Experts Say the Fort Worth Landfill is Filling Up Too Fast

NBC DFW writes that the Fort Worth landfill was supposed to be used for the next 50 years, but experts are worried that it’s filling up too quickly. In fact, the Assistant Director of Code Compliance for the City of Fort Worth, Robert Smouse, thinks it will only last for another 25 years at the rate the Fort Worth landfill is going.

“An estimated 240,000 20-pound bags of trash arrive at the landfill on a daily basis,” according to NBC DFW. “The escalating rate of trash arriving at the landfill is largely due to the rapid population growth in Fort Worth,” the news explains. Perhaps surprisingly, Fort Worth is the 16th largest city in all of the U.S., never mind its massive presence in the state of Texas alone, so of course, the city produces quite a bit of trash.

Part of the problem could also be a lack of recycling. While residents are encouraged to separate their trash and recyclables into two different bins, businesses normally only have receptacles for trash. In the future, the city could look at working to increase awareness of recycling among residents and encourage businesses to participate.

According to the City of Fort Worth website, the Southeast Landfill is located at 6288 Salt Road. As of now, residents with a driver’s license and matching water bill can pay $40 to dump up to one ton of materials. Hard hats, closed toed-shoes, a safety vest, and goggles must be worn while on the landfill property.