Waste Transfer Stations: A Manual for Decision-Making

Waste Transfer Stations:A Manual for Decision-Making

The Office of Solid Waste (OSW) would like to acknowledge and thank the membersof the Solid Waste Association of North America Focus Group and the NationalEnvironmental Justice Advisory Council Waste Transfer Station Working Group forreviewing and providing comments on this draft document. We would also like tothank Keith Gordon of Weaver Boos & Gordon, Inc., for providing a technical

review and donating several of the photographs included in this document.

iAcknowledgements

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1What Are Waste Transfer Stations?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Why Are Waste Transfer Stations Needed?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Why Use Waste Transfer Stations? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Is a Transfer Station Right for Your Community? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Planning and Siting a Transfer Station. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Types of Waste Accepted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Unacceptable Wastes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Public Versus Commercial Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Determining Transfer Station Size and Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Number and Sizing of Transfer Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Future Expansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Site Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Environmental Justice Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

The Siting Process and Public Involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Siting Criteria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Exclusionary Siting Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Technical Siting Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Developing Community-Specific Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Applying the Committee’s Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Host Community Agreements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Transfer Station Design and Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Transfer Station Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

How Will the Transfer Station Be Used? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Site Design Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Main Transfer Area Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Types of Vehicles That Use a Transfer Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Transfer Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Transfer Station Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Operations and Maintenance Plans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Facility Operating Hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Interacting With the Public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Waste Screening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Emergency Situations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Recordkeeping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Environmental Issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Odors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

iiiContents

Contents

Air Emissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Storm Water Quality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Vectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Litter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Safety Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Exposure to Potentially Hazardous Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Personal Protective Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Exposure to Extreme Temperatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Air Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Hazardous Wastes and Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Ergonomics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Facility Oversight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Applicable Regulations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Federal Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49State Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Local Regulations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Common Regulatory Compliance Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50Compliance Inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Glossary of Terms and Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1

iv Contents

This manual defines what a transferstation is and how it relates tomunicipal solid waste managementin the context of a community’stotal waste management plan. The

manual identifies issues and factors to consid-er when deciding to build a transfer station,planning and designing it, selecting a site, andinvolving the community.

In many communities, citizens have voicedconcerns about solid waste transfer stationsthat are poorly sited, designed, or operated. Inaddition, some citizens might feel that transferstations are disproportionately concentrated inor near their communities. Yet transfer sta-tions play an important role in a community’swaste management system.

In 1993, the National Environmental JusticeAdvisory Council (NEJAC) was formed to“provide independent advice, consultation,and recommendations to EPA on matters relat-ed to environmental justice.” The Waste andFacility Siting Subcommittee, one of NEJAC'ssix subcommittees, received numerous com-ments from citizens of several major metropol-itan areas concerning the negative impacts ofwaste transfer stations and their dispropor-tionate siting in low-income communities andcommunities of color. The Subcommittee, withsupport from EPA, formed the Waste TransferStation Working Group in 1998 to investigatethese comments. The Working Grouparranged two fact-finding sessions in NewYork City and Washington, DC, duringNovember 1998 and February 1999 respective-ly. These sessions were each two-day eventsconsisting of a day of tours of area wastetransfer stations and a second day of publicmeetings. Based upon these two fact-findingsessions, the Working Group in March 2000published the draft report, A RegulatoryStrategy for Siting and Operating Waste TransferStations. This report made several recommen-dations to EPA concerning proper and equi-table siting and operation of transfer stations.

In response in to this report, EPA has devel-oped this manual and its companion publica-tion Waste Transfer Stations: Involved CitizensMake the Difference (EPA530-K-01-003).

The intent of this manual is to promote theuse of best practices in transfer station siting,design, and operation to maximize facilities’effectiveness and efficiency, while minimizingtheir impact on the community. It is designedto assist facility owners and operators; state,local, and tribal environmental managers; andthe public evaluate and choose protectivepractices for siting, designing, and operationof municipal solid waste transfer stations. Themanual is divided into the following chapters:

• Planning and Siting a Transfer Station

• Transfer Station Design and Operations

• Facility Oversight

What Are Waste Transfer Stations?Waste transfer stations play an important rolein a community’s total waste managementsystem, serving as the link between a commu-

1Introduction

Introduction

Aerial view of a totally enclosed transfer station.

nity’s solid waste collection program and afinal waste disposal facility. While facilityownership, sizes, and services offered varysignificantly among transfer stations, they allserve the same basic purpose—consolidatingwaste from multiple collection vehicles intolarger, high-volume transfer vehicles for moreeconomical shipment to distant disposal sites.In its simplest form, a transfer station is afacility with a designated receiving area wherewaste collection vehicles discharge their loads.The waste is often compacted, then loadedinto larger vehicles (usually transfer trailers,but intermodal containers, railcars, and bargesare also used) for long-haul shipment to afinal disposal site—typically a landfill, waste-to-energy plant, or a composting facility. Nolong-term storage of waste occurs at a transferstation; waste is quickly consolidated andloaded into a larger vehicle and moved offsite, usually in a matter of hours.

For purposes of this manual, facilities serv-ing only as citizen drop-off stations or com-munity convenience centers are notconsidered waste transfer stations. Only afacility that receives some portion of its wastedirectly from collection vehicles, then consoli-dates and reloads the waste onto larger vehi-cles for delivery to a final disposal facility, isconsidered a transfer station. A conveniencecenter, on the other hand, is a designated areawhere residents manually discard waste andrecyclables into dumpsters or collection con-tainers. These containers are periodicallyremoved or emptied, and the waste is trans-ported to the appropriate disposal site (or pos-sibly to a transfer station first). Conveniencecenters are not suitable for use as transfer sta-tions because they cannot readily handle thelarge volume of waste that is discharged by aself-unloading collection truck. While thesesites are not considered transfer stations with-in the context of this manual, it is important tonote that heavily used convenience centers canface similar concerns as transfer stations (e.g.,litter, road access, vehicle queuing, stormwater run on and run off). Consequently, itmay be appropriate to consider implementingsome of the concepts and practices advocatedin this manual at these sites. Many communi-

ties have installed full-service operations thatprovide public waste and recyclables drop-offaccommodations on the same site as theirtransfer stations.

Source reduction and recycling also play anintegral role in a community’s total wastemanagement system. These two activities cansignificantly reduce the weight and volume ofwaste materials requiring disposal, whichreduces transportation, landfill, and incinera-tor costs. Source reduction consists of reduc-ing waste at the source by changing productdesign, manufacturing processes, and pur-chasing and sales practices to reduce thequantity or toxicity of materials before theyreach the waste stream. U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) policy promotessource reduction as the waste managementtechnique of choice.

Recycling—the collection, processing, andmanufacture of new products—likewisediverts materials from the landfill or incinera-tor. These recyclable materials are prepared forshipment to markets in a special facility calleda MRF, which stands for materials recoveryfacility. A MRF is simply a special type oftransfer station that separates, processes, andconsolidates recyclable materials for shipmentto one or more recovery facilities rather than alandfill or other disposal site. Consequently,the concepts and practices in this manual canbe applied to MRFs as well.

Aggressive community source reductionand recycling programs can substantiallyreduce the amount of waste destined for longhaul transfer and disposal. If these reductionsare significant enough, a community may findthat fewer or smaller transfer stations canmeet its needs.

Why Are Waste Transfer StationsNeeded?The nationwide trend in solid waste disposalhas been toward construction of larger, moreremote, regional landfills. Economic consid-erations, heavily influenced by regulatoryand social forces, are compelling factorsleading to this result. The passage of federalcriteria in 1991 established new design

2 Introduction

requirements for municipal solid waste land-fills. These new standards include design,operating, and monitoring requirements thatsignificantly add to construction, operating,closure, and post-closure monitoring costs.As older landfills near urban centers reachcapacity and begin closing, cities mustdecide whether to construct new landfills orto seek other disposal options. Many com-munities find the cost of upgrading existingfacilities or constructing new landfills to beprohibitively high, and opt to close existingfacilities. For these communities, transferringwaste to a large regional landfill is anappealing alternative.

In addition to regulatory requirements,public opposition frequently makes siting newlandfills near population centers difficult. Thecurrent atmosphere is such that gaining publicand political approval for constructing newdisposal capacity near population centers ischallenging. Also, adequate land is often notavailable near densely populated or urbanareas. These social, political, and geographicalfactors have further stimulated the rise in con-struction of large, remote, regional landfills.

Economic considerations, especiallyeconomies of scale, further promote develop-ment of large regional facilities. To offset thehigh cost of constructing and maintaining amodern landfill, facility owners constructlarge facilities that attract high volumes ofwaste from a greater geographic area. Bymaintaining a high volume of incoming waste,landfill owners can keep the per-ton tippingfees low, which subsequently attracts morebusiness. Rural and urban communities alikeare finding that the most economically viablesolution to their waste disposal needs is ship-ping their waste to these facilities. In these cir-cumstances, a transfer station serves as thecritical consolidation link in making cost-effec-tive shipments to these distant facilities.

Why Use Waste Transfer Stations?The primary reason for using a transfer stationis to reduce the cost of transporting waste todisposal facilities. Consolidating smaller loadsfrom collection vehicles into larger transfervehicles reduces hauling costs by enabling col-

lection crews to spend less time traveling toand from distant disposal sites and more timecollecting waste. This also reduces fuel con-sumption and collection vehicle maintenancecosts, plus produces less overall traffic, airemissions, and road wear.

In addition, a transfer station also provides:

• An opportunity to screen waste prior to dis-posal.

3Introduction

The following assumptions were used to create this sample comparison:Cost to build, own, and operate transfer station—dollars per ton $10Average payload of collection truck hauling directly to landfill—tons 7Average payload of transfer truck hauling from transfer station to landfill—tons 21Average trucking cost (direct or transfer hauling)—dollars per mile $3

The comparison shows a break-even distance of about 35 miles (round-trip).In other words, for this example, using a transfer station is cost-effective whenthe round-trip distance exceeds 35 miles. When the round-trip distance is lessthan 35 miles, direct haul is more cost-effective. Although the same economicprinciples apply, break-even distances will vary in different situations based onthe site-specific input data.

Figure 1.

Sample Comparison of Hauling Costs Withand Without a Transfer Station

Hau

ling

Cos

t, d

olla

rs p

er t

on

Round-trip Distance from Waste Source to Disposal, miles

Haul cost withouttransfer station

“Break even” point

Haul cost withtransfer station

Transfer stationcapital, operating,and maintenancecost

$30

$25

$20

$15

$10

$5

$00 10 20 30 40 50 60

• Flexibility in selecting waste disposaloptions.

• An opportunity to serve as a conveniencecenter for public use.

At many transfer stations, workers screenincoming wastes on conveyor systems, tippingfloors, or in receiving pits. Waste screening hastwo components: separating recyclables fromthe waste stream and identifying any wastesthat might be inappropriate for disposal (e.g.,hazardous wastes or materials, white goods,whole tires, auto batteries, or infectious waste).Identifying and removing recyclables reducesthe weight and volume of waste sent for finaldisposal and, depending on local recyclingmarkets, might generate revenue. Screening forinappropriate wastes is more efficient at thetransfer station than the landfill.

Waste transfer stations also offer more flexi-bility in terms of disposal options. Decision-makers have the opportunity to select themost cost-effective and/or environmentally

protective disposal sites, even if they are moredistant. They can consider multiple disposalfacilities, secure competitive disposal fees, andchoose a desired method of disposal (e.g.,landfilling or incineration).

Finally, transfer stations often include con-venience centers open to public use. These cen-ters enable individual citizens to deliver wastedirectly to the transfer station facility for ulti-mate disposal. Some convenience centers offerprograms to manage yard waste, bulky items,household hazardous waste, and recyclables.These multipurpose convenience centers areassets to the community because they assist inachieving recycling goals, increase the public’sknowledge of proper materials management,and divert materials that would otherwise bur-den existing disposal capacity.

Is a Transfer Station Right forYour Community?Deciding whether a transfer station is appro-priate for an individual community is basedon determining if the benefits outweigh thecosts. Decision-makers need to weigh the plan-ning, siting, designing, and operating costsagainst the savings the transfer station mightgenerate from reduced hauling costs. To assistin making this determination, public and pri-vate decision-makers often employ third-partysolid waste experts. These experts are familiarwith both the technical and regulatory issuesthat must be addressed in developing a suc-cessful waste transfer station. It may be help-ful to retain qualified consulting orengineering firms specializing in solid wasteengineering. It is also important to note that insome areas, the regulatory agency mightrequire that the transfer station plans be certi-fied by a professional engineer. Again, thisengineer should be an experienced solid wasteprofessional. Complex projects might alsorequire the assistance of architects, geotechni-cal engineers, lawyers, and other specialists.

Although cost-effectiveness will vary,transfer stations generally become economi-cally viable when the hauling distance to thedisposal facility is greater than 15 to 20 miles.

4 Introduction

Calculating Transfer Station Break-Even Points

To calculate the break-even point for a specific facility, first determinethe following values:

• Transfer Station Cost (cost to build, own, and operate transfer station,in dollars per ton)

• Direct Haul Payload (average payload of collection truck haulingdirectly to landfill, in tons)

• Transfer Haul Payload (average payload of transfer truck hauling fromtransfer station to landfill, in tons)

• Trucking Cost (average cost of direct or transfer hauling, in dollars permile)

Once these values are known, use the following formulas to calculate costat different distances:

Cost of Direct Haul (without the use of a waste transfer station)Distance (miles) multiplied by Trucking Cost (dollars per mile) divided byDirect Haul Payload (tons)

Cost of Transfer HaulTransfer Station Cost (dollars per ton) plus Distance (miles) multiplied byTrucking Cost (dollars per mile) divided by Transfer Haul Payload (tons)

Figure 1 demonstrates a representative “costversus miles” relationship between directhauling waste to disposal facilities in collec-tion vehicles versus consolidation, transfer,and hauling in larger vehicles. Using theassumptions listed below Figure 1, we seethat the average cost per ton to move thewaste from the collection vehicle onto thetransfer vehicle is $10 before the hauling vehi-cle leaves the transfer station. This is the costper ton to build, operate, and maintain thestation. Due to its economy of scale, however,the transfer trailer can move waste on a muchlower “per mile” basis because it can carrythe waste of several individual collectionvehicles.

Using the assumptions listed, the cost perton per mile (ton-mile) using a collection vehi-cle is $0.43 ($3/mile truck operating cost divid-ed by 7 tons per average load). In thisexample, the transfer hauling vehicle’s cost perton-mile is much lower, at $0.14 ($3 divided by21 tons per average load). Figure 1 shows howthis cost per ton-mile advantage for the trans-fer hauling vehicle soon overcomes the initialcost of developing and operating the transferstation. In this case, based on the indicatedassumptions, cost savings will start to be real-ized when the round-trip hauling distanceexceeds 35 miles (17.5 miles one way). Becausethe cost to own, operate, and maintain collec-tion vehicles, transfer stations, and transferhauling vehicles will vary depending on localparameters, the break-even point indicated onFigure 1 will vary. The formulas used in gener-ating Figure 1 are provided below to allow forsite-specific calculations.

5Introduction

Avariety of issues must be takeninto account during the planningand siting stages of transfer sta-tion development. This sectiondiscusses the types of waste trans-

fer stations typically accept, factors affecting atransfer station’s size and capacity, and issuesregarding facility siting, including processissues and public involvement. While theplanning and siting phases of facility develop-ment might involve a significant investment ofresources, this initial investment is crucial toensuring an appropriate project outcome sen-sitive to the host community.

Types of Waste AcceptedIn addition to processing mixed municipalsolid waste (MSW), some transfer stationsoffer programs that manage specific materialsseparately to divert waste from disposal andto achieve recycling objectives. These materi-als could include construction and demolitiondebris, yard waste, household hazardouswaste, or recyclables. The types of materialsprocessed often vary depending on where thefacility is located (urban, suburban, rural) andwho owns and operates the transfer station(public entity or private industry).

Types of waste that transfer stations com-monly handle are described in the adjacentbox.

If a community offers programs that man-age parts of the waste stream separately, itmight reduce expenses by locating the materi-al management programs at the transfer sta-tion. Savings might result by:

• Using dual-collection vehicles for refuseand source-separated waste streams anddelivering all waste to the transfer stationin one vehicle.

• Continuing to use separate collections forrefuse and source-separated waste streams,but having all processing facilities locatedat one site, thus minimizing the cost of

multiple utility connections, traffic controlsystems, office space, and administration.This approach also eliminates the cost andcomplexity of multiple siting and permit-ting efforts.

Unacceptable WastesCertain wastes might be unacceptable at atransfer station for a variety of reasons,including:

• They are prohibited by state or federal reg-ulations (e.g., PCBs, lead acid batteries,radioactive materials).

7Planning and Siting a Transfer Station

Planning and Siting aTransfer Station

Wastes Commonly Handled at Transfer Stations

The following types of waste are commonly handled at transfer stations.Specific definitions of these wastes vary locally.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is generated by households, businesses,institutions, and industry. MSW typically contains a wide variety of materialsincluding discarded containers, packaging, food wastes, and paper products.MSW includes a mixture of putrescible (easily degradable) and nonputresci-ble (inert) materials. Three types of MSW are commonly diverted and han-dled separately:

Yard waste (green waste) commonly includes leaves, grass clippings,tree trimmings, and brush. Yard waste is often diverted so that it may becomposted or mulched instead of going for disposal.

Household hazardous waste (HHW) includes hazardous materialsgenerated by households, such as cleaning products; pesticides; herbi-cides; used automotive products such as motor oil, brake fluid, andantifreeze; and paint.

Recyclables include discarded materials that can be reprocessed formanufacture into new products. Common recyclables include paper,newsprint, ferrous metals, plastic, glass containers, aluminum cans, motoroil, and tires.

Construction and demolition (C&D) debris results from demolition orconstruction of buildings, roads, and other structures. It typically consists ofconcrete, brick, wood, masonry, roofing materials, sheetrock, plaster, metals,and tree stumps. Sometimes C&D debris is managed separately fromMSW; other times it is mixed with MSW.

• They are difficult or costly to process (e.g.,tires).

• They might pose a health or fire hazard.

• They might be prohibited at the disposalfacility to which the transfer station delivers.

• They might be prohibited (within a mixedwaste load destined for disposal) becauselocal regulations require they be recycled.

• They might be so large that they coulddamage trucks or equipment during wasteloading operations.

The following types of wastes are typically notaccepted at transfer stations: large bulkyobjects such as tree stumps, mattresses, or fur-niture; infectious medical waste; hazardouswaste; explosives; radioactive materials; fueltanks (even if empty); appliances; dead ani-mals; asbestos; liquids and sludges; and dust-prone materials. This is a general list; sometransfer stations might be set up to processthese wastes, while others might have a longerlist of unacceptable materials. While these andother unacceptable wastes represent a smallfraction of the solid waste stream, properlymanaging them can require significant effortby the transfer station operator and the localsolid waste management authority. The sec-tion on waste screening in the Transfer StationDesign and Operation chapter further discuss-es how to properly manage and reduce thefrequency of unacceptable waste at a transferstation.

