By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

COEUR d'ALENE — Kootenai County is hoping to curb illegal dumping and dumpster diving with Thursday's opening of a new lighted and paved rural collection site that will be under surveillance near Rose Lake.

The $360,000 site on Highway 3 just south of Interstate 90, which was funded with solid waste fees, will consolidate two existing sites in the Rose Lake area that are on the north side of the freeway and next to the community center.

It’s also part of the county's long-range plan to have all rural collection sites on county land instead of on rights of way.

"The new site has fencing so you won't be able to see it from the highway, lighting and surveillance as a deterrent for better control of what is deposited there and the illegal activities that are occurring," said Solid Waste director Cathy Mayer, who briefed county commissioners on her department's projects Monday.

Despite public education campaigns, increased patrols and surveillance at some other rural collection sites, Mayer said illegal dumping and dumpster diving remain a problem countywide.

"We had to chase someone out of a dumpster a week or so ago," she said.

A recent glaring example of illegal dumping occurred at the Mica-Kidd Island site, where rodent cages and animal waste filled the bins, said Solid Waste operations manager John Phillips.

"It was reported the material was from a commercial business that raised rats for pet food," he said.

Phillips said the material should have been taken to a transfer station instead for a cost. Photos of the suspect's vehicle have been turned over to the sheriff's office.

Trash at rural collection sites is limited to household items and small amounts of yard debris, not furniture, branches, appliances, construction and hazardous materials and batteries.

The current Rose Lake site along the freeway is the worst spot for illegal dumping because it’s easy to see, Mayer said, adding that problems have compounded because some Shoshone County residents have been using it, even though they don’t pay for it.

Mayer said the county purchased the new site across Highway 3 from the Conoco gas station last year. Structures on the property have power, but buildings will eventually be removed because they are not habitable.

"That area can be used for future expansion — if needed," Mayer said.

The project is part of the county's long-term plan to consolidate rural sites, make improvements to reduce illegal activities and have them on county land.

"We can't pave or improve them in the right of way, so we've slowly been developing new sites over the years," Mayer said.

A similar project in the Chilco area was completed five years ago. The next area on the list is in the Wolf Lodge area.

Mayer said East Side Highway District removed about 3,500 cubic feet of material for the new Rose Lake site at no cost to the county.

"They were able to use the material and we were able to have it removed," Mayer said.

Other Solid Waste updates:

- Mayer told commissioners that a 9.7 percent increase in waste hauled to the county's landfill in Fighting Creek is expected this year. As a result, revenue is projected to be about $450,000 more than anticipated.

"A lot of it is construction waste," she said, referring to the building boom.

- A $1.4 million project to construct a stabilization berm around the northwest side of the landfill for future lined cells will be completed in late September or early October.

- A $2.4 million, 16-acre project to button up waste received at the landfill from 1993 to 2013 with artificial turf is wrapping up this week. The project started a year ago.

A black plastic liner is laid on the waste first, then the artificial turf, called ClosureTurf, is applied on top, creating a green, maintenance-free and impermeable surface so rain can't reach the garbage.

The project was necessary to reduce water infiltration through the waste, Mayer said.