One of the most pressing issues facing CRRA today is landfill capacity. Its existing landfills will all be full in just a few years.

Its Hartford landfill is divided into two sections.

• One section is a fully-lined disposal area specifically designed to receive ash residue from its Mid-Connecticut Project.
• The other section receives bulky waste such as old furniture and rolls of carpeting and process residue from the refuse-derived fuel process at its Mid-Connecticut Project. This area is protected by a 40 foot-deep slurry wall around its perimeter, a storm water runoff collection system and a landfill gas collection system that burns gas created by decomposing waste and turns it into electricity.

When landfills reach capacity, they must be closed, meaning CRRA will need new locations for depositing ash and non-processible waste. CRRA will make the final delivery to the Hartford landfill in 2008.

But once a landfill is closed, state regulations require monitoring and maintenance for 30 years. At its Ellington and Shelton landfills, CRRA maintains groundwater monitoring and gas collection systems to keep the surrounding environment safe.

In the meantime, CRRA wants to know how you think the Hartford landfill should be used once it is closed. Click here to find out more and share your thoughts.