Public Versus Commercial UseSome transfer stations provide public access tothe facility rather than restricting access onlyto waste collection vehicles. The types of cus-tomers accommodated vary depending onwhere the facility is located and who ownsand operates the transfer station. Publiclyoperated transfer stations are more likely to beopen to public use. Private transfer stationsmight not be open to the public because resi-dents deliver relatively small amounts ofwaste with each visit, require more directionfor safe and efficient use of the transfer sta-tion, and generally pay relatively small fees

for using the transfer station. The general pub-lic usually is allowed to use a transfer stationfor any of several reasons: waste collection isnot universally provided in the area; somewastes, such as bulky items or remodelingdebris, are not collected; or public access ispart of a strategy to prevent illegal dumpingby providing a convenient, cost-effective placefor people to deposit waste. Public unloadingareas and traffic patterns are usually kept sep-arate from commercial vehicles for safety andefficiency.

Determining Transfer Station Sizeand CapacityThe physical size of a planned transfer stationis typically determined based on the followingfactors:

• The definition of the service area.Sometimes this is relatively simple, such as“all waste generated by Anytown, USA,” or“all waste collected by Acme HaulingCompany.” Other times, the service area ismore difficult to define because of varyingpublic and private roles in solid waste man-agement and the changing availability ofexisting disposal facilities.

• The amount of waste generated within theservice area, including projected changessuch as population growth and recyclingprograms.

• The types of vehicles delivering waste (suchas car or pickup truck versus a speciallydesigned waste-hauling truck used by awaste collection company).

• The types of materials to be transferred(e.g., compacted versus loose MSW, yardwaste, C&D), including seasonal variations.

• Daily and hourly arrival patterns of cus-tomers delivering waste. Hourly arrivalstend to cluster in the middle of the day,with typical peaks just before and afterlunchtime. Peak hourly arrivals tend to dictate a facility’s design more than averagedaily arrivals.

• The availability of transfer trailers, inter-modal containers, barges, or railcars, andhow fast these can be loaded.

8 Planning and Siting a Transfer Station

• Expected increases in tonnage deliveredduring the life of the facility. For example,in a region with annual population growthof 3 to 4 percent, a facility anticipating a 20-year operating life would typically bedesigned for about twice the capacity that ituses in its first year of operation.

• The relationship to other existing and pro-posed solid waste management facilitiessuch as landfills, recycling facilities, andwaste-to-energy facilities.

The same factors are used to determine thesize of the following transfer station features:

• Amount of off-street vehicle queuing (wait-ing) space. At peak times, vehicles mustoften wait to check in at a facility’s “gate-house” or “scale house.” It is important thatthe queue (line) not block public streets orimpede vehicular or pedestrian traffic.

• Number and size of unloading stalls, andcorresponding number of transfer trailerloading positions.

• Short-term waste processing and storageareas (for holding waste until it can bereloaded into transfer vehicles).

Present and projected daily, weekly, and annu-al waste volumes (including seasonal varia-tions) are important in planning facility size toaccommodate waste deliveries. The maximumrate at which waste is delivered is a crucialconsideration as well. In general, it is best tobuild a facility to accommodate present andprojected maximum volumes and peak flows,with a preplanned footprint for facility expan-sion. A useful exercise is calculating how muchtipping floor space a facility would require tostore a full day’s waste in case of extremeemergency. One approach to estimating therequired tipping floor space is to begin with abase area of 4,000 square feet and add to it 20square feet for each ton of waste received in aday (assuming the waste will be temporarilypiled 6 feet high on the tipping floor).1 Forexample, if the facility receives 100 tons of

waste per day, a tipping floor space of 6,000square feet would be required (i.e., 4,000 ft2 +(100 TPD x 20 ft2/ton) = 6,000 ft2) “Chapter 4:Collection and Transfer” in EPA’s DecisionMaker’s Guide to Solid Waste Management alsoprovides a series of formulas for helping deter-mine transfer station capacity These formulasare presented in the box below.


1 Solid Waste Association of North America. 2001. Transfer Systems Management Training Course. SWANA. Washington,DC.

Formulas for Determining Transfer Station Capacity

Stations with Surge PitsBased on rate at which wastes can be unloaded from collection vehicles:

C = PC x (L / W) x (60 x HW / TC) x F

Based on rate at which transfer trailers are loaded:C = (Pt x N x 60 x Ht) / (Tt + B)

Direct Dump StationsC = Nn x Pt x F x 60 x HW / [(Pt/Pc) x (W/Ln) x Tc] + B

Hopper Compaction StationsC = (Nn x Pt x F x 60 x HW) / (Pt/Pc x Tc) + B

Push Pit Compaction StationsC = (Np x Pt x F x 60 x HW) / [(Pt/Pc) x (W/Lp) x Tc] + Bc + B

Where:C Station capacity (tons/day)PC Collection vehicle payloads (tons)L Total length of dumping space (feet)W Width of each dumping space (feet)HW Hours per day that waste is deliveredTC Time to unload each collection vehicle (minutes)F Peaking factor (ratio of number of collection vehicles received during

an average 30-minute period to the number received during a peak30-minute period)

Pt Transfer trailer payload (tons)N Number of transfer trailers loading simultaneously Ht Hours per day used to load trailers (empty trailers must be available)B Time to remove and replace each loaded trailer (minutes)Tt Time to load each transfer trailer (minutes)Nn Number of hoppersLn Length of each hopperLp Length of each push pit (feet)Np Number of push pitsBc Total cycle time for clearing each push pit and compacting waste into

trailer

Source: Decision-Makers Guide to Solid Waste Management, Secon Edition(EPA530-R-95-023), p. 4-23.

Number and Sizing of Transfer StationsDesign capacity is determined by the maxi-mum distance from which waste can be eco-nomically delivered to the transfer station. Thearea that can efficiently reach the waste trans-fer station determines the volume of wastethat must be managed, which is the facility’sinitial design capacity. Beyond a certain dis-tance, another transfer station might be neces-sary, or it might become just as cost-effectiveto direct haul to the disposal facility.

Transfer stations serving rural or tribal areastend to be small. They are optimally locatedwithin a reasonable driving time from the serv-ice area’s largest concentration of homes andbusinesses. For example, a rural transfer stationcould be located near one of the service area’slarger towns and sized to take waste from allwaste generators within about 30 miles. As anexample, two 50-ton-per-day transfer stationsmight each serve six small communities.Alternately, fewer transfer stations could beused, necessitating longer average travel dis-tances. For example, one 100-ton-per-day trans-fer station could be used to serve the same 12small communities, but it would be located far-ther from the outlying communities.

In urban or subur-ban areas, the samesituations exist. Amidsize city (popula-tion 500,000), forexample, mightdecide that two 800-ton-per-day transferstations would bestserve its community.This same city couldalternately decidethat a single 1,600-ton-per-day transferstation is its best

option, even when the longer driving dis-tances are considered. When deciding whichapproach is best for a community, issues toconsider include the impacts the transfer sta-tion(s) will have on the surrounding area, sit-ing complications, and the cost to build andoperate the transfer station(s). Each approachoffers advantages and disadvantages thatmust be reconciled with local needs.

The biggest advantage of constructing largetransfer stations is the economies of scale thatcan significantly reduce capital and operationalcosts. Centralizing waste transfer operationsallows communities to reduce equipment, con-struction, waste handling, and transportationcosts. The siting of a single facility may oftenprove easier than siting multiple facilities.Large facilities are also conducive to barge orrail operations that can further decrease traffic-related impacts on the community. Along relat-ed lines, however, a major drawback tobuilding a single large facility is locating a tractof land that adequately meets facility require-ments. Large facilities also tend to concentrateimpacts to a single area, which can create theperception of inequity, especially when oneneighborhood is shouldering the burden forthe entire city. A single facility can result inlonger travel times, which leads to increaseddown time for the collection crew andincreased wear and tear on collection vehicles.Another consideration is that a single facilitycannot divert waste to a backup facility if aneed arises. The single facility must have addi-tional equipment in case of equipment failureor other emergencies.

In other situations, multiple smaller sitesmight better address a community’s wastemanagement needs. Decentralizing wastetransfer operations spreads lesser impactsover a wider area, which helps address equityissues. Although it is generally more expen-sive to build and operate several small trans-fer stations rather than one large station withthe same total capacity, savings from reducedtravel times might offset these capital costsand result in lower overall system costs.Multiple facilities also are better able to serveas backups for one another in case of sched-uled or emergency shutdowns of facilities. The


Addressing Site Size Limitations

When site size is not adequate to accom-modate ideal designs and practices,

additional engineering design features will beneeded to mitigate the facility’s potential nega-tive impacts. For example, sound barriers mightneed to be incorporated into the site plan toreduce noise. Another approach is to selectmultiple, smaller capacity sites if a single parcelof land large enough to accommodate an idealfacility does not exist. These separate sitescould be used to hold trucks awaiting delivery,or to store transfer trailers.

Queuing in Urban Areas

In extreme situations where adequate queuing space cannot be providedon the transfer station site, an additional offsite area can be provided as a

holding area for waiting trucks. Transfer station staff can dispatch the wait-ing trucks via radio when the station is ready to receive them.

major disadvantage to building multiple facili-ties is that the difficulties encountered in sitinga single facility can become multiplied.

Future ExpansionTransfer stations are frequently designed toaccommodate future expansion. Often, this isaccomplished by siting the facility on a largerparcel of land than would otherwise be neces-sary and preplanning the site and buildings soexpansion can occur without negatively affect-ing other functions on the site or the sur-rounding community. Although expansion ofeffective capacity can sometimes be accom-plished simply by expanding the hours ofoperation, this approach is not always effec-tive because the transfer station must accom-modate the collection schedules of vehiclesdelivering waste to the facility. In addition,increased operating hours might not be com-patible with the surrounding community.

Site SelectionIdentifying a suitable site for a waste transferstation can be a challenging process. Site suit-ability depends on numerous technical, envi-ronmental, economic, social, and politicalcriteria. When selecting a site, a balance needsto be achieved among the multiple criteriathat might have competing objectives. Forexample, a site large enough to accommodateall required functions and possibly futureexpansion, might not be centrally located inthe area where waste is generated. Likewise,in densely developed urban areas, ideal sitesthat include effective natural buffers simplymight not be available. Less than ideal sitesmay still present the best option due to trans-portation, environmental, and economic con-siderations. Yet another set of issues that mustbe addressed relates to public concern oropposition, particularly from people living orworking near the proposed site. The relativeweight given to each criteria used in selectinga suitable site will vary by the community’sneeds and concerns. Whether the site is in anurban, suburban, or rural setting will also playa role in final site selection.

Environmental Justice ConsiderationsDuring the site selection process, steps shouldbe taken to ensure that siting decisions are notimposing a disproportionate burden uponlow-income or minority communities.Overburdening a community with negativeimpact facilities can create health, environ-mental, and quality of living concerns. It canalso have a negative economic impact by low-ering property values and hindering commu-nity revitalization plans. These are just a fewof the reasons environmental justice concernsneed to be addressed when selecting a site fora waste transfer station.

The Siting Process and PublicInvolvementA siting process that includes continuous pub-lic participation is integral to developing atransfer station. The public must be a legiti-mate partner in the facility siting process tointegrate community needs and concerns andto influence the decision-making process.Addressing public concerns is also essential tobuilding integrity and instituting good com-munications with the community. Establishingcredibility and trust with the public is as


Maximizing Public Committee Participation

Public committees are often convened to assist with developing publicpolicy. To maximize participation, the process should:

• Give committee members a chance to be actively involved.

• Allow the committee to remove the selected facilitator if concernsabout objectivity exist.

• Encourage members to discuss relevant concerns and to raise questionsor objections freely. Criticisms or challenges should be directed towardthe issues; the facilitator should swiftly mitigate personal criticisms.

• Agree on a means to resolve disagreements before they arise.

• Allow members to discuss the results of each meeting with their con-stituents.

• Provide technical experts to educate participants.

• Distribute literature about upcoming issues before meetings.

important as addressing environmental, social,and economic concerns about the solid wastefacility.2 A companion document to this manu-al, Waste Transfer Stations: Involved CitizensMake the Difference (EPA530-K-01-003), pro-vides key information citizens require to beeffectively involved in the siting and develop-ment process. Two other EPA documents, Sitesfor Our Solid Waste: A Guidebook for EffectivePublic Involvement (EPA 530-SW-90-019) andRCRA Public Participation Manual (EPA530-R-96-007), provide further information and

examples of how to integrate public participa-tion into the waste management facility sitingand development process. Following are somegeneral guidelines for developing and imple-menting a siting process that is open to andintegrates meaningful public input.

For publicly developed transfer stations, agood first step by public officials in the siteselection process is establishing a siting com-mittee. The committee’s main responsibilityincludes developing criteria to identify andevaluate potential sites. The committee shouldconsist of key individuals who represent vari-ous stakeholder interests. These stakeholdersmight include:

• Community and neighborhood groups.

• Industry and business representatives.

• Civic and public interest groups.

• Environmental organizations.

• Local- and state-elected officials.

• Public officials, such as public worksemployees and solid waste professionals.

• Academic institutions.

Committee members should be selected toensure broad geographical representationfrom across the area to be served by the trans-fer station. In addition, committee representa-tion should seek gender balance and racialdiversity. Volunteer participation should alsobe solicited.

The committee’s meeting times and datesmust be planned and scheduled to facilitateattendance by all committee members andother members of the public. Therefore, meet-ing schedules should avoid conflicts withother major community, cultural, or religiousevents. To encourage active public participa-tion, meetings should be prominently adver-tised in the media in a timely manner and beheld in facilities accessible to the disabled andlocated on public transportation routes.Frequently, a facilitator is hired or appointedto keep the meetings focused, to minimize the


Informing the Community

When initiating a siting process, education must be extended beyondthe siting committee and include a communitywide outreach initia-

tive. Components of this type of public outreach typically include:

• Special public meetings.

• Interviews with local newspapers for feature stories.

• Interviews with media editorial boards.

• Interviews with broadcast media.

• News conferences, press releases, and press kits.

• Paid advertising.

• Internet sites.

• Informational literature.

• Direct mail with project updates.

• City council/county commission presentations.

• Presentations to civic, environmental, religious, and professional groups.

• Presentations to neighborhood groups.

• Community education programs and workshops.

• Reading files located in public libraries or community centers that docu-ment the process.

Beyond communitywide outreach, initiate specific and targeted contactwith key members of potential host communities, and identify community-specific conditions that need to be considered. Individuals might becomeproponents of the proposed facility if contacted directly for input, ratherthan opposing it based on misleading secondhand information.

2 McMaster Institute of Environment and Health, “Psychological Impacts of the Landfill Siting Process in TwoSouthern Ontario Communities.”


Building Reuse: Weighing the Consequences

Adapting an existing building for reuse as a waste transfer station is usually done as a capital cost savings measure.

Building reuse saves on new site construction and can avoid thepermitting process if the existing site already has a permit allow-ing the waste transfer activity. Building reuse can have some ben-efits, including conserving construction materials required fornew structures and facilities; reducing waste from the demolitionof existing buildings; recycling unused property for which noother uses were found; and redeveloping contaminated property(brownfields redevelopment). But the negative aspects frequent-ly outweigh the positives.

Pitfalls and problems associated with adaptation or retrofittingof buildings for waste transfer stations include:

• Transfer buildings have unique requirements rarely found instructures designed for other uses. These include the needfor vertical clearances sufficient to accommodate the tippingheight of commercial collection vehicles. New facilities areusually designed with at least 25 to 30 feet of vertical clear-ance from the tipping floor to the lowest overhead element.

• Busy transfer stations require adequate onsite space for vehi-cle parking and queuing, something reused buildings oftenlack. In fact, one of the most common problems with buildingreuse is inadequate queuing space, which leads to vehiclesblocking neighborhood streets. Queuing trucks on city streetscreates health and safety issues, and can be very disruptivefor the surrounding neighborhood.

• Transfer stations need relatively large, openfloor areas suitable for maneuvering large vehi-cles. Interior building columns and walls mightnot accommodate the kind of safe trafficmovements that are needed, which couldpose a hazard and reduce traffic efficiency.

• Enclosed transfer structures also require large,very tall access doors. Doors 24-feet high arenot unusual in new transfer buildings. Thedesign must assume that a collection truck willinadvertently exit the transfer station buildingwith its tipping bed extended.

• Heavy-duty, skid-resistant floors are a necessi-ty in transfer stations. Sloped floors with posi-tive drainage are also important. Somebuildings are not designed with floors thatmeet these essential criteria, and replacing thefloors can be costly.

• Older structures, particularly older warehouse type struc-tures, often fail to meet current structural design codes. Inparticular, modern seismic and fire code requirements havechanged considerably in recent years. Retrofitting older struc-tures might prove more costly than demolishing and replacingthe structure.

• Transfer station structures can experience substantial vibra-tions from heavy equipment used to compact and loadwaste into the transfer vehicles. Concrete and steel floors, pil-lars, and other building reinforcements must be designed toaccommodate these high levels of vibration. Older buildingsnot designed for this heavy use often can not meet theserequirements.

• Most transfer stations require some amount of grade separa-tion so waste can be loaded into open-topped vehicles tosimplify the waste loading process. Since customer and trans-fer vehicles both need to access the structure, but at differentlevels, finding a building that offers this configuration mightprove difficult. Installing additional levels or tunnels can becostly or impractical in some areas (i.e., shallow ground wateror bedrock).

• Waste transfer stations include more than just the tippingarea. While an existing building might be very adaptive towaste transfer, the overall building site needs to accommo-date the supporting activities and requirements including traf-fic queuing, buffer zones, scale facility operations, etc.

Transfer station structures require tall access doors to accomodate collectionvehicles.

potential for certain individuals or interestgroups to dominate the process, and toencourage active participation by all stake-holders throughout the process.

During the siting committee’s first meeting,individual duties, group responsibilities, andprocess issues need to be addressed.Expectations and limitations of the committeeneed to be clearly communicated and mightbe summarized in mission statements. Rulesfor discourse, and a schedule and proceduresfor final decision-making, should be deter-mined and agreed upon. Technical expertsshould be involved early in the process torespond to general questions and to resolvecommon misconceptions about waste transfer.

After establishing general procedures, com-mittee members should be informed of alldetails to further ensure equal participationand a means of influencing the decision-mak-ing process. Committee members shouldunderstand why a transfer station is neededand the facility’s role within the solid wastemanagement system. In addition, committeemembers must be taught the numerous tech-nical, environmental, and economic aspectsassociated with siting, designing, and operat-ing a transfer station. This ensures that the sit-ing criteria the committee develops will resultin identifying potential sites feasible fromengineering and operational perspectives, aswell as acceptable to the public.

Educational materials for the siting com-mittee should provide useful, objective infor-mation. Mistrust of technical informationmight develop among the committee mem-bers and should be anticipated. The credibility

of the technical information might beenhanced by encouraging the committee toassist in selecting consultants and technicalexperts, by encouraging committee membersto perform their own research, by using athird party to review technical studies, and byrelying on experts who reside within the com-munity to provide technical information.Information should be relayed in various for-mats and should consider language barriers,literacy levels, and preferred types of commu-nications. For example, committee educationmight include presentations by technicalexperts and tours of existing transfer stationsin addition to written materials.

Siting CriteriaOnce the committee completes the educationphase, criteria should be developed for identifying and evaluating potential sites. Allsiting criteria must be developed before iden-tifying potential transfer station sites. Thisapproach ensures siting decisions are based onobjective criteria. Three categories or sets ofcriteria applied during various stages of thesiting process are exclusionary, technical, andcommunity-specific criteria. It is important tonote that no site may meet all the criteria, inwhich case, each criterion’s relative weightand importance must be considered.

