Living Near a Garbage Transfer Station-Any Input (Phoenix, Buckeye: new construction, activities)

[wizfourfam]

Looking at new construction, but just discovered the Rainbow Valley Transfer Station just south of the community we are considering. I know about landfills, but this is a new concept for me. Are they noisy and smelly or am I blowing things out of proportion? Can they increase the size to accommodate an increasing population or turn the facility into something more? The county website just gives limited information. Would appreciate any input!!

[JGMotorsport64]

Depends on how set you are on that house. I wouldn't imagine a landfill would smell good on a hot summer day. I'd also imagine a lot of bugs and strays.

But if you're willing to put up with it I don't see why it'd be an issue. Some people mind some don't about those sorts of things.

[wizfourfam]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

Depends on how set you are on that house. I wouldn't imagine a landfill would smell good on a hot summer day. I'd also imagine a lot of bugs and strays.

But if you're willing to put up with it I don't see why it'd be an issue. Some people mind some don't about those sorts of things.

So is a Garbage Transfer Station like a short term landfill? I am trying to understand exactly what this is.

[Ponderosa]

A transfer station is where trucks collecting trash unload it for pickup by bigger trucks that haul it to the landfill. Usually there is no trash stored there. I have been there several times and never noticed a great deal of noise, smell, flies, etc. Definitely nothing like a landfill. It is a pretty much state of the art operation.

How close are you?

I live in the area. A bigger concern around here is the dairy operation on Elliot west of Estrella Prkway and some fields down in Rainbow Valley that spread manure from time to time. The dairy can be detected by nose some distance away, but it's just sort of a background smell in Estrella, not really bad. The flies were gawd awful from the ag activities this year. It was hard to go outside. Supposedly the county cracked down and they are gone. Probably was the heat. We haven't had them like that before, so I hope its a one off. Other things include at least one hay fire a year in Rainbow and one fire in the Gila River bed that give us some smoke depending on wind direction. As for the transfer station, you would never know its there from where I am but that is maybe 5 mile away.

[wizfourfam]

We are looking just north of there, maybe 1/4 to 1/2 mile away. New construction. Also just found out about the cattle/manure smell issues. We have visited the Estrella community many times, never encountered it. Just trying to get info on the vacant property adjacent to the southern borders, don't want any surprises down the road. KWIM??

Thanks for your input and any additional info on the area!

Stay cool! ☃

[kell490]

I go to the Phoenix transfer station at off I17 Jomax just west of the freeway it stinks in that place in the summer I would avoid anything with in a mile of those places the day you go there the wind might be blowing the other way.

[wizfourfam]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

Depends on how set you are on that house. I wouldn't imagine a landfill would smell good on a hot summer day. I'd also imagine a lot of bugs and strays.

But if you're willing to put up with it I don't see why it'd be an issue. Some people mind some don't about those sorts of things.

Do garbage transfer stations sit on landfills?? Is this a closed landfill site? I don't see any signs of an active landfill when I look at it on GoogleEarth

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by wizfourfam

Do garbage transfer stations sit on landfills?? Is this a closed landfill site? I don't see any signs of an active landfill when I look at it on GoogleEarth

No. There is no landfill near there. It is essentially a row of big dumpsters where you drop off your waste. It is then loaded onto trucks that hauls it to a landfill. There is also an area for vegetative waste like tree branches that gets mulched. The nearest landfill is in the Buckeye area by Lewis prison.

[wizfourfam]

I called the transfer station for info, but it was closed. I then called the alternate number for info and they advised what a garbage transfer station was. I then asked about apparent mulch that appears on google earth. They advised that they do accept greenery but that some of it is used to top/grade the landfill. I asked where the landfill is and this person stated the transfer station sits on top of it. It was closed in 1983 and did not accept any toxic items. No plans to expand or reopen it.

I lived a while back approx 5 miles from a closed landfill, it was green and beautiful. Locals hiked and sledded down the hills. Turned out it was a toxic mess and one of the superfund cleanup sites back then. Well water was contaminated for miles.

I am not sure I want to be anywhere near this if the info is true....