Seneca Lake Guardian has reacted to the news of last Thursday’s decision by the Ontario County Board of Supervisors to close the Ontario County Landfill in 2028.
“We applaud the strong and decisive leadership the Ontario County Board of Supervisors demonstrated by overwhelmingly voting to cease operations at their county’s landfill in 2028 when the contract with its operator expires,” said Yvonne Taylor, Vice President of Seneca Lake Guardian. “As we celebrate this action we must make one thing abundantly clear: the decision to close the Ontario County Landfill will have minimal impact on New York’s waste management system and will not create further dependence on the Seneca Meadows Landfill.”
Ontario County’s landfill, located along Routes 5 and 20 in the Town of Seneca, has operated since 1974. Since 2003, Casella Waste Systems has managed landfill operations and the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) under a 25-year lease agreement.
In addition to the resolution that memorializes the commitment to close the Ontario County landfill by December 31, 2028, when the current operations and management lease agreement expires a second resolution instructs the County’s Department of Sustainability and Solid Waste Management to identify viable strategies for achieving the county’s solid waste goals, emphasizing increased waste diversion and advancing sustainability.
“The Finger Lakes region has a rich history of leadership- from Innovators, Abolitionists, Suffragists, Activists, Inventors, Writers, and Internationally Recognized Wine producers,” added Taylor. “Some of the most impactful moments in American history over the past few centuries have been made in the Finger Lakes, and we must continue this tradition by leading New York toward a zero-waste, circular economy that uses landfills as a last resort. The solutions exist, let’s build the political capital to do this by closing New York’s largest landfill, Seneca Meadows next. History can continue to be made in the Finger Lakes, and together, we can achieve a healthier future for New York.”
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