Exclusionary Siting CriteriaSiting a waste transfer station, or any type offacility, in areas with preclusive siting criteria isoften prohibited by federal, state, or local lawsor regulations, or requires facilities to incorpo-rate special engineering design and construc-tion techniques. Even when siting in excluded


Community Involvement in Privately Developed Facilities

In the past, privately developed facilities have not generallyformed siting committees. When private facilities have been

sited, the public’s first—and sometimes only—opportunity forinput has come when the permit application is put out for pub-lic comment. Most states do not require private developers toseek public involvement in the site selection or facility designand operation decisions. Private companies, however, shouldconsider establishing siting committees and developing publicoutreach programs to establish credibility, build public trust, and

develop sound avenues of communication. These programsshould educate the community about the need for the facility,the facility’s design and operations, and provide an opportunityfor community input. A public outreach program helps thedeveloper understand community concerns and address themearly in the siting and design phases while changes are still readi-ly incorporated. Adopting, with appropriate modifications, thepublic involvement process outlined above is one approach toaddressing community concerns.

zones is allowed, the added engineeringdesigns or strong public opposition can signifi-cantly increase construction costs. In general, itis best to avoid siting in these areas. Exclusion-ary criteria might include areas such as:

• Wetlands and floodplains.

• Endangered and protected flora and faunahabitats.

• Protected sites of historical, archeological,or cultural significance.

• Prime agricultural land.

• Parks and preserves.

Some examples of federal laws defining theseareas include the Endangered Species Act; theMigratory Bird Conservation Act; the CoastalZone Management Act; the Wild and ScenicRivers Act; the Marine Protection, Research,and Sanctuaries Act; and the National HistoricPreservation Act.

Technical Siting CriteriaThe second category of criteria to developincludes technical parameters that help definethe best potential facility sites. These criteriaprovide guidance on specific engineering,operation, and transportation conditions thatshould be considered to ensure that potentialsites are feasible from technical, environmen-tal, and economic perspectives. These criteriaaddress the following issues:

• Central location to collection routes: Tomaximize waste collection efficiency, trans-fer stations should be located centrally towaste collection routes. As a rule of thumbin urban and suburban areas, transfer stations should be no more than 10 milesaway from the end of all collection routes.Beyond that distance, collection routesmight need to be altered to enable refuse tobe collected and deposited at the transferstation within one operating shift.

• Access to major transportation routes: Thetransfer station should have direct and con-venient access to truck routes, major arteri-als, and highways (or rail or barge access,if appropriate). For large metropolitan

areas, direct access to rail lines or bargeswill significantly reduce the number oflarge transfer trailers leaving the stationand traveling arearoads. It is prefer-able to avoid rout-ing traffic throughresidential areasbecause trafficgenerated bytransfer stationscontributes to con-gestion; increasedrisk to pedestrians;increased air emis-sions, noise, and


Addressing Cluster Zoning

Siting waste transfer stations exclusively in areas zoned for industrial usecan lead to a condition known as “cluster zoning.” Especially restrictive

zoning frequently forces transfer stations into a few areas. In general, sitingtransfer stations in industrial zones eliminates permitting agencies’ discretionto deny such use because technically, the transfer station is permitted “as amatter of right.” These types of zoning actions also prevent an impactedcommunity from influencing the zoning decision. Such intensive clusteringof industrial facilities may have negative impacts on neighboring residents,such as increased traffic, noise, odors, and litter. Communities need toaddress clustering and zoning issues at the local level through comprehen-sive planning that considers the aggregate effects of clustering certain activ-ities and the equity in sharing community burdens. To avoid clustering whensiting a new waste transfer station, establish a community stakeholder oradvisory panel to participate in the siting process. This advisory panelshould consist of representatives from all potentially affected communities;state, local, and/or tribal regulatory agencies; public and private waste tradegroups; local community development organizations; and any other con-cerned community, environmental, or environmental justice organizations.

To prevent disproportionate facility siting:

• Zoning must not be presumed to prevent significant impacts on poorand minority communities.

• The potential for clustering should be examined.

• Other close or adjacent land uses should be examined to determinecompatibility.

• Other close or adjacent land uses should be examined to analyzecumulative impacts.

Requiring Minimum DistanceBetween Transfer Stations

Communities with a waste transfer stationclustering problem might consider requiring

a minimum distance between facilities as onepossible solution. Designating a minimum dis-tance between waste transfer stations, or otherindustrial facilities, will limit clustering by forcingthe siting of new facilities away from existingoperations. The end effect can be a more equi-table dispersion of facilities and their negativeimpacts. A community will need to determinewhat minimum distance is reasonable.

wear on roads; and might contribute to lit-ter problems.

• Site size requirements: The area requiredfor specific transfer stations varies signifi-cantly, depending on the volume of wasteto be transferred, rates at which waste willbe delivered, the functions to be carried outat the site, and the types of customers thefacility is intended to serve. Locating a siteof sufficient size is critical to operating effi-ciencies and minimizing impacts on thesurrounding community. Engineering inputcan establish preliminary size criteria basedon a conceptual design.

• Sufficient space for onsite roadways,queuing, and parking: Transfer stationstypically have onsite roadways to movevehicles around various parts of the trans-fer site. Waste collection trucks can be up to40 feet long. Transfer trailers that movewaste to a disposal facility are typically 50to 70 feet long. These vehicles need wideroadways with gradual slopes and curvesto maneuver efficiently and safely. Also, thesite will need space for parking transfervehicles and to allow incoming and outgo-ing traffic to form lines without backing uponto public roads.

• Truck and traffic compatibility: Transferstations often receive surges of traffic whencollection vehicles have finished their

routes. Transfer station traffic varies locally,but tends to peak twice a day. The firstpeak is often near the middle of the day orshift, and the second at the end of the dayor shift. Therefore, the best sites for transferstations are located away from areas thathave midday traffic peaks and/or schoolbus and pedestrian traffic.

• Ability for expansion: When selecting asite, consider the potential for subsequentincrease in the daily tonnage of waste thefacility will be required to manage, oradded processing capabilities for recyclingand diversion. It is frequently less expen-sive to expand an existing transfer stationthan to develop a new site due to the abilityto use existing operations staff, utility con-nections, traffic control systems, officespace, and buildings.

• Space for recycling, composting, and pub-lic education: A transfer station could besited in areas also conducive to recycling orcomposting activities. Many transfer sta-tions are designed to enable residents andbusinesses to drop off recyclables and yardwaste in addition to trash. Some transferstations incorporate education centers orinterpretive trails focusing on waste pre-vention. These types of facilities offerincreased utility to the community.

• Buffer space: To mitigate impact on thesurrounding community, a transfer stationshould be located in an area that providesseparation from sensitive adjoining landuses such as residences. Buffers can be nat-ural or constructed and can take manyforms, including open spaces, fences, soundwalls, trees, berms, and landscaping.

• Gently sloping topography: Transfer sta-tions often are multilevel buildings thatneed to have vehicle access at several lev-els. Completely flat sites need ramps orbridges constructed to allow vehicle accessto upper levels (or areas excavated to allowaccess to lower levels). Sites with moderate-ly sloping terrain can use topography totheir advantage, allowing access to theupper levels from the higher parts of thenatural terrain and access to lower levels


Many transfer stations are multi-level facilities that allow vehicle access at severallevels.

from the lower parts. Sites with steepslopes might require extra costs associatedwith earthmoving and retaining walls.

• Access to utilities: Transfer stations gener-ally require electricity to operate equip-ment, such as balers and compactors;lighting; water for facility cleaning, rest-rooms, and drinking; and sanitary sewersystems for waste-water disposal. Somesmaller transfer stations use wells for watersupply, and some, especially in more ruralsettings, use septic systems or truck theirwaste water for offsite treatment.

• Zoning Designations and Requirements:Zoning ordinances frequently classify trans-fer stations as industrial uses, which limitstheir siting to areas zoned for industry usu-ally in conjunction with a special use per-mit. Exclusive use of predetermined landuse criteria, how-ever, might resultin locating transferstations in areasalready overbur-dened with indus-tries or clusteringof these types offacilities in areasadjacent to poorand minority com-munities. If localzoning ordinancesare so restrictivethat they disallowfacility siting out-side pre-estab-lished industrialzones, substantialengineering andarchitecturaldesign must beincorporated intothe facility to mini-mize impacts onthe surroundingcommunity.

Developing Community-Specific CriteriaThe third category of criteria to consider areimpacts that the facility will have on the sur-rounding community. These criteria are typi-cally less technical in nature and incorporatelocal, social, and cultural factors. Examples ofthese criteria include:

• Environmental Justice considerations (e.g.,clustering, cumulative impacts).

• Impact on air quality.

• Impact on the local infrastructure.

• Adjacent land uses, including other envi-ronmental stressors that might alreadyexist.

• Proximity to schools, churches, recreationsites, and residences.


Using GIS to Narrow the Search

Ageographic information system (GIS) is a com-puter system capable of assembling, storing,

manipulating, and displaying geographically refer-enced information (data identified according tolocation). After the data are entered, each positive

attribute or exclusionary criteria for siting transferstations can be layered on top of municipal maps,as well as each other, to narrow down potentialsite locations. The maps show these variables inrelationship to infrastructure and housing patterns.

Wetland Resource MapTampa Bay Florida

Marine and Estuarine Deepwater Habitats

Deepwater Lakes and Rivers

Estuarine Marshes and Aquatic Beds

Tidal Flats

Estuarine Forested Wetlands

Palustrine Forested Wetlands

Inland Marshes and Aquatic Beds

Palustrine Scrub/Shrub

Open Water

Major Roads

Gulf ofMexico

TampaBay


• Prevailing winds.

• Number of residences impacted.

• Presence of natural buffers.

• Impacts on existing businesses.

• Expansion capability.

• Buffer zones and screening measures.

• Traffic compatibility.

• Impact on historic or cultural features.

• Impact on neighborhood character.

To maintain objectivity in the facility sitingprocess, the community-specific criteriashould be prioritized before potential sites areknown. After potential sites are identified, thecommittee will apply these criteria to evaluateeach potential site’s suitability as a wastetransfer station. These issues also factor intopermitting decisions concerning private facili-ties and should not be ignored by the permit-ting agency or transfer station developer.

Applying the Committee’s CriteriaAfter all three categories of siting criteria areagreed upon, it is time for the committee toapply the criteria and narrow down all possi-ble sites. Keep in mind, however, that despitethe best efforts, every site has some shortcom-ings that will need to be addressed.

First, the exclusionary criteria can be plot-ted on maps, which helps the committee visu-alize where the facility cannot be sited due tolocal, state, and federal regulations. Onceunsuitable areas are eliminated, the commit-tee’s technical criteria and community-specificcriteria are applied to all remaining options.Information for each potential site should bedeveloped so the committee can rank the sites.Based on the committee’s ranking, the top twoto four sites should undergo more rigorousanalysis to determine technical feasibility andcompliance with the environmental and com-munity objectives.

Host Community AgreementsSiting any type of solid waste managementfacility has often been met with strong commu-nity opposition. Whether the facility is publiclyor privately owned, many residents may not beconfident that the siting, permitting, and over-sight process will be sufficiently rigorous toaddress their concerns and protect them fromfuture impacts. When this type of oppositionarises, it is often advantageous for the develop-er to enter into a separate agreement with thesurrounding community, laying out all issuesof concern and the developer’s action plan inresponse. These “host community agreements”are most frequently used when private compa-nies are developing a facility, but public agen-cies might also find them useful in satisfyingcommunity concerns. These agreements typi-cally specify design requirements, operatingrestrictions, oversight provisions, and otherservices and benefits that the immediate com-munity will receive. Provisions might includethe following:

• Steps to reduce negative environmentalimpacts in the immediate area, such ascommitting to the use of low emission oralternative fueled vehicles, or retrofittingvehicles with particulate filters.

• Limitations on waste generation sources.

• Roadside cleanup of litter on access routes.

• Restrictions on facility operating hours.

• Restrictions on vehicle traffic routes.

• Financial support for regulatory agencies toassist with facility oversight.

• Independent third-party inspection of facilities, or the use of video monitoring.

• Assistance with recycling and waste diver-sion objectives.

• A fee paid to the local government forevery ton of waste received at the facility.

• Free or reduced-cost use of the facility forthe community’s residents and businesses.

• Guaranteed preference to the community’sresidents for employment.

• Funding for road or utility improvements.

• Provisions for an environmental educationcenter.

• Financial support for other communitybased activities.

These agreements can also require that commu-nity representatives have access to the facilityduring operating hours to monitor perform-ance. Safety concerns must be addressed if thisprovision is included. Community representa-tives usually welcome an ongoing communica-tion process between facility operators and anestablished citizen’s committee to encourageproactive response to evolving issues. The pro-visions or amenities in a host communityagreement generally are in addition to whatstate and local standards or regulations require,and thus should not be thought of as substi-tutes for adequate facility design and opera-tion. The same is true for state, tribal or localgovernment compliance enforcement. The gov-ernment agency responsible for transfer stationcompliance also should make a commitment tothe community concerning its role in activelyand effectively enforcing all requirements.


This section discusses the many fac-tors that affect a transfer stationdesign. The general design issuesdiscussed in this section can typi-cally be applied at a variety of facil-

ity sites and over a wide range of facility sizes.Specific design decisions and their costs, how-ever, can only be finalized once a specific siteis selected. After determining who will use thefacility and how, a site design plan can bedeveloped. A facility’s design must accommo-date its customers’ vehicles and the technolo-gy used to consolidate and transfer waste,provide for employee and public safety, andaddress environmental concerns related tosafeguarding health and being a good neigh-bor to the surrounding community.

Transfer Station Design

How Will the Transfer Station Be Used?The most important factors to consider whendesigning a transfer station are:

• Will the transfer station receive waste fromthe general public or limit access to collec-tion vehicles? If access will not be limited,how will citizen traffic be separated fromcommercial traffic to ensure safe and effi-cient unloading?

• What types of waste will the transfer sta-tion accept?

• What additional functions will be carriedout at the transfer station (i.e., materialrecovery programs, vehicle maintenance)?

• What type of transfer technology will beused?

• How will waste be shipped? Truck, rail, orbarge?

• What volume of material will the transferstation manage?

• How much waste will the facility bedesigned to receive during peak flows?

• How will climate and weather affect facilityoperations?

Two other factors to consider when develop-ing a transfer station’s design include:

• How will environmental impacts to the sur-rounding area be minimized? (Ways to min-imize environmental impacts on thecommunity are discussed in theEnvironmental Issues section beginning onpage 33.)

• How will employee health and safety beensured? (The Safety Issues section begin-ning on page 40 discusses several designfeatures, technologies, and operationalpractices to help protect the health andsafety protection of facility employees.)

Site Design PlanOnce a site is identified for the transfer sta-tion, planners, architects, and engineers usethe factors described above to develop a siteplan for the proposed facility.2 A site planshows the layout of the transfer station site’smajor features, including access points, road-ways, buildings, parking lots, utilities, surface-water drainage features, fences, adjacent landuses, and landscaping.

Figure 2 shows a simplified example of asite design plan of a fully enclosed transfer sta-tion. This facility has a design capacity of 500tons per day and occupies a 25-acre site. Itserves both the general public and waste col-lection vehicles and has a citizen drop-off areafor recyclables.

Site design plans typically show the followingfeatures:

21Transfer Station Design and Operation

Transfer Station Designand Operation

2 Sometimes a “conceptual site plan” is developed before a site is identified. This can be helpful in identifying andassessing the size and suitability of candidate sites.

• Road entrances and exits. Including accel-eration/deceleration lanes on public streets,and access points for waste arriving anddeparting from the transfer station. Somefacilities have separate access for visitorsand employees so these vehicles do nothave to compete with lines of vehiclesusing the facility.

• Traffic flow routes on site. Often, separateroutes are established for public use and forheavy truck use. Designers work to elimi-nate sharp turns, intersections, and steepramps.

• Queuing areas. Queues can develop at theinbound scales, the tipping area, and theoutbound scales. Queuing space should beclearly identified, and queues should notextend across intersections.

• The scale house. Incoming and outgoingloads are weighed and fees are collected.

• Primary functions at the transfer stationbuilding. Including tipping floor, tunnels,ramps, etc.

• Buildings. Including entrances and exitsfor vehicles and people.

• Parking areas. Employees, visitors, andtransfer vehicles.

• Public conveniences. Such as separate tip-ping areas for the general public, recyclingdropoff areas, a public education center,and restrooms.

• Space for future expansion of the maintransfer building. Often, this area is shownas a dotted line adjacent to the initial build-ing location.

• Buffer areas. Open space, landscaping,trees, berms, and walls that reduce impactson the community.

• Holding area. For inspecting incomingloads and holding inappropriate wasteloads or materials for removal.

Main Transfer Area DesignMost activity at a transfer station occurs withinthe main transfer building. Here, cars andtrucks unload their waste onto the floor, into apit, or directly into a waiting transfer containeror vehicle. Direct loading can simplify opera-tions, but limits the opportunity to performwaste screening or sorting. When not loadeddirectly, waste deposited onto the floor or intoa pit is stored temporarily, then loaded into atransfer trailer, intermodal container, railcar, orbarge. Most modern transfer stations haveenclosed buildings. Some older and smallerfacilities are partly enclosed (e.g., a buildingwith three sides) or only covered (e.g., a build-ing with a roof but no sides). Small rural facili-ties might be entirely open but surrounded byfences that limit access and contain litter.

Figure 3 shows the main transfer buildingfor the site plan depicted in Figure 2. It showsa 40,000-square-foot building with a pit, sepa-rate tipping areas for public versus largetrucks on either side of the pit, and a preloadcompactor to compact the waste before it isloaded into transfer trailers.

22 Transfer Station Design and Operation

Figure 2Transfer Station Site Plan (500 TPD)

Because the main transfer building is typi-cally quite tall to accommodate several levelsof traffic, it can often be seen easily from off-site locations. Therefore, the main transferbuilding should be designed to blend into orenhance the surrounding neighborhood.

Types of Vehicles That Use a Transfer StationTraffic is frequently a transfer station’s mostsignificant community impact. Because the pri-mary purpose of transfer stations is to providemore efficient movement of wastes, it is impor-tant to consider the following types of cus-tomers and vehicles that commonly use them.

• Residents hauling their own wastes in carsand pickup trucks. Residents regularlyserved by a waste collection service typicallyvisit the transfer station less frequently thanresidents in unincorporated and rural areasnot served by waste collection companies (orwho elect not to subscribe to an availableservice). Residents typically deliver only afew pounds to a ton of waste per visit.

• Businesses and industry hauling theirown wastes in trucks. Many small busi-nesses such as remodeling contractors,roofers, and landscapers haul their ownwastes to transfer stations. The vehicle typeused and the waste amount delivered bybusinesses varies considerably.

• Public or private waste hauling operationswith packer trucks. Packer trucks, whichcompact waste during the collectionprocess, are commonly used on collectionroutes serving homes and businesses.Packer trucks typically visit many wastegenerators along their routes and unloadwhen full, generally once or twice per day.Convenient access to a transfer stationhelps keep packer trucks on their collectionroutes. Packer trucks typically deliver 5 to10 tons of waste per visit.

