Three local waste haulers stand to get nearly $1.2 million 鈥� with one getting more than $1 million of that 鈥� in 鈥渆xtraordinary services鈥� pay from the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County for collecting nearly 94,000 exgtra cubic yards of trash in the days after Hurricane Matthew鈥檚 sideswipe.
The authority said just after the storm that volume was about 40 percent higher the Monday and Tuesday after the Oct. 6 near-hit than it was for Sept 26-27, before the storm became a threat.
How much is 94,396 yards? According to calculations, loading all of that in the imaginary cosmic-sized trailer of a single truck, 3 yards wide by 3 yards high, would create a pile stretching 10,488 yards, or nearly six miles.
According to a memo contained in the agenda package for the Feb. 8 meeting of the authority鈥檚 governing board, Waste Pro, which covers Service Area 1 鈥�- coastal central and northern Palm Beach County 鈥�- billed for 94,396 cubic yards, for a total of $1.18 million. Area 1 had the most effects as Matthew angled in on its march up the coast, John Archambo, the authority鈥檚 director of customer relations, said Wednesday.
Republic Services, which services Area 3 鈥� mostly in southern Palm Beach County – – submitted a summary of 1,376 extra cubic yards, for a total of $17,208, according to the agenda package.
Archambo said Wednesday that Advanced Disposal, in Area 2 – parts north and west of Area 1 鈥� collected an estimated 9,400 cubic yards and has requested about $117,000 but still is working on the paperwork.
He said the fourth provider, Waste Management (Areas 4 and 5), did not report especially heavy collections in those areas and has not submitted for extra pay.
The authority said Matthew knocked down a lot of vegetation but people also took the opportunity during preparation and cleanup to do mini-spring cleanings. The problem grew geometrically when pickups were canceled for Oct. 6-7.
None of the vegetation went to landfills; all of it was recycled as mulch or burned in the authority鈥檚 garbage burning plants, the authority has said.
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