KINGFIELD – A state agency has sent a notice of violation about the town’s transfer station, citing problems with waste contamination and traffic monitoring.
A representative of the state’s Department of Environmental Protection performed an inspection of the station on July 8, according to Kingfield’s administrative assistant, Greg Davis. The transfer station, which is operated by Kingfield and New Portland and also services customers in the Unorganized Territories in Franklin and Somerset counties, was found to have a number of relatively minor issues.
Among the issues cited by DEP’s inspector, William Butler, were concerns over metal pile contamination and the storage of paint, as well as a build up of certain items, such as television sets at the station. Butler was also concerned about the ability of the transfer station employees to monitor customers, specifically to ensure that household hazardous waste was not dumped at the station. Kingfield participates in an annual “Household Hazardous Waste Day,” which residents are expected to wait for so they can dispose of potentially dangerous material safely.
Davis said that the DEP’s report was “generally positive,” and that no fine, penalty, timetable or required actions had been imposed.
“He thought that people [at the transfer station] did a good job, and that the place was efficiently run,” Davis said.
Butler will meet with selectmen at Webster Hall on July 29, then later at the transfer station. There, Davis explained, the “nitty gritty issues” will be discussed. Some are minor, housekeeping concerns easily addressed by a change in procedure. Others, such as the concern over monitoring waste drop offs, are more difficult. Davis noted that Route 16, which provides access to the station, had a large amount of truck traffic, which made having customers line up on the road difficult. He hopes that the site walk through will provide some ideas about how the DEP’s concerns can be met.
“We’re trying to be very proactive with the site,” Davis said. “We need to keep up with the appointments and customers while protecting the environment.”
