Wisconsin’s largest landfill wants to expand again

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WIDNR

The operators of Wisconsin’s largest landfill are asking state regulators to approve plans to expand by moving contaminated garbage to make room for more waste.

The owners of the expansive Orchard Ridge landfill in the Milwaukee suburb of Menomonee Falls are asking the Department of Natural Resources allow them to dig up some 1.3 million cubic yards of contaminated waste and move it elsewhere on the 725-acre property.

The Journal Sentinel reports the project, along with another expansion approved this spring, was expected to add another 21 years to the life of the landfill. A longer lifespan means millions of dollars in revenue for the village, which will earn about $3 million in tipping fees this year.

The Waukesha County Environmental Action League is raising concerns about potential environmental threats from the expansion.

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