In reality, any viable solution to the garbage problem will be extremely expensive. An article in the Seattle Times discussed the prospects of shipping garbage to a landfill in Arlington, Ore., which is located across the Columbia River from the Tri Cities area. However, this may be expensive, since garbage from Whatcom County would probably have to be trucked to Snohomish County and then transferred to rail cars, and then taken to the Gilliam County, Ore., landfill along with the garbage from Snobomish County. However, reaching such a decision would take time. Time is one commodity which seems scarce right now.
Garbage remains a problem with no easy solution.
For the time being, TRC could act in good faith. Let's hope Jim Anderson, president of TRC, acts in the best interest of all concerned. As was stated by Dennis Hawkinson of the Ferndale City Council, the least TRC can do in restrict its incineration to waste produced in Whatcom County. He is a community columnist selected by The Bellingham Herald .