• Public or private waste hauling operationswith rolloff trucks. Large rolloff containersare typically placed at businesses andindustry and collected when they are full. Arolloff box is a large metal bin, often openat the top, that can be loaded onto a truck

and hauled away to dispose of the waste.Rolloff boxes also are commonly used attransfer stations to receive yard waste, recy-clables, and solid waste from the generalpublic. A typical, large rolloff box measures8 feet tall, 7 feet wide, and 22 feet long.Unlike packer trucks that operate on anextended route before traveling to thetransfer station, rolloff trucks typically trav-el to one place, pick up a roll-off container,travel to and unload at the transfer station,and return the empty rolloff container tothe place of origin. Because rolloff truckshandle many loads per day, convenientaccess to a transfer station is very importantto their operations. Rolloff trucks typicallydeliver 2 to 8 tons per visit.

• Transfer vehicles hauling waste from thetransfer station. Transfer trailers (similar tolarge interstate tractor-trailers) commonlyhaul consolidated waste from transfer sta-tions to disposal facilities. Trains or bargesare also used to haul waste from some largeurban transfer stations (see text box).Transfer trailers typically haul 15 to 25 tonsper trip, while trains and barges typicallyhaul thousands of tons. Some stations


Figure 3Main Transfer Building Floor Plan

transfer materials by using intermodal sys-tems, which combine short distance trucktransport with longer distance rail or bargetransport.

The following design issues should be consid-ered for the various vehicle types:

• Packer trucks and rolloff trucks require atall “clear height” inside buildings so theydo not hit overhead lights, beams, or door-

ways when extended. When these vehiclesunload, they typically require 25 to 30 feetof vertical clearance. Large transfer stationscan more readily accommodate this require-ment. Small and medium-sized transfer sta-tions can provide this clearance, but doingso tends to make these buildings unusuallytall for their size, particularly if they aremultilevel facilities.


Rural Transfer Station Design

Since small transfer stations in rural or tribal settings receiveconsiderably lower volumes of waste and customer vehicles

than large urban or suburban facilities, many of the design crite-ria outlined previously will simply not apply. Cost frequently is amajor consideration for small rural transfer stations, limiting whatcan be done. Consequently, rural transfer stations are oftenuncovered or partially covered facilities. Partially covered sitesmight be enclosed on three sides with the vehicle entrance sideopen, or simply have a roof with no walls. A common designuses a single open-top trailer situated beneath a raised customertipping area. The raised customer tipping area allows customersto back up to the trailer or drop boxes and directly unload theirwaste into the rolloff trailer. A hopper is not usually used. Whenconstructing a raised tipping area, taking advantage of naturalgrades within the site can reduce construction costs. If favorablegrades do not exist, a simple earthen retaining wall and accessramp can be constructed to create the multilevel layout desired.Some type of safety restraint should be incorporated on the tip-ping area to guard against falls. Using a removable constraint,such as a rope, chain, gate, or posts, allows tipping vehicles tounload waste unimpeded and facilitates site cleaning.

Driving surfaces ideally are paved to minimize dust generation,but all-weather gravel surfacing is a cost-effective alternative toasphalt pavement. Another alternative is hosing down dirt areas dur-ing operating hours. The use of drop boxes requires a concrete orasphalt pad. Ideally, the facility is surrounded by a fence and gated.

The gate shouldbe locked duringnonoperatinghours to keep outlarge vectors, tres-passers, and illegaldumpers. Fencesalso are helpful incontaining wind-blown litter. It is

not uncommon for remote sites to lack water, sewer, or electricalservice.

Another design approach utilizes a completely containedmodular system, such as the system pictured below. Thesetypes of systems are prefabricated and can be quickly assem-bled in the field. The waste collection bins are completely sealedand are animal- and people-proof. Waste is deposited into thesealed bin by one of two methods. A small sliding door on thefront panel can be opened by hand allowing small waste loadsto be deposited, while the entire front panel can be raised toallow collection vehicles to unload. Raising the front panel can-not be done by hand and requires a power source. For isolatedsites lacking electrical power, vehicle drivers can use a powertakeoff or a hydraulic connection from their collection vehiclesto lift the front panel. To unload the system, the transfer vehiclepulls along side the container which is tipped up, dumping thewaste into the waiting vehicle (see the photograph below).Again, if power is not available on site to tip the container,hydraulic power from the transfer vehicle itself can be used. Thisfeature makes such arrangements ideal for unmanned or remotetransfer stations. If desired, or required by state, tribal, or localregulations, leachate collection tanks also can be installed onsite.

Partially covered rural facility.

An example of a modular, self-contained waste transfer sys-tem. Source: Haul-All Equipment Systems. 1999. Reprinted bypermission of Haul-All Equipment Systems.


• Packer trucks and rolloff trucks need spaceon the tipping floor to pull forward as theload is deposited if they are unloading on aflat floor (rather than into a pit).

• Packer and rolloff trucks require large areasto turn, back up, and maneuver into theunloading area.

• Residential loads, particularly those pullingtrailers, require additional time and spaceto back up into the unloading area. In theinterest of safety and site efficiency, manytransfer stations have a separate access roadand receiving area for residential deliveriesso that they do not tie up unloading spacereserved for trucks. Residents typicallyunload materials by hand, which takesadditional time.

• Curves and intersections along roads on ornear the transfer station site need largeturning radii so the rear wheels of trucksdo not run over curbs or off the road whenmaking moderate or sharp turns.

• Slopes on ramps should be limited to lessthan 8 percent, particularly for fully loadedtransfer trailers.

• In colder climates, measures and equip-ment for seasonal or severe weather shouldbe incorporated. Road sanders and snow-plows for ice and snow removal are someexamples.

Transfer TechnologyThe method used to handle waste at the trans-fer station from the time it is unloaded by col-lection vehicles until it leaves the site iscentral to any transfer station’s design. In thesimplest cases, waste from collection vehiclesis unloaded directly into the transfer containeror vehicle. As this eliminates opportunities toinspect or sort the material, other floor tippingmethods are more common.

This section describes the basic methods ofhandling waste at transfer stations, explainswhich methods are most appropriate for smalland large transfer stations, and addresses the

A collection vehicle dumps its load onto the tipping floor.

Rail and Barge Transport

Rail Transport is suitable for high-volume transfer stations, par-ticularly those that need to haul waste long distances. Using

railcars for transport offers some advantages over long hauling viatruck. Railcars have a very large capacity and offer an economi-cal mode of long-haul transport. Rail transport also eliminateshighway out-haul traffic and allows out-haul vehicles to avoidhighway traffic delays. Similar to trucks, rail transport uses a rangeof waste transfer containers and loading methods. Rail operationstypically use direct top loading of noncompacted waste, loadingof precompacted waste into intermodal containers, or placementof bales in conventional boxcars. When intermodal containershave to travel public highways between the rail terminals andeither the transfer station or the disposal site, the container loadmust stay within the highway weight limit. In some cases this maymean using several smaller containers per railcar rather than just

one or two large containers. A single train can take more thantwo hundred truck trips off the highway and in many situationscan move the waste at a lower cost per ton mile, with greaterfuel efficiency and lower overall air emissions.

Rail transport is dependent upon the availability of adequatenumbers of rail cars and containers and the ability of the railroadsystem to pickup and move the waste in a timely manner. Longdelays before departure or along the route can result in odorproblems.

Barges carrying sealed intermodal containers are even moreefficient than train transport. A single barge can replace 350truck trips. Barge transport is best suited for very large wastetransfer operations because of the high capital cost of loadingand unloading terminals and transport containers and marinevessels. Siting of marine terminals may also be more difficultthan siting a conventional waste transfer station.


Figure 4Basic Transfer Station Technologies

Waste can be unloaded directly into the “open top” of the trailer, but is mostoften unloaded on the tipping floor to allow for materials recovery and wasteinspection before being pushed into the trailer. Large trailers, usually 100 cubicyards or more, are necessary to get a good payload because the waste is notcompacted. This is a simple technology that does not rely on sophisticated equipment (e.g., compactor or baler). Its flexibility makes it the preferred optionfor low-volume operations.

The surge pit is not a loading technology, but an intermediate step normally usedwith open-top or precompactor systems. The pit can store peak waste flow, thusreducing the number of transfer trailers needed. A tracked loader or bulldozer isused to compact the waste before loading, increasing payload. Because waste isoften unloaded directly into the surge pit, this technology might deter materialsrecovery and waste screening efforts.

Precompactor systems use a hydraulic ram inside a cylinder to create a dense“log” of waste. The log is pushed into a trailer that uses “walking floor” technolo-gy to unload or relies on a tipper at the landfill to unload by gravity. Most precom-pactor installations have two units in case one unit requires repair. The capital costis relatively high at more than $250,000 per unit, but the superior payload canoffset these initial costs.

Balers are units that compress waste into dense, self-contained bales. Wire strapsmay be used to hold the bales intact. They are usually moved by forklifts andtransported by flatbed trailers. The baler units can also be used for recyclablessuch as paper and metal. Payloads are very high, but so are capital costs. Most bal-ing stations have at least two units in case one is down, and they cost more than$500,000 apiece. This high-technology option is normally used only in high-volumeoperations, and special equipment or accommodations might be required at thelandfill (or balefill).

In this alternative, waste is tipped at a transfer station, then loaded into intermodalcontainers. These containers typically have moisture- and odor-control featuresand are designed to fit on both flatbed trailers and railroad flatcars. The contain-ers may be loaded directly onto railcars or transferred by truck to a train terminal.The sealed containers can be stored on site for more than 24 hours until enoughcontainers are filled to permit economic transport to the landfill. At the landfill,these containers are usually unloaded by tippers. This option allows for reductionof total truck traffic on local roads and can make distant disposal sites economi-cally viable.

Stationary compactors use a hydraulic ram to compact waste into the transfertrailer. Because the trailer must be designed to resist the compactive force, it isusually made of reinforced steel. The heavy trailer and the weight of the onboardunloading ram reduce the payload available for waste. This technology is decliningin popularity.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

Source: DuPage County. 1998. Solid Waste Transfer in Illinois: A Citizen’s Handbook on Planning, Siting and Technology. Reprinted by permission of DuPage County.


advantages and disadvantages of each method.Figure 4 shows simple diagrams of the varioustransfer methods described in this manual.

Options for unloading waste from collec-tion or residential vehicles at the transfer station include:

• Directly unloading material into the top ofa container or transfer trailer parked belowthe unloading vehicle, or onto a tippingfloor at the same level as the unloadingvehicle (Figure 4-A).

• Unloading into a surge pit located below thelevel of the unloading vehicle (Figure 4-B).

Waste can be moved and piled for short-termstorage on the tipping floor or in a pit. Short-term storage allows waste to be received at thetransfer station at a higher rate than it leavesthe facility, increasing a transfer station’s abili-ty to handle peak waste delivery periods.

Options for reloading waste into a transfercontainer or vehicle include:

• Reloading directly from a tipping floor orpit into top-load containers or transfertrailers parked below the tipping floor orpit (Figures 4-A and 4-B).

• Reloading into a compactor that packs thewaste into the end of a container or transfertrailer (Figure 4-C).

• Reloading into a preload compactor thatcompacts a truckload of material and thenejects the compacted “log” into the end of acontainer or transfer trailer (Figure 4-D).

• Reloading into a baler, which makes balesthat can then be forklifted onto a flatbedtruck (Figure 4-E).

Options for unloading waste at the disposalfacility from transfer containers or vehiclesinclude push-out blades, walking floors, andtrailer tippers. With push-out blades andwalking floors, the trailers unload themselves.A trailer tipper lifts one end of the trailer (orrotates the entire trailer) so that the load fallsout due to gravity. Baled waste can be manip-ulated at the landfill using forklifts.

Table 1 summa-rizes the advantagesand disadvantages ofthe various transfertechnologies. Sometransfer stations use acombination of tech-nologies to mitigatesome of the disadvan-tages of a particulardesign. For example,large transfer stationsmight have a top-loading system as a backup in case the pre-load compactor breaks down or in case of anelectric power outage. It also illustrates thatmany interrelated factors need to be consid-ered when deciding on the appropriate tech-nology for a transfer station. The major factorsinclude design capacity, distance to the dis-posal site, cost, reliability, safety, and methodof unloading at the disposal site.

Transfer Station OperationsThis section describes transfer station opera-tions issues and suggests operational practicesintended to minimize the facility’s impact onits host community. Issues covered include:

• Operations and maintenance plans.

• Facility operating hours.

• Interacting with the public.

• Waste screening.

• Emergency situations.

• Recordkeeping.

Operations and Maintenance PlansAlthough a transfer station’s basic function asa waste consolidation and transfer facility isstraightforward, operating a successful stationinvolves properly executing many differenttasks. Some tasks are routine and easilyunderstood, while others occur infrequentlyand might be difficult to conduct properlywithout step-by-step directions. To helpensure proper operations, transfer stationsshould have written operations and mainte-nance plans. These plans are often required by

A trailer tipper emptying a transfer trailer at a wastedisposal facility.

28Transfer Station D

esign and Operation

Table 1

Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Transfer Technologies

Waste Storage Alternatives

Technology Advantages Disadvantages Application

Direct dump into Simple arrangement; little potential for Transfer station cannot accept waste unless Most suitable for small transfer transfer vehicle or equipment breakdown. a trailer is positioned to receive waste. (Short- stations in rural and tribal settings storage container age of empty trailers shuts down facility.) with a relatively short haul distance

Low capital cost. to the waste disposal site.No short-term storage (surge capacity) to accom-

Potentially less housekeeping: no tipping floor, modate peak inflow periods. Unless many unload- Frequently used in conjunction withpit, or compaction equipment to clean and ing stalls are provided, long customer queuing bins for source-separated recyclables.maintain. can be expected during peak inflow periods.

Much smaller building footprint possible, but Relatively low payloads in trailers.advantage might be decreased by need for large yard space for queuing. Fall hazard.

Limited ability to screen and remove unacceptable wastes.

No opportunity for waste diversion or materials recovery.

Generally not suitable for receiving loads from large roll-offs or large packer trucks.

Trailers can be damaged by direct dumping of heavy materials.

Tipping floor Simple arrangement; little potential for Garbage on tipping floor can be messy and Suitable for small and large transfer waste storage equipment breakdown. slippery (fall hazard). stations; can manage nearly all waste

types.Generally less expensive and provides Potential for accidents between customers more operational flexibility than pits. and transfer station mobile equipment

(e.g., wheel loader) that moves/stacksStorage provides “disconnect” between waste waste (safety issue).receipts and waste loading. (Shortage of empty trailers does not shut down facility.) Requires roll-out space for trucks to pull

forward when discharging their loads.Allows for easy screening and removal ofunacceptable wastes. Equipment is needed to reload the waste

into the transfer trailer.


esign and Operation

Allows for the breaking up of bulky items and Requires additional fire control equipment (e.g., the compacting of waste to increase density fire hoses, water cannon) to control fires in waste for more economical shipping. piles on tipping floor

Surge pit Storage provides “disconnect” between waste Expensive to construct. Most suitable for large transfer receipts and waste loading. (Shortage of empty stations with high peak flows.trailers does not shut down facility.) Fall hazard for people and vehicles.

Allows for the breaking up of bulky items and Hazards to equipment operator working in pit the compacting of waste to increase density when waste is being unloaded by customers. for more economical shipping.

Can be difficult to remove unacceptable waste No roll-out space required for unloading vehicles; found in the pit. waste falls from back of truck into pit.

Extra building level (three stories instead of two) Eliminates potential for collision between might increase overall height of building above transfer station equipment and customers. grade, increasing building profile.

Equipment is needed to reload the wasteinto the transfer trailer.

Requires additional fire control equipment (e.g., fire hoses, water cannon) to control fires in waste piles in surge pit.

Transfer Container and Vehicle Loading Alternatives


Top-loading trailers Simple, gravity-loaded method. Generally involves imperfect, permeable Suitable for small and large transfer and containers closure (screen or tarp) on top of trailer. Odors stations.

Might be supplemented with compaction by and litter can escape, and precipitation can using equipment that reaches into the top of make the load heavier.the trailer to tamp down and level the load.

Trailers can be damaged when dense or sharp Suitable for a wide range of waste types, materials fall into an empty trailer.including construction debris and bulky materials. Sound of waste falling into trailers can be noisy.


esign and Operation

Transfer Container and Vehicle Loading Alternatives (cont.)


Compaction into A trailer or container can be completely A heavy trailer or container decreases Not commonly used for new transfer trailer and closed to prevent rainwater entry and odor effective payload. (Trailer must be structurally stations.container and liquid from escaping. reinforced to withstand the pressure of the

compactor.)Compaction usually achieves high densities.

Capital cost of trailer fleet is greater.

Tail end of trailer or container (near compactor) tends to become overloaded. Front end of trailer tends to be light. Rear axle loading tends to limit effective payload.

Hydraulic power equipment for compactor can be noisy.

Preload compaction Allows use of lightweight trailer or container High capital costs (but can be offset by Most suitable for high-volume into rear-loading to increase effective payload. reduced transportation costs). transfer stations, particularly those trailer or container that need to haul waste long

Trailer or container can be completely closed Relatively complex equipment; when it breaks distances.to prevent rainwater entry and odor and down, can shut down transfer station after liquid from escaping. short-term storage capacity is full. Container alternative ideally suited for

intermodal transfer to rail system.Payload can be measured as it is compacted, Redundancy (i.e., two compactor units) with ability to optimize each payload. increases costs.

Totally dependent on availability of electrical power. Large motor sizes generally preclude the use of a standby electrical generator to handlepower outage.

Less suitable for certain types of waste (oversize materials, concrete, wire, cable).

Hydraulic power equipment for compactor can be noisy.

A heavy electrical power consumption system.


esign and Operation

Baling Allows for efficient transportation due to High capital cost. Suitable for large transfer stations,density of waste and ability to use light- particularly those that need to haul weight trailers. Relatively complex equipment; when it breaks waste long distances. Required for

down, it can shut down transfer station after delivering waste to a balefill.Trailer can be completely closed to prevent short-term storage capacity is full.rainwater entry, and odor and liquid from escaping. Hydraulic power equipment for baler can be

noisy.Compatible with balefills, which can landfill a large amount of waste in a small space; might Special equipment needed at landfill.be best in difficult (extreme weather or windy) environments.

Baler can also be used to prepare recyclables for transport and sale.

Transfer Container and Vehicle Unloading Alternatives


Push-out blade Allows for unloading anywhere (not just at a Some trailer capacity (both volume and Most suitable for short-distance,transfer trailer landfill with a trailer tipper). weight) used for the push-out blade, which low-volume hauling.

reduces effective waste payload.

Material can become stuck behind push-out blade.

Blade can bind during extension or retraction.

Walking floor Allows for unloading anywhere (not just at a More prone to leak liquids from the bottom Suitable for a range of volumes andtransfer trailer landfill with a trailer tipper). of the trailer. distances.

More prone to damage from dense or sharp objects that fall into an empty trailer.

Trailer tipper for Allows use of lightweight trailers to High reliability or redundancy required—no Most suitable for long-distance, high-transfers trailers maximize payloads. way to unload trailers at the landfill if the volume hauls. Most suitable for hauls and trailer- tipper fails. to large landfills (small to medium mounted Ideal for rail-based container intermodal landfills not likely to have a tipper).containers system. Tippers can be unstable if placed over

waste at landfill.

Open-top railcar Extremely rapid, large-volume unloading. Fixed unloading point requires reloading and Most suitable for a fixed-disposal tippers some other form of transport from unloading method such as at a solid waste

point to final destination. incinerator.

state, tribal, or local regulations. They shouldbe written specifically for a particular facilityand include the following elements:

• Facility operating schedule, including daysof the week, hours each day, and holidays.

