Texans generate on an average about 6.83 pounds of trash per person per day, which translates to the average household generating over a ton of trash per year. This trash must be disposed and/or processed properly; as citizens we should handle our trash in manner which is environmentally sound, efficient and as economical as possible for everyone to enjoy the benefits of such a system, but many types of waste simply cannot be recycled or handled in any other economical way that does not pose issues. Therefore, the sensible  and necessary answer is its disposal at well-designed and well-run municipal solid waste landfill (MSWLF).

A municipal solid waste landfill (MSWLF) is a discrete area of land or excavation that receives household waste/garbage. They are federally and state regulated facilities that are well-engineered and managed for the disposal of municipal solid wastes and other types of nonhazardous wastes. some examples of wastes received by these facilities are commercial solid waste, nonhazardous sludge, conditionally exempt small quantity generator waste, and industrial nonhazardous solid waste. Landfills are located, designed, operated and monitored to ensure compliance with both local, state and federal regulations. They are also designed to protect the environment from contaminants, which may be present in the waste stream. Landfills cannot be built in environmentally-sensitive areas, and they are placed using on-site environmental monitoring systems. These monitoring systems check for any sign of groundwater contamination and for landfill gas, as well as provide additional safeguards. Today’s landfills must meet stringent design, operation and closure requirements established under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

Prior to the beginning of any operations and the acceptance of any waste streams a modern landfill in Texas undergoes a vigorous and extensive permitting review process by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, that is is also in charge of inspecting Texas landfill's and their operations. TCEQ's permits ensure that a landfill is properly designed, constructed, and operated. The agency plays a lead role in ensuring the federal criteria for operating municipal solid waste and industrial waste landfills regulations are met, and they may set more stringent requirements; at a minimum a landfill permit shall address seven major aspects of MSWLF's, which include but are not limited to the following:

• Closure and post closure care requirements
• Composite liner requirements
• Corrective action provisions
• Financial assurance
• Groundwater and gas monitoring requirements
• Leachate collection and removal systems
• Location restrictions
• Operating practices

To prevent pollution and nuisances, our permits contain requirements for:

• Compacting and covering waste (with dirt or other cover materials) to control odors and pests
• Installing fences to prevent windblown trash
• Installing liners to prevent waste from seeping out of the landfill
• Venting and capturing methane gas to prevent hazards

By obtaining this permit, the owners and operators of the municipal solid waste landfill agree to follow its requirements.

The Edinburg Regional Disposal Facility is comprised of an active Type I Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfill and a Type IV Construction/ Demolition (C&D) Landfill which are owned and operated by the City of Edinburg under the oversight of the Department of Solid Waste Management. The landfills are adjoining each other and are located on the north side of Edinburg approximately 8 miles from downtown on US 281/ I 69C.

The facility includes 2 separate permitted areas (Permit 956B and 2302), which consist of approximately 500 acres, respectively. Permit 956 permitted area began receiving waste in the 1990’s and is currently operational today; it is currently under a permit application for a lateral/horizontal expansion. Permit 2302 began receiving waste in late 2004 and is a true Type IV C&D waste disposal facility utilizing a modern alternate liner design.