Based on 2014 disposal rates, the current remaining landfill life expectancy in Illinois is 21 years. Photo by Ashley Felton

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has released the Illinois Landfill Projections of Disposal Capacity Report for calendar year 2014. This is the 28th annual report, which presents data regarding the expected disposal capacity available for municipal waste at active Illinois landfills as of Jan. 1, 2015.

During calendar year 2014, 39 active landfills reported receiving over 44 million gate cubic yards of waste and reported more than 962 million gate cubic yards of combined remaining capacity as of January 1, 2015. Gate cubic yards is defined as the volume of waste entering the landfill’s gate. Based on 2014 disposal rates, the current remaining landfill life expectancy in Illinois is 21 years.

“Each year, Illinois EPA prepares this report to inform citizens of our current available landfill space and to aid local governments and private businesses in planning the safe management of waste in Illinois,” said Illinois EPA Director Lisa Bonnett. “This report is also a reminder of the importance of diverting waste from landfills by reusing and recycling whenever possible.”

Projected capacity fluctuates from year to year, as cells within landfills are filled and new ones are developed. In addition, capacity can increase at facilities due to the settling of and decomposition of waste.

The Illinois EPA also permits and regulates transfer stations and compost facilities. However, since these facilities do not permanently store waste, they are not subject to the same reporting requirements as landfills.

The Illinois Landfill Projections of Disposal Capacity report is available on the Illinois EPA website at: http://www.epa.illinois.gov/topics/waste-management/landfills/landfill-capacity/index.

— Illinois EPA releases annual report on landfill capacity —