• Staffing plan that lists duties by job title,minimum staffing levels, and typical workschedules.

• Description of acceptable and unacceptablewastes, and procedures for divertingrestricted waste before and after unloading.

• Operating methods for each component ofthe facility, including waste-screening meth-ods, truck-weighing procedures, tippingfloor operations, transfer vehicle loading,onsite and offsite litter cleanup, and waste-water collection system operations.

• Description of maintenance procedures foreach component, including the building,mobile equipment, utilities, and landscap-ing.

• Employee training.

• Safety rules and regulations.

• Recordkeeping procedures.

• Contingency plans in the event of transfervehicle or equipment failure, or if the dis-posal site is unavailable.

• Emergency procedures.

Facility Operating HoursA transfer station’s operating hours mustaccommodate the collection schedules of vehi-cles delivering waste to the facility. Operatinghours need to consider the local setting of thetransfer station, including neighboring landuses, as well as the operating hours of the dis-posal facility receiving waste from the transferstation.

Operating hours vary considerablydepending on individual circumstances.Many large facilities located in urban indus-trial zones operate 24 hours, 7 days per week.Urban, suburban, and rural transfer stationsof various sizes commonly open early in themorning (6 a.m. to 7 a.m.) and close in the lateafternoon (4 p.m. to 5 p.m.). In many cases,the last trailer must be loaded with sufficienttime to reach the disposal site before it closes(typically 4 p.m to 6 p.m.).

Transfer stations that serve both the generalpublic and waste hauling companies typicallyoperate 6 or 7 days per week. Facilities thatare not open to the public typically operate 5or 6 days per week because many waste haul-ing companies do not operate on Sundays andhave limited operations on Saturdays. Manysmaller and rural facilities operate only on cer-tain days of the week and have limited hours.

The hours described above represent whenthe transfer station is open to receive wastefrom customers. Operations often extendbeyond the “open for customers” hours, however, as workers load waste into transfervehicles, clean the facility, and perform equip-ment maintenance. Depending on the natureof the operation, transfer trucks leaving thesite can sometimes operate on a schedulesomewhat independent of the rest of the oper-ations. For example, some operations maintainan inventory of empty transfer containers andvehicles and loaded containers and vehicles atthe transfer station site. Loaded containersand vehicles can be hauled off site accordingto the best schedule considering traffic on arearoadways, neighborhood impacts of truck traf-fic, and the hours the disposal facility receives


Solid waste baler compacts waste into dense, self-contained bales.

waste from the transfer station. State, tribal, orlocal regulations might limit the overnightstorage of waste in the transfer station or evenin transfer trailers.

Interacting With the PublicEvery transfer station has neighbors, whetherthey are industrial, commercial, residential, ormerely vacant land. The term “neighbor”should be broadly interpreted, as some ofthose impacted might not be immediatelyadjacent to the transfer station. For example,vehicles traveling to and from a transfer sta-tion could significantly affect a residentialneighborhood a mile away if those vehiclestravel on residential streets.

An important part of successful transferstation operations is engaging in constructivedialogue with the surrounding community.The appropriate level of interaction betweentransfer station personnel or representativesand their neighbors varies depending onmany factors. A transfer station in the middleof a warehouse district with direct access toexpressways might find that joining the localbusiness association and routinely picking upoffsite litter are adequate community activi-ties. While a transfer station located adjacentto homes and restaurants might find thatmonthly meetings with neighbors, landscap-ing improvements, commitments to employlocal workers, an odor reporting hotline, anddaily cleanup of litter are more appropriate.

When developing a community outreachplan, transfer station operators should consid-er the following:

• Develop a clear explanation of the need forthe transfer station and the benefits it willprovide to the immediate community andsurrounding area.

• Develop a clear process for addressing com-munity concerns that is communicated tothe neighborhood even before the facilitybecomes operational.

• Designate one person as the official contactfor neighborhood questions and concerns.

Ideally, this person would regularly work atthe transfer station and be available torespond quickly to questions and concerns.The person should also be good at listeningcarefully to community concerns beforeresponding. Advertising an e-mail addressor Web site is another way to provide infor-mation and allow community input.

• Organize periodic facility tours. Neighborsunfamiliar with the transfer station’s opera-tions are more likely to have misconcep-tions or misunderstand the facility’s role.

• Establish positive relationships by workingwith community-based organizations,improvement districts, civic associations,business associations, youth employmentbureaus, and other organizations.Interaction with the community shouldfocus on positive issues, not just occasionswhen a neighbor is upset about odor, litter,or traffic.

• Offer support services such as newspaperdrives, household hazardous waste (HHW)drop-off days, and spring cleaning disposalat the facility.

Waste ScreeningAs described in the section on UnacceptableWastes in the Planning and Siting a TransferStation chapter, some types of wastes are notappropriate for handling at a transfer station.These unacceptable wastes might be difficult tohandle, dangerous, prohibited at the disposalfacility where the waste is sent, or subject to arecycling mandate.3 Transfer station operatorsshould screen for unacceptable materialsbefore, during, and after customers unload,and should tell customers where they can dis-pose of wastes inappropriate for that transferstation.

If their wastes are refused at a transfer sta-tion, some customers might illegally disposeof unacceptable materials or might try to hidethese materials in a future delivery. When cus-tomers arrive with unacceptable materials,operators could give them a preprinted fact


3 For example, some states, tribes, or cities prohibit the disposal of yard wastes in landfills. Thus, grass clippingswould be prohibited in a mixed waste load.

sheet that describes the issue and suggestsalternative management methods. In addition,community programs dedicated to reducingthe use of products that generate dangerouswastes can decrease unacceptable waste deliv-eries to transfer stations.

At the transfer station, screening for unac-ceptable wastes could start at the scale house(where customers first check in upon arrival atthe facility). Employee training on identifyingand managing suspect materials is the corner-stone in any waste-screening program.Operators could interview customers abouttypes of waste they have and from where the

waste was collected.A list of commonunacceptable itemscould be posted, andoperators could ask ifany of the items arepresent in the load.Visual inspectionscan also help identifyunacceptable wastes.Some facilities pro-vide overhead cam-eras or walkways tofacilitate a view ofthe top of uncoveredloads (or loads thatcan easily be uncov-ered at the scalehouse). Walkingaround the truck toexamine its contentsand checking forsmoke or suspiciousodors might beappropriate. Sensorsfor detecting radioac-tive materials can beused at the scale

house or at a point along the incoming truckroute to the tipping area.

Some unacceptable wastes might notbecome apparent until the unloading process.Operators should observe waste unloadingand examine suspected unacceptable wastes.Waste unloaded onto the floor or into a pit iseasier to monitor than waste unloaded direct-

ly into a transfer container or vehicle. Ideally,unacceptable wastes would be noticed beforethe delivery vehicle has left the site.

Regardless of screening efforts, transfer sta-tion operators should expect that some unac-ceptable wastes will be discovered after theresponsible party is gone. Transfer stationsshould set aside an area for safe temporarystorage of unacceptable wastes until appropri-ate disposal is feasible, and develop a step-by-step plan to follow. In some cases, the partythat deposited the waste can be contacted toretrieve it. In other cases, the transfer stationoperator must properly manage the waste.Proper material management depends on thetype of waste discovered. For example, man-agement of hazardous wastes requires compli-ance with federal regulations issued underauthority of the Resource Conservation andRecovery Act (RCRA) (40 CFR Parts 260 to299) or the Toxic Substances Control Act(TSCA) (40 CFR Part 700 to 799), whereasrecyclable materials screened from the wastestream can be collected and processed withsimilar materials.

Emergency SituationsMost days at a transfer station involve routineoperations. Transfer station operators shouldprepare for emergencies, however, andinclude emergency procedures in their writtenoperations plans. State regulatory agenciesoften require submission of a Plan ofOperations and a Contingency Plan for reviewand approval. At minimum, the followingemergency events should be anticipated:

• Power failure. The plan should addresshow to record customer information, collectfees, and load transfer trailers during apower outage. Many larger transfer stationshave backup power generators so at leastsome operations can continue during apower failure.

• Unavailability of transfer vehicles. Theplan should address what to do if poorweather, road closures, or strikes preventempty transfer vehicles from arriving at thetransfer station. The plan should alsoaddress when the transfer station should


Fact Sheets AboutUnacceptable Waste

Consider developing simple fact sheets toinform customers why certain wastes are

not accepted at the transfer station and wherethey can dispose of the unacceptable wastes.A typical fact sheet could include:

• A picture or graphic of unacceptable waste.

• A definition of what the unacceptablewaste is and a brief description of why it isnot accepted at the transfer station.

• The dangers, drawbacks, or penalties forimproper disposal of unacceptable waste.

• Safe consumer alternatives.

• Where the waste can be appropriatelymanaged, including driving directions, hoursof facility operation, and contact informa-tion.

• Telephone numbers and Web sites ofappropriate regulatory agencies that canprovide more information.

stop accepting waste deliveries if the wastecannot be hauled out in a timely manner.

• Unavailability of scales. The plan shoulddescribe recordkeeping and fee assessmentin the event that scales are inoperable. Atfacilities with both inbound and outboundscales, one scale can temporarily serve bothpurposes.

• Fire. Fire response and containment proce-dures should address fires found in incom-ing loads, temporary storage at the transferstation, compaction equipment, transfervehicles, and other locations. Typically, fireprocedures focus on protecting humanhealth and calling professional fire depart-ments. Ceiling sprinkler systems by them-selves might not be completely effective inpreventing small fires from spreading. Dueto the high ceilings common in transfer sta-tions, a fire could spread substantiallybefore it gets hot enough at the ceiling levelto activate sprinkler systems. Consequently,facilities should have fire hoses or other firefighting equipment in the area, in additionto ceiling mounted sprinklers. A water can-non on a washer truck can also be used tocontain small fires until the fire departmentarrives.

• Spill containment. Spills can occur fromwaste materials or from vehicles deliveringwaste. For example, hydraulic compactionsystem hoses on garbage trucks can break.Spill containment plans should addressspill identification, location of spills,deployment of absorbent materials, andcleanup procedures. For large spills, theplan should also address preventing thespill from entering storm drains or sewers.

• Discovery of hazardous materials.Hazardous materials plans should includemethods to identify and isolate hazardousmaterials, temporary storage locations andmethods, and emergency phone numbers.

• Injuries to employees or customers. Theplan should include first aid procedures,

emergency phone numbers, and routes tonearby hospitals.

• Robbery. Some scale houses handle cashand include security provisions to deterrobbery.

Emergency plans should include a list ofemergency contacts, including daytime andevening phone numbers for facility manage-ment, facility staff, emergency response teams,frequent customers, and regulatory agencies.

RecordkeepingDetailed operating records enable both facilitymanagers and regulatory overseers to ensurethat the transfer station is operating efficientlyand in accordance with its permit require-ments. Medium and large transfer stationstypically record the following information aspart of their routine operations:

• Incoming loads: date, time, company, driv-er name, truck number (i.e., company fleetnumber), weight (loaded), weight (empty),4

origin of load, fee charged.

• Outgoing loads (typically transfer trucks):date, time, company, driver name, trucknumber (i.e., company fleet number),weight (loaded), weight (empty), type of


A transfer station scale house.

4 For repeat customers, the empty truck (tare) weight is often kept on file so trucks do not need to weigh out duringeach visit.


All transfer stations must address issues such as noise, odors,dust, vectors, traffic, and litter. Urban transfer stations, how-

ever, frequently lack the key component that suburban and ruralfacilities use to mitigate these problems: space. Where a subur-ban or rural facility can simply use large buffer zones betweenoperations and receptor populations, urban sites are frequentlyunable to do so due to severe site size limitations. Urban transferstations must employ a combination of planning, design, andoperating practices to help minimize impacts upon the surround-ing community. Listed below are several engineering designs,technologies, and operating practices that an urban transfer sta-tion should consider employing to mitigate facility impacts uponthe neighboring community.

NoiseStructural and Site Layout Approaches• Totally enclose all waste-handling operations to contain noise.• Use concrete walls and structures, which absorb sound bet-

ter than metal structures.• Install double-glazed windows which contain noise better

than single-glazed windows.• Install shielding or barriers, such as trees, berms, or walls,

around the facility to block and absorb noise. Size of theshielding, distance to receptors, and shielding materials alldetermine effectiveness. Walls can be made from concrete,stone, brick, wood, plastic, metal, or earth. Vegetate bermswith grasses, shrubs, or trees to further mitigate noise andincrease aesthetics. Barriers should be continuous, with nobreaks, and long enough to protect the intended receptors.

• Wing walls, usually constructed of concrete, on transfer build-ings can also block noise from trucks entering and exiting thebuilding and noise from interior operations.

• Insulate transfer building walls with sound-absorbing materials.• Locate administrative buildings between sources of noise and

community.• Orient transfer building openings (i.e., doors) away from

receptors.

Operational Practices• Keep doors closed during operating hours, except when

vehicles are entering or exiting.• Use the lowest allowable setting on vehicle backup alarms, or

use visual warning devices if state and local regulations allow.• Establish operating hours that avoid early morning or late-

night operations.• Set facility noise level limits (e.g., 55 decibels at the site

boundary) and adhere to them.

Odors• Remove all waste at the end of each operating day. Do not

allow any waste to remain on site overnight.• Frequently clean/wash down the tipping floor or surge pit.

• Install misting systems with deodorants to mask or neutralizeodors. Be prepared to make seasonal adjustments as neededto control odors.

• Install ventilation systems with air filters or scrubbers.• Plant vegetative barriers, such as trees, to absorb and dis-

perse odors.• Use odor vestibules on truck entrances and exits. Odor

vestibules are 2-door systems in which the outer door closesbefore inner door opens to prevent odors from escaping.

• Install plastic curtains on entrances and exits to contain odorswhen doors are opened to allow vehicles to enter or exit.

• Use biofilters – which pass malodorous air through organicmatter, such as wood chips, mulch, or soil – to capture odormolecules. Bacteria in biofilters consume and neutralize odormolecules.

• Set up a community “odor complaint” phone line, andrespond to community complaints.

DustDust from Vehicles• Pave all roads on site, or lay gravel as a less expensive option.• Clean facility roads frequently with street-sweeping equip-

ment.• Wash waste collection vehicles before they leave the transfer

station to remove dust-generating dirt and debris.

Dust from Waste Handling Operations• Align building openings to minimize exposure to prevailing

winds.• Install plastic curtains over building openings.• Keep station doors closed during operating hours, except

when trucks are entering or exiting.• Install misting systems over tipping areas to “knock down”

dust particles. Misting system operations should be adjustedseasonally or as the dryness of the waste dictates.

Vectors (e.g., rats, mice, cockroaches, and otherinsects)• Hire a professional licensed pest control company with

expertise and experience in controlling specific vector popu-lations.

• Seal or screen openings that allow rodents and insects toenter the building, such as door and window frames, vents,and masonry cracks. Also check for and repair chewed insu-lation at points where utility structures, such as wires andpipes, enter the transfer building.

• Treat insect breading areas and eliminate as many of thesebreading areas as possible. Implement practices that do notcreate new breeding areas.

• Implement practices that reduce the likeliness of attractingvectors (e.g., remove all waste at the end of the operating

Urban Transfer Station Design and Operations

(continued next page)

material (e.g., waste, compostables, recy-clables), destination of load.

• Facility operating log: noting any unusualevents during the operating day.

• Complaint log: noting the date, time, com-plaining party, nature of the complaint, andfollowup activity to address the complaint.

• Accidents or releases: details any accidentsor waste releases into the environment.

• Testing results: such as tests for suspectedunacceptable waste.

• Environmental test results: such as surfacewater discharges, sewer discharges, airemissions, ground-water, or noise tests.

• Maintenance records: for mobile and fixedequipment.

• Employee health and safety reports.

• Employee training and operator certifica-tion documentation.

Some transfer station operators, particularly atsmaller facilities, find it necessary to recordonly some of the above items. In order toavoid the cost of installing and operating ascale, some small and medium-size transferstations substitute estimated load volume (asmeasured in cubic yards) instead of weighingloads (in tons). When loads cannot be easily

viewed (such as with packer trucks), cubicyards are generally based on the vehicle’scapacity. Loads in cars and pickup trucks aretypically charged a minimal flat fee.

Environmental IssuesDeveloping transfer stations that minimizeenvironmental impacts involves careful plan-ning, designing, and operation. This sectionfocuses on neighborhood quality or publicnuisance issues and offers “good neighborpractices” to improve the public’s perceptionof the transfer station. Design and operationalissues regarding traffic, noise, odors, air emis-sions, water quality, vectors, and litter are dis-cussed below. Proper facility siting, design,and operation can address and mitigate thesepotential impacts on the surrounding naturalenvironment and the community.

Careful attention to these issues begins withthe initial planning and siting of a facility andshould continue with regular monitoring afteroperations begin. Transfer station design mustaccount for environmental issues regardless ofsurrounding land use and zoning. Stationssited in industrial or manufacturing zones aresubject to the same environmental concernsand issues as stations located in more populat-ed zones. Minimizing the potentially negativeaspects associated with these facilities requiresthoughtful design choices. Identifying and


day, wash tipping areas daily, pick up litter and other debrisdaily).

• Some municipalities require transfer stations to pay neighbors’extermination/pest control costs if it can be proven that thefacility is the source of the problem. Consider this policyeven if it is not required by law.

Traffic• Create acceleration, deceleration, or turning lanes at site

entrances and exits as needed to maintain steady trafficflows around facility. This may require widening roads.

• Fund road improvements and upgrades around the facility toreduce congestion and prevent damage from additional trucktraffic.

• Work with the community to designate inbound and out-bound truck traffic routes and ensure that drivers followthese routes.

• Do not allow incoming trucks to queue on public streets. Ifinadequate space is available on site to accommodate waitingtrucks, use a remote site as a waiting area for the trucks. Useradios to dispatch trucks from the waiting area to the transferstation.

• Where possible, schedule incoming traffic so that it does notcoincide with local rush hours.

Litter• Require all incoming and outgoing loads to be covered.• Ensure that all incoming and outgoing trucks are leak-proof

to avoid leachate spills on public streets.• Implement daily litter inspections and pickup at the facility

and on surrounding streets.• Install a perimeter fence to prevent windblown litter from

leaving the site.

(continued from previous page)

addressing these important issues can be a sig-nificant part of the overall cost to develop thewaste transfer station.

TrafficTraffic causes the most significant offsite envi-ronmental impacts associated with largerwaste transfer stations. This is particularlytrue for stations in urban and suburban areaswhere traffic congestion is often already a sig-nificant problem for the local community.Although transportation routes serving ruralstations typically receive less traffic, theseroutes might still be affected by limitations ongross vehicle weight or individual axleweights for certain roads or bridges.

By consolidating shipments to the disposalsite, a waste transfer system will have net pos-itive impacts in terms of reducing community-wide truck traffic, air emissions, noise, andhighway wear. Some of these negativeimpacts, however, might be concentrated inthe immediate vicinity of the transfer stationas a result of increased local traffic generatedby a transfer station, even though overallimpacts are reduced.

