MACON, Ga. — Macon-Bibb's landfill received an almost perfect score this month, but it wasn't always that way.
Back in March, the landfill received a failing score and if they didn't fix their violations, the county could have faced some hefty fines.
Here's how the Solid Waste Department says they were able to bounce back.
"That's the highest score this landfill has made since October 2012," said Pat Raines, interim director for Solid Waste. "Am I excited? Of course I am."
Raines is feeling on top of the world, or at least on top of Macon-Bibb's landfill.
The Environmental Protections Division gave the landfill an almost perfect score of 95, which is a big jump from the results of their last inspection.
The landfill was facing violations for exposed trash and standing water pools in March. If they didn't fix those problems, the county could have been slapped with a fine or even a landfill shutdown.
"Not passing could be where the state could come in and say, 'we're shutting you down, you have 180 days,' and people in Macon don't want to not have a place to come and bring things," Raines said.
She says county employees worked overtime to level the top of the landfill and make sure everything was covered. Because of a recommendation from the EPD, Raines switched the materials they use to cover the trash.
They're using dirt now, which costs about $100,000 a month, but the epoxy shell they used to spray to break down the trash only cost $4,000 a month.
"Our team really came together, and they worked really hard to come from a 50 to a 95, the team worked really hard," Raines said. "The only reason they didn't get a 100, because the landfill slopes down and collects water in the middle. That's going to continue to be a problem until we properly grade it or ditch it or the close the top permanently."
Raines says she plans on more training for landfill staff on the epoxy shell spray. She hopes to convince the EPD to allow them to switch back for some big savings.
She also says they'll begin looking for new transfer-station sites for people to drop trash off at. She says right now, they're slated to close this landfill in three years.