Horry County leaders want public input for new landfill expansion project

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - Managing waste in Horry County is not something many of us think about when we throw out our trash, but county leaders want you to. They need you to be involved with a new project to extend the county’s landfill.

It is all part of a larger strategy for managing county waste. The project will “piggyback” off the county’s current landfill. In order to do that, Horry County Solid Waste Authority officials need your ideas.

“Those are the types of things if we could hear from residents if there are things that didn’t occur to us, we might need to do to minimize disruption, we want to try and assist,” said Horry County Solid Waste Authority Board Chairman Bo Ives.

The proposal would expand Horry County’s landfill by 42 acres and its life by eight years. It is part of an effort to make sure there is enough space at the site off Highway 90.

Ives said this landfill expansion is the best current option the county has to manage county waste.

“We’re looking for as many alternatives as we can until we find an alternative, we want to make sure we’re allowing this county an opportunity to landfill until we can find a better alternative,” said Ives.

However, not everyone from the community supports the new expansion, which is why the county wants to hear from the community.

While some community members are against the expansion for fear of safety concerns, development traffic and even the smell that may come, SWA Board members said how this expansion is necessary to help fix Horry County’s waste problems.

Amelia Wood lives near Highway 90. She said over the years the growth and development in that area have caused problems. That is why she is asking people to join the committee.

“They care about what happens on Highway 90 and if they’d like to participate in Government, and what’s going to have an impact on their future and the future of their children,” said Wood.

The committee meeting is 4 p.m. Jan. 31. It will be next to the county council chambers. The public is encouraged to attend.

If you want to join the public committee you still can. You can also join the Highway 90 Corridor Concerns Facebook Group to see postings from members in the community concerning this project.

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