By Joseph Edgerton
Staff Writer

Burn baby, burn.

That was the unanimous decision of the 27-town cooperative in charge of waste disposal which Pembroke and Allenstown are part of. The cooperative opted for the continued use of the Penacook incinerator over the immediate use of a Canterbury landfill.

BEFORE BURNING – This is the “tipping area,” where trash is gathered before incineration. Trash from 27 towns, including Pembroke and Allenstown, is processed at the Concord incinerator. (Joe Edgerton Photo)

"The co-op members considered an alternative, but decided to continue using the incinerator," said Jim Presher, director of the cooperative for the last 12 years. "We've had a pretty good deal so far."

But how will the latest development affect taxpayers?

Taxpayers whose towns are part of the cooperative pay a fixed fee for waste disposal.

"We pay $370,000 a year for 7,000 people, which works out to $53 per person, or $185 per household," said Walter Norris, director of Public Works in Pembroke. "We estimate that by 2009 the price will increase by about a third."

The towns in the cooperative pay a flat rate based on tons of trash. The current rate hovers around $39 a ton, paid to the Wheelabrator Technologies Incorporated.

"Eventually, the cost of disposing of solid waste is going to go up," said Presher. "For comparison, using 2005 dollars, it could be up around $52 per person by 2010."

As the prices for disposal increase, the spaces for disposal decrease. Presher said with expansion and development, the Franklin landfill could remain in operation until 2014, or, at best, 2018.

The Canterbury landfill, which Presher said was purchased for $650,000 in 1999, has a life expectancy of roughly 23 years. However, its proximity to wetlands makes obtaining permits and licenses difficult.

"One of a few advantages of the incinerator deal is that it gives us time to work on the Canterbury landfill," said Presher. Norris said the landfill also has another advantage.

"I agree with the decision to continue incinerating," he said. "But at the same time, I think it's a good idea to have the landfill because it gives Wheelabrator a little competition."

While the residents all pay a flat rate, different towns naturally contribute different levels of trash.

Norris said, "The (Pembroke) truck picks up about 12 tons of compacted trash a day, which is the capacity for your average packer truck."

The current cost per ton of trash is $39, according to Norris. Additionally, each town in the cooperative has a GAT, or Guaranteed Annual Tonnage. According to Allenstown Town Administrator David Jodoin, Allenstown's GAT is 3,200 tons a year for a population of nearly 5,000. Pembroke, with a population of more than 7,200, has a GAT of 4,700 tons.

"Trash is a pretty big issue here," said Jodoin. "It has to go somewhere, and I think that for now incineration is the best option."

Presher helped clarify the measurements of trash.

He said, "Basically, one uncompacted cubic yard of trash weighs between 150 and 300 pounds, maybe 225 on average."

A cubic yard is about the same size as a dishwasher, and 10 uncompacted cubic yards is roughly one ton of trash. Presher says that once the trash is incinerated, the remaining wet ashes are half the weight of the original trash, and occupy 85 percent less volume.