A new trash compactor was put to use Monday at Eddy County’s Sandpoint Landfill after the county agreed to pay $728,000 to purchase the equipment in response to increased need. 

Eddy County’s Board of County Commissioners May 3 approved purchase of a  Volvo landfill compactor for the landfill east of Carlsbad.

Eddy County Public Works Director Jason Burns said the new machine replaced a six-year-old compactor that had 10,000 hours of use.

More:City of Carlsbad prepares for increased trash pickups in 2022

“It was kind of getting on the used side of things and it was reaching the lease expiration on it,” he said.

Eddy County Manager Allen Davis said purchasing the new compactor provided a better option than leasing.

“Our experience with previous maintenance agreements wasn’t as advantageous as advertised,” Davis said. “It became very expensive for a maintenance program.”

Burns said landfill managers tested various compactors and approved the performance of the Volvo model.

“What we’re expecting is it will increase our compaction rates for the landfill, and we’ll be able more efficient with a new machine,” he said.

And that could come to good use, officials said, as Eddy County, Carlsbad and Artesia saw increased trash amid growth in population. 

Trash collection was higher in the first quarter of 2022 than it was during the same time period in 2021 in Carlsbad and Artesia, records show, while Eddy County had less trash collected. 

During the first three months of 2022, the City of Carlsbad deposited 13,020 tons of trash in the landfill, while the City of Artesia put in 5,430 tons.

That means Carlsbad deposited about 51 percent of the trash in the landfill during that time period, while Artesia deposited 21 percent and other Eddy County residents accounted for 27 percent. 

Eddy County residents outside of its two municipalities contributed 6,984 tons trash to the landfill, per data from the City of Carlsbad Solid Waste Department.

During the first three months of 2021, Carlsbad produced 12,149 tons of trash, Artesia had 5,202 tons of trash and Eddy County produced 7,107 tons, according to the Carlsbad Solid Waste Department figures.

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Burns said trash taken in at Sandpoint Landfill comes and goes with activity in Eddy County’s oilfields.

“As oil goes up our intake goes up and it decreases as oil goes down. We are seeing an uptick but with the new equipment we expect to see an increase in our efficiency,” Burns said.

He said the new compactor was part of a multi-phase operation of increasing efficiency at the Sandpoint Landfill.

More:Complaints of illegally dumped trash prompts Eddy County to mull ordinance

Burns said a new bulldozer was forthcoming for the landfill and installation of a tipping station in 2021 improved safety for the general public as crews haul trash from the lower level of the landfill to the top portion.

Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter. 

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