A proposed construction project at the Crapo Hill Landfill could extend the facility’s capacity for several more years, allowing New Bedford and Dartmouth to continue disposing of municipal waste locally rather than transporting it to facilities outside the region.
The Crapo Hill Landfill is operated by the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District, which serves the City of New Bedford and Town of Dartmouth. According to information released by the City of New Bedford, use of the landfill currently saves taxpayers in the two communities more than $3 million annually in municipal waste disposal costs.
Those savings are largely attributed to the ability to dispose of waste locally. Without available capacity at Crapo Hill, municipal waste would have to travel longer distances to other disposal facilities, which would add transportation and disposal expenses.
New Disposal Cell Proposed
To extend the useful life of the landfill, the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District has proposed constructing a new disposal cell at the facility. Adding another cell would provide additional disposal capacity at Crapo Hill and allow New Bedford and Dartmouth to continue using the facility for several more years.
The project would require an upfront investment in construction but is intended to delay the point at which the two municipalities would need to rely more heavily on out-of-area waste disposal. The proposal comes as communities across Massachusetts continue to face long-term questions surrounding solid waste disposal capacity and the cost of managing municipal waste.
Regional Facility Serving Two Communities
The Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District was established as a regional partnership between New Bedford and Dartmouth to manage solid waste disposal and related operations. The Crapo Hill Landfill is located in Dartmouth and has provided disposal capacity for municipal solid waste generated by the two communities.
Extending the landfill’s capacity would allow the existing regional arrangement to continue while providing additional time for New Bedford and Dartmouth to plan for their longer-term waste management needs.
Additional information about the proposed landfill construction project, including the District’s explanation of the project and its financial impact, is available through the City of New Bedford here.
