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Geosyntee Consultants 7. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS This study compares the advantages and disadvantages of C&D debris disposal in a dedicated unlined landfill with those of co-disposal of C&D debris and MSW in a lined, Class I landfill . Florida rules approve both methods of disposal and each landfill facility owner can select the one most appropriate to their circumstances. Presently, the SWDD employs the separate disposal alternative whereby C&D debris is disposed of in an unlined C&D landfill operated by SWDD staff. MSW is disposed off in a lined, Class I landfill operated by Waste Management under a seven (7) year operating agreement with the SWDD Board. The cost for construction and operation of the unlined C&D landfill is determined by the SWDD ' s annual budget, which is required to fund all labor, equipment and administration expenses associated with this facility. The total cost for operating the Class I landfill consists of construction and closure expenses including long term care, estimated at $6 . 87 per ton landfill capacity; and the operation and maintenance cost determined by the disposal fee, which is defined by the operating agreement, and the quantity of MSW delivered for disposal. The economic analysis results indicate that the cost advantage or disadvantage of a particular method of disposal depends on the quantity of C&D waste delivered to the landfill . The SWDD funding method of an annual budget is less costly only when the quantity of C&D debris delivered for landfill disposal exceeds a minimum value. For the SWDD operating budget, this critical quantity is estimated at approximately 93 ,000 tons per year and is projected statistically to be reached in 2018 . Below this amount, it would be less costly to co-dispose the C&D debris in the Class I landfill along with MSW . The County could still experience years with C&D debris in excess of the critical amount prior to 2018 due to the occurrences of uncontrollable events such as hurricanes or periods of exceptionally high economic growth. However, based on past records, such quantities cannot be sustained by the projected County population until 2018 . The estimated crossover year of 2018 could change by any of the following events : • Different population growth rate. Higher rate of growth would advance the crossover year whereas a lower rate would distance it. • Change in operating cost of the Class I landfill . Increase in the contract fee to WM would advance the crossover year. • Establishment of a competing C&D debris recovery facility would distance the crossover year. JR70184 9 7/ 13/2007