our locations. In an effort to work with the communities these sites are located in, if you have any comments or suggestions, please contact the Public Works Office at 406-433-2106 or feel free to email me at [email protected].
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