Evaluating travel routes and the resultingtraffic impacts should receive significant atten-tion during facility siting and design to mini-mize the traffic’s offsite environmentalimpacts. Furthermore, dependable access andsmooth traffic flow are essential for good cus-

tomer service and the operating efficiency ofthe facility. It is common, particularly inurban and suburban areas, for tribes andother local jurisdictions to require significantoffsite improvements to mitigate trafficimpacts or to assess traffic impact fees to off-set improvements needed for trafficupgrades.

Typically, transfer stations can indirectlycontrol when traffic arrives at the facility byadjusting operating hours. Relatively fewtransfer stations are able to schedule inboundtraffic because collection vehicles need tounload when they are full so collection crewscan resume their routes or end their workingday. Also, many transfer stations are not oper-ated by the same company delivering wasteto the facility, so control over specific timing isdifficult. Some transfer stations have the abili-ty to schedule transfer vehicle traffic, however.These stations often schedule trips to avoidrush-hour traffic on area routes.

Any queuing should occur on the transferstation site so as not to inhibit the traffic flowon public streets. Queuing on streets createspublic safety concerns, blocks traffic andaccess to adjacent properties, and in somecases, causes damage to streets not designedfor heavy vehicles. Exhaust from idling truckengines queuing on public streets can also cre-ate air quality and health concerns. (See theAir Emissions section on page 37 for discus-sion of air emission issues.) If space on the siteis insufficient, alternatives should be consid-ered. These could include providing a sepa-rate tipping area for certain types of customers(such as self-haulers, who generate a lot oftraffic, but not much waste) or establishing aremote holding lot for inbound vehicles to usebefore joining the onsite queue. Regulatoryagencies sometimes can address and controlqueuing problems through the permittingprocess. Permitting agencies can incorporateprovisions that require transfer stations to pro-vide adequate queuing space on site or off siteor that prohibit queuing on public streets.

As a result of community input, the opera-tor might designate traffic routes to the facili-ty. A simple “right turn only” at the exit can


Depositing incoming waste on a tipping floor facilitates waste screening.

relieve some traffic conflicts. If offsite routesare designated, clear authority for enforce-ment needs to be established (e.g., by localpolice or by the station operator refusingaccess to violators).

Some specific design and operation featuresthat might be necessary to reduce the environ-mental impacts of station traffic are describedbelow:

• Designating haul routes to and from thetransfer station that avoid congested areas,residential areas, and other sensitive areas.

• Adding offsite directional signs, pavementmarkings, and intersection signals.

• Providing acceleration and decelerationlanes that allow vehicles to enter and leavethe flow of offsite traffic smoothly, reducingcongestion and the likelihood of accidents.

• Using right turns to enter and leave the sta-tion site and minimizing left turns toreduce congestion and the likelihood ofaccidents off site.

• Providing adequate onsite queuing space solines of customers and transfer vehicleswaiting to enter the facility do not interferewith offsite traffic.

• Installing and using compaction equipmentto maximize the amount of waste hauled ineach transfer trailer, thus reducing the num-ber of loads leaving the site.

• Establishing operating hours, including restrictions, that encourage facility use dur-ing nonpeak traffic times on area roads.

• Schedule commercial waste deliveries toavoid rush-hour traffic.

• Providing or requiring the provision of resi-dential waste collection service to reducethe number of people hauling their ownwastes to the transfer station. Although thetransfer station will handle the sameamount of waste, more of it will arrive ascombined collection vehicle loads, reducingthe number of loads brought in by cars and

pickup trucks. (One residential collectionvehicle can haul as much as 15 to 30 carsand pickup trucks.)

NoiseTransfer stations can be a significant source ofnoise, which might be a nuisance to neigh-bors.5 Heavy truck traffic and the operation ofheavy-duty facility equipment are the primarysources of noise from a transfer station. Offsitetraffic noise in the station’s vicinity will beperceived as noisefrom the station itself.Equipment noiseincludes engines,backup alarms (beep-ers), hydraulic powerunits, and equipmentbuckets and bladesbanging and scrapingon concrete and steelsurfaces. The unload-ing of waste or recy-clables (particularlyglass) onto a tippingfloor, pit, steel dropbox, or trailer canalso create substantialnoise, depending onthe type of waste, falldistance, and surface.Stations that use sta-tionary solid wastecompactors or engine-driven tamping equip-ment have additional sources of mechanicalequipment noise with which to contend. Goodfacility design and operations can help reducenoise emanating from the station. Thisincludes:

• Maximizing the utility of perimeter sitebuffers, particularly along site boundarieswith sensitive adjoining properties.Increasing the distance between the noisesource and the receiver, or providing natu-ral or man-made barriers are the most effec-tive ways of reducing noise when thesound generation level cannot be reduced.


5 Although repeated exposure to high noise levels can lead to hearing impairment, noise levels associated withimpairment are typically a concern only to employees; neighborhood impacts are typically a nuisance issue, not ahealth issue.

Noise Abatement: Leon County,Florida

As part of its site selection process for awaste transfer station, Leon County,

Florida, commissioned a study to evaluate andaddress noise concerns. Parcels adjacent to thesite include residential, commercial, and lightindustrial. To the west is undeveloped residen-tial land. The study used a 5-step procedure todetermine the impact that noise from thetransfer station would have on the adjoiningcommunity. It also assessed the effectivenessand feasibility of abatement. The study resultedin nine recommendations relating to buildingorientation, truck routing, operating hours,berm and wall construction, and vegetativeplantings to buffer noise (Leon County, FL;February, 2000).

• Orienting buildings so the site topographyand the structure’s walls buffer adjacentnoise-sensitive properties from direct expo-sure to noise sources.

• Providing sound-absorbent materials onbuilding walls and ceilings.

• Shutting off idling equipment and queuingtrucks.

• Avoiding traffic flows adjacent to noise-sensitive property.

• Arranging the facility layout to eliminatesteep uphill grades for waste-haulingtrucks, as driving uphill can significantlyincrease noise levels.

• Facing building openings such as entrancesaway from noise-sensitive adjoining prop-erty.

• Considering alternatives for beeping back-up alarms, such as strobe lights and prox-imity detectors (if state and localregulations allow).

• Confining noisy activities within specifiedbuildings or other enclosures. In particular,enclose hydraulic power units associatedwith compactors and rams in areas withacoustic silencing materials. Quieter equip-

ment options can also be selected duringdesign.

• Properly maintaining mufflers and engineenclosures on mobile equipment operatingwithin the transfer station. Also insist thatoperators of commercial hauling vehicleskeep their equipment, including the mufflersystems, in good repair.

• Keeping as many doors closed during sta-tion operating hours as practical.

• Conducting activities that generate theloudest noise during selected hours, such asthe morning or afternoon commute hours,when adjoining properties are unoccupiedor when offsite background noise is at itshighest.

OdorsMSW, food waste, and certain yard wastessuch as grass have a high potential for odorgeneration. Odors might increase duringwarm or wet weather. Thus, transfer stationshandling these wastes need to address odormanagement based on current and projectedadjacent land uses. Odors can be managedwith proper facility design and operating pro-cedures, including:

• As with noise mitigation, increasing the dis-tance between the odor source and thereceiver effectively reduces the impact ofodors.

• Evaluating the prevailing wind direction todetermine building orientation and setbackto adjacent properties.

• Carefully orienting the building and itsdoorways with respect to odor-sensitiveneighboring property and closing as manydoors as practical during operating hours.

• Designing floors for easy cleanup, includ-ing a concrete surface with a positive slopeto drainage systems. Eliminating crevices,corners, and flat surfaces, which are hard tokeep clean and where waste residue canaccumulate.

• Sealing concrete and other semiporous sur-faces to prevent absorption of odor-produc-ing residues.


Surge pit separating public and commercial vehicles. Water sprays along the wallsof the pit are used to suppress dust.

• Minimizing onsite waste storage, both inthe facility and in the loaded trailers, byimmediately loading odorous or potentiallyodorous wastes into transfer trailers andquickly transferring them to the disposalsite.

• Incorporating odor neutralizing systems.

• Removing all waste from the tipping flooror pit at the end of each operating day, thencleaning those areas to remove remainingresidues.

• Using enclosed trailers whenever possiblewhen loaded trailers must sit on site tem-porarily before transfer.

• Practicing “first-in, first-out” waste han-dling practices so wastes are not allowed tosit on site for long periods of time.

• Collecting and removing partially full con-tainers at rural stations where accumulationof full loads could take several days.

• Keeping building catch basins, floor drainsand drainage systems clean so odor-causingresidues do not build up.

• Treating drainage systems periodically withodor-neutralizing and bacteria-inhibitingsolutions.

• Diverting odorous waste loads to facilitieswith less sensitive surroundings duringadverse weather conditions.

• Refusing to accept certain highly odorouswastes.

• Practicing other “good housekeeping”measures, including regularly cleaning anddisinfecting containers, equipment, andother surfaces that come into contact withwaste.

Air EmissionsAir emissions at transfer stations result fromdusty wastes delivered to the transfer station,exhaust (particularly diesel) from mobileequipment such as trucks and loaders, drivingon unpaved or dusty surfaces, and cleanupoperations such as street sweeping. As withodor control, proper design and operating

procedures help minimize air emissions,including:

• Paving all traffic carrying surfaces.

• Keeping paved surfaces and tipping floorsclean, and ensuring any street sweepingoperations use sufficient water to avoid stir-ring up dust.

• Restricting vehicles from using residentialstreets.

• Selecting alternative fuel or low-emissionequipment or retrofitting facility equipmentwith oxidation catalysts and particulatetraps.

• Working with truck fleet operators toreduce exhaust emissions through the retro-fit of emission control devices, use of clean-er fuels, and use of alternative fuel vehicles(e.g., compressed natural gas)

• Installing misting systems to suppress dustinside the building or using a hose to spraydusty wastes as they are unloaded andmoved to the receiving vehicles. (In ruralareas, small stations might not have a readi-ly available water supply, or might have torely on a portable water supply for house-keeping needs.)

• Maintaining engines in proper operatingcondition by performing routine tune-ups.

• Considering the purchase of newer genera-tion, low-emission diesel engines.

• Minimizing idling of equipment by turningoff engines when not in use. Truck stopelectrification technology can be installed atdesignated queuing areas to provide truckcabs with comforts such as climate con-trolled air, electricity, and phone lines whileengines are shut off.

• Cleaning truck bodies and tires to reducetracking of dirt onto streets.

• Maintaining building air filtering systemsso that they perform effectively.

Storm Water QualityRainfall and wash-down water flows fromroofs, roads, parking lots, and landscaped


areas at a transfer station, eventually reachingnatural or constructed storm water drainagesystems. Runoff might also percolate into theground-water system. Keeping surface waterfree of runoff contamination from waste, mud,and fuel and oil that drips from vehicles isimportant to maintaining the quality of boththe surface and ground water systems. Thequality and amount of runoff often is regulat-ed by state, tribal, or local water managementauthorities. Transfer station development typi-cally results in the addition of new impervioussurfaces (i.e., paved surfaces) that increase thetotal quantity of runoff and can contribute toflooding potential.

When runoff contacts waste, it is consideredpotentially contaminated and is known as“leachate.” Transfer station design and opera-tion should ensure that contaminated water iscollected separately, then properly managed onsite or discharged to the sewer. Most transferstations send some amount of waste water tosewer systems. In addition to leachate, wastewater from daily cleaning of the waste han-dling areas and the facility’s restrooms andsupport areas typically are discharged to thesewer. Local waste water treatment plantsestablish guidelines for pretreatment andanalysis with which transfer stations mustcomply when discharging waste water into thesewer. To minimize impacts on sewer systems,transfer stations should consider:

• Covering waste handling and storage areasthat drain to the sanitary sewer system.This reduces the amount of rainfall con-tributing to the total volume of sewer flow.

• Removing as much debris from the tippingfloor as possible by mechanical means (e.g.,scraping or sweeping) before hosing thefloor down.

• Installing drain covers on floor drains.During normal operations, floor drainsshould be covered to prevent spilled liquidwastes from entering the sewer system.Covers can be opened or removed duringfloor cleaning.

• Installing low-flow toilets, showers, andfaucets.

• Providing appropriate pretreatment ofwater that comes into contact with waste(leachate). Pretreatment requirements varydepending on the capabilities of the receiv-ing sewer, but could include provisionsallowing solids to settle out of the sewage,the use of oil/water separators, or the useof other treatment systems.

Other design and operation measures to con-sider in managing surface water qualityinclude:

• Complying with all surface water manage-ment regulations applicable in the jurisdic-tion where the station is located. Injurisdictions with well-developed regula-tions, design and operation measures usual-ly include development of surface waterdetention facilities (ponds, tanks, or largeholding pipes) that limit the runoff rate tothe predeveloped rate. In addition, waterquality requirements might involve desilt-ing facilities and applying various forms ofbiofiltration to remove contaminants. Somejurisdictions might require pH adjustmentand other forms of pretreatment.

• Locating stations outside local flood zones.

• Minimizing impervious areas and maximiz-ing landscape and vegetative cover areas toreduce total runoff.

• Limiting outside parking of loaded contain-ers or alternatively using rain-tight, leak-tight containers. If loaded containers ortransfer vehicles are parked or stored out-side, providing catch basins connected to


Water Quality at Rural Transfer Stations

At stations in rural areas where water might not be available for sanitaryuses, portable toilets might provide a solution. But even at these sta-

tions, there is likely some amount of potentially contaminated runoff thatneeds to be managed as sewage. In rural areas and other areas not servedby a piped sanitary sewer system, it is common to connect building drainsto underground holding tanks. The tanks are pumped as needed, and theleachate is trucked to a sewage treatment plant or other approved process-ing facility.

the sanitary sewer system might be neces-sary.

• Maintaining all surface water managementfacilities in good operating condition. Thisincludes periodic cleaning and removal ofsilt and debris from drainage structures andponds, as well as removing collected oilfrom oil-water separators.

• Responding promptly to exterior spills toprevent waste materials from entering thesurface water system.

• Cleaning up liquid spills such as oils, paints,and pesticides with absorbent material ratherthan hosing them into drains. Althoughtransfer stations generally do not acceptthese liquids, they might find their way intothe waste stream in small quantities.

• Using secondary containment around tem-porary storage areas for HHW, batteries,and suspect materials.

VectorsVectors are organisms that have the potentialto transmit disease. Vectors of concern attransfer stations can include rodents, insects,and scavenging birds. Seagulls are particularlytroublesome birds in coastal zones and certaininland areas. Much of the concern surround-ing vectors is associated with general nuisancefactors, but this issue justifies diligent atten-tion. A few basic design elements and opera-tional practices can greatly reduce thepresence of vectors, including:

• Eliminating or screening cracks or openingsin and around building foundations, wastecontainers, and holding areas at enclosed-type stations. This reduces opportunities forentry by terrestrial vectors (especiallyrodents).

• Installing bird-deterrent measures, such assuspended or hanging wires to keep birdsout of structures, and eliminating horizon-tal surfaces where birds can congregate.

• Removing all waste delivered to the facilityby the end of each day.

• Cleaning the tipping floor daily.

• Routinely inspecting the facility for poten-tial vector habitat, and taking correctiveaction when needed.

• Using commercial vector control specialistsas necessary.

LitterIn the normal course of facility operations,stray pieces of waste are likely to become litterin and around the facility. In jurisdictions thatdo not have or do not enforce regulations tocover customer vehicles, the litter problem isoften most prevalent on routes leading to thestation. Dry, light materials such as plasticgrocery bags can be blown from the backs ortops of vehicles, or from the tipping area tothe facility’s outside areas.

Design and operation considerations thatcan reduce the litter problem include:

• Conducting all waste handling and process-ing activities in enclosed areas, if possible.

• Orienting the main transfer building withrespect to the predominant wind directionso it is less likely to blow through the build-ing (or tunnel) and carry litter out.Generally the “blank” side of the buildingshould face into the prevailing wind.

• Strictly enforcing the load covering or tarp-ing requirements will reduce litter fromwaste trucks. Some transfer station opera-tors have the authority to decline uncov-ered loads andhave institutedsurcharges to pro-vide incentives forcustomers to covertheir loads.

• Providing wind-breaks to deflectwind away fromwaste handlingareas.

• Locating doors inareas that are lesslikely to havepotentially litter-producing materi-


Vector Control at Rural TransferStations

In less densely populated areas, other vectorsof concern could include bears, raccoons, and

dogs, especially if waste is not tightly enclosed.The best way to keep large vectors out of thefacility is to totally enclose the waste storagearea or to fence and gate the site. Bird-scaredevices, such as recordings of predatory birdsor plastic decoys, can help alleviate scavenging.Baited traps can be used to control rodents,and humane traps can capture larger mammalssuch as raccoons and weasels.

als stored near them, regardless of buildingorientation.

• At small rural stations, providing contain-ers with lifting lids that are normallyclosed.

• Minimizing horizontal ledges where littercan accumulate.

• Providing skirts (usually wide rubber belt-ing or strip brushes) that close the gapbetween the bottom of the chute and thetop of the receiving container at stationsthat employ chutes and hoppers to containwaste as it is deposited in trailers and dropboxes.

• Installing fencing and netting systems tokeep blowing litter from escaping the sta-tion site. This is particularly necessary atsmall rural facilities that are likely open-sided or that lack an enclosing building.

• Conducting routine litter patrols to collecttrash on site, around the perimeter, onimmediately adjacent properties, and on

approach roads and the hauling route(s).Litter patrols, especially at unattendedsites, can also detect any illegal dumpingthat has occurred along the site perimeter.

• Cleaning the tipping floor regularly andmaintaining good housekeeping practices.This will minimize the amount of loosematerial that can be blown outside.

Safety IssuesThoughtful facility design coupled with goodoperating practices help ensure transfer sta-tions are safe places. Transfer stations shouldbe designed and operated for the safety ofemployees, customers, and even persons ille-gally trespassing when the facility is closed.Designers need to consider that people mighttrespass on facility grounds during operatinghours or after the facility is closed for thenight. Most state regulations require securityand access control measures such as fencesand gates that can be closed and locked afterhours. Signs should be posted around theperimeter, with warnings about potential risksdue to falls and contact with waste. Signsshould be posted in multiple languages injurisdictions with high percentages of non-English-speaking residents.

Federal Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration (OSHA) regulations requirefacilities to provide safe working conditionsfor all employees. Although regulations spe-cific to waste transfer stations do not currentlyexist, general OSHA regulations apply as theywould to any other constructed facility. State,tribal, and local workplace safety regulations,which can be more stringent than federal reg-ulations, also might apply.

Some state, tribal, or local governmentsmight require a facility’s development permitto directly address employee and customersafety. State and tribal solid waste regulations,for instance, often require development ofoperating plans and contingency plans toaddress basic health and safety issues.Transfer station safety issues are the facilityoperator’s responsibility.


Facility Operating Plans

Many states (as well as some tribes and local governments) requirewaste transfer stations to prepare and maintain facility operating plans.

Often, these plans must be submitted with the permit application. Theoperating plan format and the specific information it must contain can varygreatly. Some states may also require operating plans prepared or certifiedby a licensed or certified professional engineer. Operating plans mightrequire the following information:

• Facility-specific information such as location and ownership. Some statesrequire maps and diagrams of the site and facility as well.

• Facility capacity and expected operating life.

• Description of the type of waste the facility will handle, including wasteorigination, composition, and weight or volume.

• A list or description of unacceptable wastes, including procedures forstoring and handling these materials if they do arrive at the facility.

• A description of daily operations, including waste handling techniques,vector controls, and hours of operation.

