Operators Look to Extend Life of N.C. Landfill

The landfill took in 233,786 tons in 2014-15.

The original parts of the Hanes Mill Road Landfill date to the 1970s, said Ed Gibson, solid-waste engineer for the city and county. The old waste areas are now hills covered in grass, prime spots for views of downtown Winston-Salem and Pilot Mountain.

Gas extraction wells occasionally dot the landscape, and a power-generation plant is located nearby. Gibson said there is a system to extract gas generated by decomposing waste, which is converted to energy and sold to a power company. The primary gas is methane.

In 2005, the landfill started using part of a new 90-acre area. Fifty-two of the acres have been lined for use so far, and another section — called a “cell” — is under construction.

In January, the City-County Utility Commission awarded a $4.7 million contract to Jimmy R. Lynch and Sons Inc. to construct cell five, which encompasses 15 of the 90 acres.

The work is scheduled to be done in December, said Daniel Lynch, project manager with Lynch. The company is currently grading the site.