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Trash Transfer Basics Trash transfer stations are a fairly recent phenomenon. As cities began producing more waste and sending it to landfills farther away, it became inefficient to transport waste in the small packer trucks that pick up the trash. Instead, trash transfer stations were created as a place to empty out the small packer trucks and load the waste into 18-wheel semi trailers. The stations can have serious effects on neighborhoods. Increases in truck traffic bring noise pollution, air pollution, and traffic hazards. The trash attracts rodents and seagulls, and dust from the trash can have serious effects on health. And, of course, the odor diminishes quality of life for neighbors. Together, these effects depress property values. Not all stations have these effects, though. When local governments require it, stations use technologies to significantly reduce these effects. Furthermore, zoning regulations can prevent trash transfer stations from being sited in residential areas in the first place. We need trash transfer stations, but we need them to be built right, to operate in a manner considerate to their neighbors, and with the best available technology. The informational links will elaborate on what these regulations and technologies can look like. Up to Top