• Emergency or contingency plans and procedures.

This section describes general safety con-cerns associated with solid waste transfer sta-tions. A facility must take steps to eliminate orreduce risk of injury from many sources,including:

Exposure to Potentially Hazardous EquipmentTransfer station employees work in closeproximity to a variety of hazards, includingequipment with moving parts, such as con-veyor belts, push blades, balers, and com-pactors. Facility operators should develop anemployee equipment orientation programand establish safety programs to minimizethe risk of injury from station equipment.Utilizing locks or tags that prevent equipmentfrom operating until they are removed (lock-out/tagout systems), for example, effectivelyminimize hazards associated with transferstation equipment. Transfer stations operatorsmust implement and strictly enforce rulesrequiring children and pets to remain in thevehicle at all times. Posting signs and apply-ing brightly colored paint or tape to hazardscan alert customers to potential dangers.

Personal Protective EquipmentTransfer station employees coming in closecontact with waste and heavy machineryshould wear appropriate personal protectiveequipment. Common pieces of protective gearinclude hard hats, protective eye goggles, dustmasks, steel tipped boots, and protectivegloves. If working in close proximity to loudmachinery, hearing protection should be usedas well. Check state and local codes and regu-lations to see if any personal protective equip-ment standards exist. Ensure that all facilityemployees are using the appropriate equip-ment and are properly maintaining it.

Exposure to Extreme TemperaturesFacilities located in areas of extreme weathermust account for potential impacts to employ-ees from prolonged exposure to heat or cold.Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are addressedwith proper facility operations, including goodventilation inside buildings, access to waterand shade, and periodic work breaks. Cold

weather is addressed by proper clothing, pro-tection from wind and precipitation, andaccess to warming areas. Extreme tempera-tures typically should not pose problems forcustomers because their exposure times aremuch less than those of facility workers.

TrafficControlled, safe traffic flows in and aroundthe facility are critical to ensuring employeeand customer safety. Ideally, a transfer stationis designed so trafficfrom large waste-collecting vehicles iskept separate fromself-haulers, who typ-ically use cars andpickup trucks.Facility designersshould consider:

• Directing trafficflow in a one-wayloop through themain transferbuilding andaround the entiresite. Facilities withone-way trafficflow have build-ings (and some-times entire sites)with separateentrances andexits. The transfertrailers, in particu-lar, are difficult tomaneuver andrequire gentleslopes and suffi-cient turning radii.Ideally, these trail-ers should not have to back up.

• Arranging buildings and roads on the siteto eliminate or minimize intersections, theneed to back up vehicles, and sharp turns.

• Providing space for vehicles to queue whenthe incoming traffic flow is greater than thefacility’s tipping area can accommodate.Sufficient queuing areas should be located


Well marked, color-coded traffic routes can helpminimize contact between commercial and publicvehicles.

after the scale house and before the tippingarea. This is in addition to and separatefrom any queuing area required before thescale house to prevent traffic from backingup onto public roads.

• Providing easily understood and highlyvisible signs, pavement markings, anddirections from transfer station staff to indi-cate proper traffic flow.

• Providing bright lighting, both artificialand natural, inside buildings. Using light-colored interior finishes that are easy tokeep clean is also very helpful. When enter-ing a building on a bright day, drivers’ eyesneed time to adjust to the building’s darkerinterior. This adjustment period can be dan-gerous. Good interior lighting and light-colored surfaces can reduce the contrastand shorten adjustment time.

• Providing an area for self-haulers to unloadseparately from large trucks. Typically, self-haulers must manually unload the back ofa pickup truck, car, or trailer. This processtakes longer than the automated dumpingof commercial waste collection vehicles andpotentially exposes the driver to other traf-fic. It is often a good idea to provide staff toassist the public with safe unloading prac-tices.

• Requiring facility staff to wear bright orconspicuous clothing. Personnel working inthe tipping area especially must wear highvisibility clothing at all times.

• Installing backup alarms on all movingfacility equipment and training all vehicleoperators in proper equipment operationssafety. Backup alarms must be maintainedin proper working condition at all times.Cameras and monitors can also be installedas an additional precaution.

FallsAccidental falls are another concern for facili-ty employees and customers, especially infacilities with pits or direct dump designswhere the drop at the edge of the tipping areamight be 5 to 15 feet deep. Facilities with flattipping areas offer greater safety in terms of

reducing the height of falls, but they presenttheir own hazards. These include standingand walking on floor surfaces that could beslick from recent waste material and beingclose to station operating equipment thatremoves waste after each load is dumped.Depending on the station design (pit or flatfloor), a number of safety measures should beconsidered to reduce the risk of falls.

• For direct gravity loading of containers bycitizens, a moderate grade separation willreduce the fall distance. For example, somefacilities place rolloff boxes 8 feet belowgrade to facilitate easy loading of wasteinto the container (so the top of the rolloffbox is even with the surrounding ground).This approach, however, creates an 8-footfall hazard into an empty rolloff box.Alternatively, the rolloff box can be setabout 5 feet below grade, with the sidesextending about 3 feet above the floor. Thisheight allows for relatively easy lifting overthe box’s edge, yet is high enough toreduce the chance of accidental falls.

• For pit-type operations, the pit depth canbe tapered to accommodate commercialunloading at the deep end (typically 8 to 12feet) and public unloading at the shallowend (3 to 6 feet).

• Safety barriers, such as chains or ropes, canbe placed around the pit edges at the endof the day or during cleaning periods toprevent falls. These barriers, however,should be removed during normal operat-ing hours as they are a trip hazard and caninterfere with the unloading of waste.

• Substantial wheel stops can be installed onthe facility floor to prevent vehicles frombacking into a pit or bin. Some curbs areremovable to facilitate cleaning.

• Locating wheel stops a good distance fromthe edge of the unloading zone ensures thatself-haul customers will not find them-selves dangerously close to a ledge or theoperating zone for station equipment.

• To prevent falls due to slipping, the floorshould be cleaned regularly and designedwith a skid-resistant surface. Designers



need to provide sufficient slope in floorsand pavements so that they drain readilyand eliminate standing water. This is espe-cially crucial in cold climate areas whereicing can cause an additional fall hazard.Because of transfer stations’ large size andvolume and the constant flow of vehicles, itis impractical to design and operate themas heated facilities.

• Use of colored floor coatings (such asbright red or yellow) in special hazardzones (including the area immediately nextto a pit) can give customers a strong visualcue.

• Designing unloading stalls for self-haulcustomers with a generous width (at least12 feet when possible) maximizes the sepa-ration between adjacent unloading opera-tions and reduces the likelihood of injuryfrom activity in the next stall. For commer-cial customers, stall widths of at least 15feet are needed to provide a similar safetycushion. This is particularly necessarywhere self-haul and commercial stalls arelocated side-by-side.

• If backing movements are required, designthe facility so vehicles back in from the dri-ver’s side (i.e., left to right) to increase visi-bility.

NoiseUnloading areas can have high noise levelsdue to the station’s operating equipment, theunloading operation and waste movement,and customer vehicles. Backup safety alarmsand beepers required on most commercialvehicles and operating equipment also can beparticularly loud. The noise level also mightcause customers not to hear instructions orwarnings or the noise from an unseenapproaching hazard.

Designers have limited options for dealingwith the noise problem. The principal way toreduce the effects of high-decibel noise inenclosed tipping areas is to apply a sound-absorbing finish over some ceiling and wallsurface areas. Typically, spray-on acousticalcoatings are used. These finishes have a draw-

back, however. They tend to collect dirt andgrime and are hard to keep clean and bright.Using a rubber shoe on the bottom of waste-moving equipment buckets and blades andavoiding use of track-type equipment thatproduce high mechanical noise also limitsnoise. These approaches, however, can affectthe transfer system’s operational efficiency.Regardless of which approaches areemployed, transfer station employees exposedto high levels of noise for prolonged periodsof time should use earplugs or other protec-tive devices to guard against hearing damage.

Air QualityTipping areas often have localized air qualityproblems (dust and odor) that constitute asafety and health hazard. Dust in particularcan be troublesome, especially where dusty,dry commercial loads (e.g., C&D wastes) aretipped. Prolonged exposure to air emissionsfrom waste and motorized vehicles operatinginside the building provides another potentialhealth threat to facility employees. Facility airquality issues can be addressed through anumber of design and operational practices.These include:

• Water-based dust suppression (misting orspray) systems used to “knock down” dust.Different types of systems are available.They typically involve a piping systemwith an array of nozzles aimed to deliver afine spray to the area where dust is likely tobe generated (e.g., over the surge pit). Theytypically are actuated by station staff “ondemand” when dust is generated. Dustsuppression systems can operate usingwater only or can have an injection systemthat mixes odor-neutralizing compounds(usually naturally occurring organicextracts) with the water. These dual pur-pose systems effectively control both dustand odors. Water-based dust suppressionsystems, however, can have adverse eco-nomic impacts. The additional moistureadded to the waste increases the weight ofoutbound loads, potentially reducing truckcapacity and increasing costs.

• Use of handheld hoses to wet down thewaste where it is being moved orprocessed, typically in a pit. Designers needto consider using convenient reel-mounthoses for this purpose.

• Ventilation systems can control air qualityinside enclosed transfer buildings. Whilethe high roofs and large floor areas com-mon in transfer stations put uniquedemands upon ventilation systems, it is stillpossible through engineering techniques tocreate the air velocities needed to entraindust particles. One approach is to concen-trate system fans and air removal equip-ment above the dustiest and mostodor-prone area to create a positive air flowfrom cleaner areas. Often, the air-handlingequipment is designed with multiple speedfans and separate fan units that can be acti-vated during high dust or odor events.Filtering and scrubbing exhaust air fromtransfer stations is also possible.

• If employees’ direct exposure to harmfulemissions from vehicles and waste at thefacility is not sufficiently minimized, respi-ratory aids such as masks might be neces-sary.

Hazardous Wastes and MaterialsWhile MSW is generally nonhazardous, somepotentially hazardous materials such as pesti-cides, bleach, and solvents could be deliveredto a transfer station. Facility operators shouldensure that employees are properly trained toidentify and handle such materials. Some sta-tions have a separate household hazardouswaste (HHW) receiving and handling area. Ifthe transfer station operates a program thatmanages HHW, the material is often collectedby appointment only, during designated

hours, or during special single or multiple dayevents.

All transfer stations need to be equipped tohandle the occasional occurrence of hazardouswaste, real or suspected, mixed with otherwastes. Personal protective equipment such asgoggles, gloves, body suits, and respiratorsshould be on hand and easily accessible toemployees. Because staff or customers mightinadvertently come in contact with a haz-ardous substance, it is also good practice, andoften required by code, to have special eye-wash and shower units in the operating areas.Typically, the transfer station’s operating planwill outline detailed procedures to guide sta-tion personnel in identifying and managingthese kinds of wastes. Many stations have asecure area with primary and secondary con-tainment barriers near the main tipping areawhere suspect wastes can be placed pendingevaluation and analysis. Public educationefforts can reduce the likelihood of hazardousmaterials showing up in solid waste.

Ergonomics Improper body position, repetitive motion,and repeated or continuous exertion of forcecontribute to injuries. Both employers andemployees should receive ergonomics trainingto reduce the likelihood of injury. Such train-ing provides guidance on minimizing repeti-tive motions and heavy lifting and usingproper body positions to perform tasks. Atthis time there are no federal ergonomic stan-dards. A few states, however, do have suchstandards under their job safety and healthprograms. The Occupational Safety andHealth Administration’s Web site <www.osha-slc.gov/fso/osp/> includes a list of stateswith such programs and provides links to anumber of these states’ Web sites.


This section describes the types ofregulations that generally apply totransfer stations and addresses typi-cal regulatory compliance methods.

Applicable RegulationsTransfer stations are affected by a variety offederal, state, tribal, and local regulations,including those related to noise, traffic impactmitigation, land use, workplace safety, taxes,employee right-to-know, and equal employ-ment opportunity that are applicable to anyother business or public operation. Manyjurisdictions also have regulations specificallyapplicable to transfer stations. These regula-tions typically emphasize the protection ofpublic health and the environment.

Federal RegulationsNo federal regulations exist that are specifical-ly applicable to transfer stations. EPA, howev-er, initiated a rulemaking process exclusivelyfor marine waste transfer stations underauthority of the Shore Protection Act in 1994.These rules would regulate vessels andmarine transfer stations in the U.S. coastalwaters. EPA is currently working with the U.S.Coast Guard on finalizing these rules.

State RegulationsState solid waste regulatory programs usuallytake primacy in transfer station permitting,although local zoning and land use require-ments apply as well. State regulations varywidely. Some have no regulations specific totransfer stations; others mention them as aminor part of regulations that generally applyto solid waste management; and others haveregulations specifically addressing transferstation issues such as design standards, oper-ating standards, and the maximum amount oftime that waste can be left on site. A few statesalso require transfer stations to have closureplans and to demonstrate financial assurance,

while others require certification of key per-sonnel. Some states also require compliancewith regional solid waste planning efforts ordemonstrations of “need.”

Appendix A provides a state-by-statechecklist of major transfer station regulatoryissues. Appendix A shows that:

• All but five states require waste transferstations to have some type of permit, per-mit-by-rule, or state license to operate.

• All 50 states have at least minimal operat-ing standards for waste transfer stationseither through regulations, statutes, operat-ing plans, or construction permits.

• Some states require analysis of transfer sta-tion impacts under general environmentalreview procedures.

Local RegulationsLocal regulation of transfer stations can takemany forms. Typical regulatory bodies includecounties, cities, regional solid waste manage-

49Facility Oversight

Facility Oversight

Example of a state issued transfer station facility permit.

ment authorities, health departments, and airpollution control authorities.

Counties, cities, and regional authoritiesoften are required to prepare comprehensivesolid waste management plans describinglong-range plans for waste prevention, recy-cling, collection, processing (including transferstations), and disposal. Other local regulationslikely to apply to transfer stations includezoning ordinances, noise ordinances, and traf-fic impact analysis.

Public health departments are involvedwith transfer stations because of the potentialhealth concerns if solid waste is improperlymanaged. In some states, the state environ-mental protection agency delegates authorityto local health departments to oversee solidwaste management facilities, including trans-fer stations. This typically includes overseeinggeneral compliance with a facility’s operatingpermit; regular cleaning of the tipping floor;limits on the amount of waste the facility canaccept; and employment of adequate meas-ures to prevent vectors such as rats, birds, andflies from contacting waste.

Local or regional air pollution controlauthorities often regulate odor, dust, and vehi-cle exhaust emissions at transfer stations. Airpollution control agencies might regulatechemicals used to control odor, exhaust fromvents on the facility’s roof or walls, andwhether dusty loads can be delivered to thetransfer station. The local sanitary district oftenestablishes waste water standards and mightbe involved in storm water management andprotection.

Common Regulatory ComplianceMethods

Compliance InspectionsMany transfer stations are inspected periodi-cally for compliance with the transfer station’soperating permit and other applicable regula-

tions. The entity responsible for performinginspections and the frequency and level ofdetail of inspections vary widely around thecountry. Some inspections are complaint driv-en, some occur on a regular frequency, andsome occur on a random basis. A typicalinspection involves a representative of thelocal health department or state or tribal solidwaste regulatory program walking throughthe facility, looking for improper waste stor-age or handling methods and writing up ashort notice of compliance or noncompliance.

Other inspections for specific issues are alsoconducted. Special inspections might targetworkplace safety, proper storm-water runoffmanagement, and compliance with applicableroadway weight limits for transport vehicles.

ReportingSome transfer station operators are required tocompile monthly, quarterly, or annual reportsfor submission to regulatory agencies and hostcommunities. These reports typically includethe following information:

• Weight (tons) and loads (number of cus-tomers) received at the transfer station eachmonth. This sometimes includes detailssuch as day of the week, time of day, typeof waste, name of hauler, and origin ofwaste.

• Weight (tons) and loads (number of transfertruck shipments) shipped from the transferstation each month. This sometimesincludes a breakdown by time shipped,type of waste, and the final destination ofthe waste.

• A description of any unusual events thattook place at the transfer station, includingaccidents and discoveries of unacceptablewaste.

• A summary of complaints received and theactions taken to respond to the complaints.

50 Facility Oversight

Leon County, Florida. Leon County Solid Waste Transfer Station: Noise Study Report. February 2000(Draft).

Lund, Herbert F. 1992. Solid Waste Handbook. McGraw-Hill Companies.

National Environmental Justice Advisory Council. 2000. A Regulatory Strategy for Siting and

Operating Waste Transfer Stations, (EPA500-R-00-001). Washington, DC.

Solid Waste Association of North America. 2000. Certification Course Manual: Managing Transfer

Station Systems. SWANA. Washington, DC.

Tchobauoglous, George, Hilary Theisen, and Samuel A. Vigil. 1993. Integrated Solid Waste

Management: Engineering Principles and Management Issues. McGraw-Hill Companies.

U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. 2000. Waster Transfer Stations: Involved

Citizens Make the Difference, (EPA530-K-01-003). Washington, DC.

U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. 1995. Decision-Maker’s Guide to Solid

Waste Management, Second Edition (EPA 530-R-95-023). Washington, DC.

DuPage County Solid Waste Department. 1998. Solid Waste Transfer in Illinois: A Citizen’s

Handbook on Planning, Siting and Technology. Weaver Boos & Gordon, Inc. (For information onordering copies of the DuPage County publication entitled Solid Waste Transfer in Illinois: A

Citizen’s Handbook on Planning, Siting and Technology contact Kevin T. Dixon, Director, SolidWaste Department, DuPage County Center, 421 N. Country Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois60187, telephone (630)682-7373.)

51Resources

Resources

Baler: This technology compresses waste intohigh-density, self-contained units (bales) ofeither waste or recyclables. Baled waste istransported on flatbed trailers (as opposed totransfer trailers) and is most often sent to a“balefill” that has special equipment (e.g.,forklifts).

Buffer zone (also setback): The distancebetween the transfer station or roadways andadjacent properties; often used for screening.

Collection vehicle: Residential collection vehi-cles include front-loading and rear-loadinggarbage trucks, as well as special trucks withcompartments used to pickup source-separat-ed recyclables. Commercial (businesses), insti-tutional (hospitals and schools), and industrial(plants) waste, as well as C&D waste, is oftendiscarded in rolloff boxes, which are droppedat the facility and then collected on schedule.

Construction and demolition debris (C&D):Includes broken concrete, wood waste,asphalt, rubble. This material can often be sep-arated for beneficial use.

Convenience center (also citizen’s dropoff orgreen box): Small transfer facilities used inlow-volume or rural settings. These low-tech-nology options often use rolloff boxes with aninclined ramp for cars and pickups. Bins canbe included for recyclables that are source-separated.

Direct haul: The historic practice of sendingcollection vehicles (mostly garbage trucks)directly to the landfill without using transferstations. When landfills were close to thewaste sources, a residential collection vehiclecustomarily made two trips per day to thelandfill.

Host community benefits: A transfer stationor landfill operator can offer specific benefitsto the community selected for a proposedfacility. The benefits are listed in a HostCommunity Agreement. Benefits can includecash, free tipping, highway improvements,and tax reductions.

Household hazardous wastes (HHW): HHWcome from residences, are generally producedin small quantities, and consist of commonhousehold discards such as paints, solvents,herbicides, pesticides, and batteries.

