SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): Southern Idaho Solid Waste has announced a major capital investment aimed at modernizing its long-standing waste management infrastructure to meet sharply rising disposal volumes across the region. Established in the early 1990s, the district’s facilities were originally designed to process far less material than they handle today, prompting the need for a comprehensive upgrade.
According to the agency, annual waste throughput has surged from roughly 85,000 tons to nearly 320,000 tons, placing significant strain on aging systems. To address this, the district has allocated about $36 million for the first phase of improvements, which will span seven counties in southern Idaho and cover nearly 10 facilities.
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Key upgrades are planned at the Milner Butte Landfill, including a redesigned entrance to ease congestion, modernized weighing scales, enhanced safety features, and a new building for employees. Additional projects include enhancements to roll-off sites in Cassia County, construction of a new transfer station in Jerome County, and refurbishment of an older Jerome County facility.
Bids for phase one are scheduled to close in March, with construction expected to last 14 to 16 months. A second phase is already being planned for facilities in Gooding, Minidoka, and Blaine counties, ensuring long-term reliability and environmental protection.