RALEIGH (AP) -- A state official today outlined recommendations for a law meant to make North Carolina's landfills cleaner and safer for the environment.
The director of the Division of Waste Management made the proposals to the Legislature's Environmental Review Commission. They'll be written up in bill form so they can be introduced in the House and Senate.
The official, Dexter Matthews, said his agency recommends that applicants for landfill permits face a stronger screening process to make sure they haven't broken any environmental laws, and that they've got enough money to fix any problems such as leaks that arise at the new facility.
The proposals call for creating new rules for transporting solid waste by railway or barge, and for strengthening the current rules and safety standards for new and existing landfills.
They also include a schedule of permit fees for solid waste facilities, and a statewide surcharge on solid waste disposal.
The surcharge would help pay for clean-up of abandoned landfills and hazardous waste sites.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
