Dive Brief:

• The Sanitation District of Los Angeles County began efforts to construct the $430 million trash train when it looked like space in nearby landfills was reaching capacity at a rapid pace. The cost of running the train system is too expensive to use at this time.
• Since construction began on the railway, space has opened up at an Orange County landfill. Projections are that the site could accept trash for at least a century, and for less expense than hauling it to the desert by train.
• Now, nearby landfills have become a viable option due to less waste entering the sites and the cost of disposal being half that of the cost of the trash train. According to the Orange County Register, hauling trash on the rail system costs $80 per ton.

Dive Insight:

The outcome of the railway system was altered due to unforeseen changes in waste markets. Los Angeles county's disposal needs plummeted as consumers bought less, and average daily tonnage dropped by 41% from 2005 to 2012, according to the Orange County Register. Recycling has been successful in increasing the diversion rate, which reduces the volume being hauled to the landfill. Another issue that impacted the train's success was that in order to fund the project, haulers increased their rates to cover fee increases implemented by the district.

The rail project is almost complete, and the county is still considering the train as an option for some point in the future. A trash train project is currently deadlocked in Seneca Falls, N.Y., as residents go head-to-head with the operators of the landfill.