Seeking A Regional Approach To Waste Management

"Contrary to the opinions of many Amherst County residents, the solid waste system in the United States, in Virginia, in Central Virginia and, yes, in Amherst County is broken. Though the modern landfill is light-years of difference from the municipal dumps of just a couple of decades ago, it's still basically digging a hole in the earth, squeezing in as much trash as possible and covering it up again. As each of us is part of the problem, each of us must be part of the overall solution."

"Region 2000 has been studying the concept of a regional solid waste initiative for several years and thought a stop-gap solution to the long-term problem of trash disposal had been devised. By forming a regional authority and utilizing landfills in Lynchburg, Amherst and Campbell on a rotating basis, planners hoped to gain a 20-year bit of breathing room, time to develop new, high-tech, cost-effective ways to deal with solid waste well into the 21st century."

"Now, thanks to shortsightedness on the part of Amherst County's elected leaders, that's all thrown into doubt. At the very least, that 20-year window of opportunity has been severely shortened."