Loadout: The process of loading outboundtransfer trailers with waste; or loading truckswith recyclables destined for the market.

Municipal solid waste (MSW): Generallydefined as discards routinely collected fromhomes, businesses, and institutions, and thenonhazardous discards from industries.

Queuing distance: The space provided forincoming trucks to wait in line.

Source-separated: Recyclables discarded andcollected in containers separate from non-recy-clable waste. Bins or blue bags are used toseparate residential recyclables; separate boxesor containers are used for commercial/indus-trial discards (e.g., corrugated cardboard pack-aging, wood pallets). Source-separated wastesusually are delivered to a material recoveryfacility.

Surge pit: A pit usually made of concrete thatreceives waste from the tipping floor. Surgepits provide more space for temporary storageat peak times and allow for additional com-paction of waste before loadout.

53Glossary of Terms and Acronyms

Glossary of Terms andAcronyms

Tipping fee: The unit price charged at the dis-posal site or transfer station to accept waste,usually expressed as dollars per ton or dollarsper cubic yard.

Tipping floor: The floor of the transfer stationwhere waste is unloaded (tipped) for inspec-tion, sorting, and loading.

Tons per day (TPD): The most common unitof measurement for waste generation, trans-fer, and disposal. Accurate TPD measure-ments require a scale; conversion from “cubicyards” without a scale involves estimateddensity factors.

Walking floor: A technology built in to light-weight transfer trailers and used to unloadwaste at the disposal site. Moving panels“walk” the waste out of the trailer bed.

Waste diversion: The process of separatingcertain materials at the transfer station toavoid the cost of hauling and the tipping feeat the landfill.

Waste screening: Inspecting incoming wastesto preclude transport of hazardous wastes,dangerous substances, or materials that areincompatible with transfer station or landfilloperations.

54 Glossary of Terms and Acronyms

A-1Appendix A: State Transfer Station Regulations

The table starting on page A-2 isdesigned to serve as a quick refer-ence guide and comparative indexof all state transfer station regula-tions. Almost all of these regula-

tions are available over the Internet, and theURLs are provided at the end of this section.

Permit Requirements. Nearly all states requiretransfer facilities to obtain a permit beforebeginning operations. The vast majority ofstates issue standard permits after a transfer sta-tion’s application has been reviewed andapproved. A few states have permit-by-rule pro-visions, which allow transfer stations to foregothe application process by demonstrating com-pliance with a set of designated standards. Ofthe states not requiring permits for transfer sta-tions, about half require the facility to registerwith the state prior to beginning operation.

Siting Requirements. Siting requirementsrefer to any additional regulatory require-ments beyond relevant and applicable state orlocal zoning requirements or conditions. Sitingrequirements could include prohibitionsagainst siting in or near wetlands, floodplains, endangered species habitats, airports,or other protected sites.

Design Standards. Nearly all states have atleast minimal design criteria for transfer sta-tions. These requirements typically set stan-dards for waste receiving areas andwaste-storage areas that include buildingstructural features, access control, vector con-trol, and dust and odor controls.

Operational Standards. These standards estab-lish how the transfer station will be run andhow wastes will be handled. Standards ofteninclude hours of operation, safety issues, littercontrol, dust and odor control, disease vectorcontrol, facility cleaning/sanitation practices,waste removal, traffic control, and contingencies.

Operator Certification. Only five states havemandatory operator certification for transferstation operators (Arkansas, New Hampshire,New Mexico, New York, and Ohio). Other

state regulations stipulate that a transfer sta-tion operator must be a “qualified solid wastemanager” but do not have requirements forany specific type of certification.

Storage Restrictions. Many states have estab-lished time limits on how long waste mayremain in a transfer station. Storage timerestrictions vary from state to state, and some-times even within a state, depending upon thesize of the transfer station.

Recordkeeping Requirements. The majorityof states require a transfer station to maintainonsite records of all incoming and outgoingwaste as well as copies of the facility permit,operating plan, contingency plan, and proof offinancial assurance, when such things areapplicable.

Reporting Requirements. Many states requiretransfer stations to submit reports at leastannually to the state environmental agency.These reports often include information such asthe name and location of the transfer station,the amounts and types of waste accepted, andthe source and final destination of this waste.

Monitoring Requirements. Monitoring refersto any surface water, soil, or air compliancemonitoring that a transfer station may berequired to perform by its state.

Closure Requirements. Closure requirementsinclude standards or timetables for removingwastes and cleaning the transfer station siteafter the facility stops receiving waste and per-manently ends operations. Most states withclosure requirements require transfer stationsto remove all wastes and close the facility in amanner that eliminates any threats to humanhealth and the environment and minimizesthe need for further maintenance.

Financial Assurance Requirements. Some statesrequire transfer stations to demonstrate that theyhave sufficient funds to properly close the facili-ty when it ceases operation. Financial assurancemechanisms often include trust funds, insurancepolicies, letters of credit, or other financial tests.

Appendix A: State TransferStation Regulations

A-2 Appendix A: State Transfer Station Regulations

State Regulation Permit Siting Design Operational Operator Requirements Requirements Standards Standards Certification

Alabama Chapter Yes Yes Yes Yes No420-3-5-.12

Alaska 18 AAC 60 No No No Yes No

Arizona None1 No - But must No No Yes Noself-certify or notify state2

Arkansas Reg. 22, Yes Yes Yes Yes YesChapter 9

California Title 14 Yes No Yes Yes NoArticle 6

Colorado 6 CCR 1007-2 No4 No Yes Yes No

Connecticut 22a-209 RCSA Yes Yes No Yes Yes

Delaware Delaware S.W. Yes Yes Yes Yes NoRegs., Section 10

Florida Rule 62-701- Yes Yes Yes Yes NoFAC

Georgia Chapter 391- Yes - Permit-by- No No Yes No3-4 rule, must notify

state

Hawaii Title II, Yes No Yes Yes NoChapt. 58.1

Idaho (current IDAPA 58.01.06 Yes - Conditional No No Yes Norules use permit

Idaho (proposed IDAPA 16 Yes Yes Yes Yes Norule)5

Illinois IAC Title 35, Yes No No (Yes)6 No (Yes) NoSubtitle G, Chapter I, Subchapter I, Part 807, Subparts A&B

Indiana 329 IAC 11 Yes No No Yes No

Iowa IAC 567 Yes No Yes Yes NoChapter 100

Kansas KAR 28-29 Yes Yes Yes Yes No

State Transfer Station Regulations


Storage Recordkeeping Reporting Monitoring Closure FinancialRestrictions Requirements Requirements Requirements Requirements Assurance

Requirements

Yes - 24 hours Yes No No Yes No

No No No No No No

No No No No No No

Yes - No extended Yes Yes - Periodic No No Yes - At state storage of discretionputrescibles

Yes - 48 hours for Yes Yes - Quarterly Possible - As part Yes Nofacilities; within 7 of nuisance control

days for operations3 measures

Yes - No overnight Yes No No Yes Nostorage on tipping floor

Yes - 48 hours Yes Yes No No No

Yes - 72 hours, all Yes Yes Possible - State may Yes Yesovernight storage in require post-closure enclosures monitoring

No Yes No No No No

No No No No Yes No

No Yes Yes - Annual, No Yes Noby June 30

No Yes No No No No

No Yes No No Yes No

No (Yes) No (Yes) No (Yes) No Yes No

Yes - Remove next Yes Yes - Annual, by No Yes Yesday (except on January 31 and weekends and quarterly tonnage holidays) reports

Yes - 72 hours No No No Yes No

Yes - Loaded into Yes Yes - Annual, by Possible - At state’s Yes Yestransfer vehicle March 1 discretionnext day


Kentucky 401 KAR 47 Yes - Registered Yes No Yes Nopermit-by-rule

Louisiana LAC 33: VII Yes Yes Yes Yes NoSubpart I

Maine ME SW Mgt. Yes Yes Yes Yes NoRules Chapter 402

Maryland Title 26 Yes No Yes Yes NoChapter 07

Massachusetts 310 CMR 16.00 Yes Yes Yes Yes No& 19.00

Michigan MAC R299, Yes Yes Yes Yes NoPart 5

Minnesota Chapter 7035 Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Mississippi Section V Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Missouri 10 CSR 80-5 Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Montana ARM Title 17 Yes Yes Yes Yes NoChapter 50, Sub-Chapters 4 and 5

Nebraska Title 132 Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Nevada NAC 444.666 No7 No Yes Yes No

New Hampshire NHCAR Env- Yes Yes Yes Yes YesWm Chapters 314 & 2100 RSA 149M

New Jersey NJAC 7:26 Yes Yes - Must Yes Yes Noperform an EHIS

New Mexico 20 NMAC 9.1 Yes No No Yes Yes

New York 6 NYCRR Yes Yes Yes Yes YesPart 360

North Carolina NCAC Title 15A, Yes No No Yes NoSubchapter 13B



No Yes No No No No

No Yes Yes - Annual, No Yes Yesby August 1

No Yes Yes - Annual, Possible - At state’s Yes Yesby October 31 discretion

Yes - No overnight No Yes - Annual No No Nostorage, unless in containers

Yes - no Yes No No Yes Possible - At state’s accumulation of discretionodor-causing wastes

Yes - No overnight, No No No No Nounless in closed containers

Yes - 1 week if in Yes Yes - Annual, Possible - At state’s Yes Noleak-and vector- by February 1 discretionproof container or enclosure

Yes - Waste Yes No No No Noremoved at least once per week

Yes - No Yes No No No Yesputrescibles longer than 24 hours

Yes - waste No Yes - Annual, No No Nocontainers emptied by April 1at least once a week

No Yes No No Yes Yes

Yes - 72 hours Yes No No Yes Noafter acceptance

Yes - Remove Yes Yes - Annual, No Yes Yesputrescibles within by March 311 week or before producing an odor

Yes - No Yes Yes - Monthly No No Noovernight storage

Yes - <250 yards3, Yes Yes - Annual, No - But must Yes Yesevery other day; within 45 days of demonstrate >250 yards3, no end of calendar groundwater will overnight storage year be protected

Yes - When all Yes Yes Yes Yes Possible - At state’s containers full or discretion7 days

No No No Possible - At state’s No Nodiscretion


Requirements


North Dakota Article 33-20 Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Ohio 3745-27- Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes(15, 21-24)

Oklahoma OAC 252:520 Yes Yes No Yes No

Oregon OAR Chapter Yes No Yes Yes No340, Division 96

Pennsylvania 25 PA Code Yes Yes Possible - at Yes NoChapt. 271, 279 state’s discretion

Rhode Island Solid Waste Yes Yes Yes Yes NoRegulation No.1 & No.3

South Carolina Chapter 61, Yes Yes Yes Yes NoPart 8 (61-107.7)

South Dakota Article 74:27 Yes No Yes Yes No

Tennessee Chapter Possible8 - Yes Yes Yes No1200- 1-7 Permit-by-rule

Texas 30 TAC, Yes Yes Yes Yes NoChapter 330

Utah R315-313 No9 No Yes Yes No

Vermont Chapter 6 Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Virginia Title 9 VAC Yes - Permit- Yes Yes Yes No20-8-340 by-rule

Washington WAC 173-304 Yes No Yes Yes No

West Virginia 33 CSR 1 Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Wisconsin NR 502.07 Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Wyoming 3292 Chapter 6 Yes Yes Yes Yes No



No Yes Yes No Yes No

Yes - Must be in Yes Yes - Annual, by Possible - At state’s Yes Yescovered container April 1 discretionor building if stored longer than 12 hours

Yes - 24 hours Yes Yes - Monthly, No Yes Yes(48 hours with by the 10th of vector/odor each monthcontrols)

No Possible - At state’s Possible - At state’s No No Nodiscretion discretion

Yes - 24 hours Yes Yes - Annual, Possible - At state’s Yes Yes(up to 72 over by June 30 discretionweekend)

Yes - Remove No No No Yes Yes - Though state combustible SW may wave if within 48 hours decides

unnecessary

Yes - Remove Yes No Possible - At state’s Yes Noputrescibles w/in discretion24 hours

No Yes No No Yes No

No Yes No No Yes Yes - If facility has storage capacity of 1000 yds3 or greater

No Yes No No Yes Possible

Yes - 7 days Yes Yes - Annual, No Yes Noby March 1

Yes - Remove Yes Yes - Quarterly No Yes Yeswaste from tipping floor by end of operating day

Yes - Remove No No No Yes Yeswaste at end of work day

No Yes Yes - Annual, No Yes Noby March 1

Yes - Remove Yes Yes - Monthly No Yes Yeswaste at end of tonnage reports; day/not more than and annual by 24 hours January 31

Yes - 24 hours No No Possible - At state’s Yes Possible - At state’s (with some discretion discretionexceptions)

No Yes No Possible - At state’s Yes Yesdiscretion


Requirements

Notes


1. Arizona currently does not have regulations gov-erning waste transfer stations, but the ArizonaRevised Statutes (ARS) have requirements thatgovern these facilities. The information in thismatrix reflects these statutory requirements foundat ARS 49-762.

2. In Arizona transfer stations that receive greaterthan 180 cubic yards/day must self-certify anddemonstrate that the facility is in compliance withstate rules. Transfer stations receiving less than180 cubic yards/day must notify the state prior tocommencement of operations and operate inaccordance with state BMPs.

3. California classifies a transfer station as a facility ifit receives greater than 60 cubic yards or 15 tonsof waste per day or as an operation if it receivesless than 60 cubic yards or 15 tons of waste perday.

4. While Colorado does not require a permit fortransfer stations, the local governing body (countyor municipal government) may.

5. Idaho has proposed a three-tiered system basedupon the type of waste handled at a facility. Thismatrix assumes a solid waste transfer stationwould be considered a Tier II facility.

6. Illinois does not have explicit design, operating,storage, recordkeeping, or reporting requirementsin its regulations. The state establishes these stan-

dards for each facility by requiring a facility todemonstrate in its permit application that it willmeet specific standards. The Illinois regulationsrequire a facility to provide to the state all theinformation requested in its permit application andonce the permit is approved to comply with theterms of its permit.

7. While no permit is required in Nevada, a facilitymust submit and have approved by the state anapplication to build or modify a transfer stationprior to any action being taken.

8. In Tennessee transfer stations that compact orotherwise process waste are considered “process-ing facilities” and are subject to the permit-by-rulerequirements. If no processing occurs at a transferstation, then the facility is not subject to permit-ting. Tennessee currently has rule amendmentsunder review which would make all transfer sta-tions subject to the permit-by-rule standards. Theresponses in this appendix apply to permit-by-rulefacilities.

9. While Utah does not require a transfer station toobtain a permit, it does require a transfer stationto get a plan approval. In a plan approval, theoperator states how the facility will meet thetransfer station guidelines found in the solid wasteregulations.

Transfer Stations: StateRegulations URLs (as of11/30/2001)Alabama: <www.adem.state.al.us/

RegsPermit/ADEMRegs/rules.html> Note:Chapter 420-3-5: Solid Waste Collection andTransportation Rules contain regulationsgoverning transfer stations but are notavailable on Alabama Public Health Website <www.alapubhealth.org/>.

Alaska: <www.state.ak.us/local/akpages/ENV.CONSERV/title18/title18.htm>

Arizona: Arizona Administrative Code<www.sosaz.com/public_services/Table_of_Contents.htm>. Applicable statutes arelocated at <www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/49/title49.htm>.

Arkansas: <www.adeq.state.ar.us/ftproot/Pub/regs/reg22.pdf>

California: <www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Law.htm>

Colorado: <www.cdphe.state.co.us/regulate.asp>

Connecticut: Regulations are not yet availableon the Internet (as of 12/3/01).

Delaware: <www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnrec2000/Divisions/AWM/hw/sw/swreg.htm>

Florida: <www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/solid_waste/default.htm>

Georgia: <www.ganet.org/dnr/environ/>

Hawaii: <www.state.hi.us/health/eh/shwb/sw/index.html>

Idaho:<www2.state.id.us/adm/adminrules/rules/IDAPA58/58INDEX.HTM> — Idaho hasproposed new solid waste managementrules, which will include additional require-ments for transfer stations. See <www2.state.id.us/adm/adminrules/bulletin/99index.htm> - Select Bulletin 99-8, Vol. 1.

Illinois: <www.ipcb.state.il.us/Title_35/main.htm>

Indiana: <www.in.gov/legislative/iac/title329.html>

Iowa: <www.legis.state.ia.us/IAC.html>

Kansas: <www.kdhe.state.ks.us/waste/bwm_download_page.html>

Kentucky: <www.nr.state.ky.us/nrepc/dep/waste/regs/regulati.htm>

Louisiana: <www.deq.state.la.us/planning/regs/title33/index.htm>

Maine: <www.state.me.us/sos/cec/rcn/apa/06/chaps06.htm>

Maryland: <www.mde.state.md.us/comar.html>

Massachusetts: <www.magnet.state.ma.us/dep/matrix.htm>

Michigan: <www.deq.state.mi.us/wmd/SWP/sw_r&s.htm>

Minnesota: <www.pca.state.mn.us/rulesregs/index.html>

Mississippi: <www.deq.state.ms.us/newweb/homepages.nsf> Look underOffice of Pollution Control.

Missouri: <mosl.sos.state.mo.us/csr/10csr.htm>

Montana: <www.deq.state.mt.us/dir/legal/title17.asp>

Nebraska: <www.deq.state.ne.us/RuleandR.nsf/Pages/Rules>

Nevada: <ndep.state.nv.us/admin/nrs.htm>

New Hampshire: <www.des.state.nh.us/desadmin.htm>

New Jersey: <www.state.nj.us/dep/dshw/resource/rules.htm>

New Mexico: <ftp://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/regulations/20nmac9_1.txt>

New York: <www.dec.state.ny.us/website/regs/index.html>

North Carolina: <wastenot.ehnr.state.nc.us/swhome/rule.htm>

North Dakota: <www.health.state.nd.us/ndhd/environ/wm/>

Ohio: <www.epa.state.oh.us/dsiwm/pages/currentrule.html>


A-10

Oklahoma: <www.deq.state.ok.us/rules/rulesindex.htm>

Oregon: <arcweb.sos.state.or.us/rules/OARS_300/OAR_340/340_tofc.html>

Pennsylvania: <www.pacode.com/>

Rhode Island: <www.state.ri.us/dem/pubs/regs/index.htm>

South Carolina: <www.lpitr.state.sc.us/coderegs/statmast.htm>

South Dakota: <legis.state.sd.us/rules/index.cfm>

Tennessee: <www.state.tn.us/sos/rules/1200/1200-01/1200-01.htm>

Texas: <www.tnrcc.state.tx.us/oprd/rules/indxpdf.html>

Utah: <www.deq.state.ut.us/EQSHW/swrules.htm>

Vermont: <www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/rules/rulessum.htm>

Virginia: <www.deq.state.va.us/waste/wasteregs.html>

Washington: <access.wa.gov/government/awlaws.asp>

West Virginia: <www.wvsos.com/csr/>

Wisconsin: <www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/code/>

Wyoming: <soswy.state.wy.us/cgi-win/sscgi_1.exe>

Appendix A: State Transfer Station Regulations

United States Environmental Protection AgencySolid Waste and Emergency Response (5306W)EPA530-R-02-002June 2002

Date post:	14-Feb-2017
Category:	Documents
Upload:	phungcong
View:	217 times
Download:	2 times

Waste Transfer Stations: A Manual for Decision-Making

Documents