By Kevin Lavery, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Westfall asked the St. Louis County Council last week to approve a six-month moratorium on the approval of new trash transfer stations in the county.
The issue springs from public opposition to a proposal to build a trash transfer station in Oakville. Residents have expressed concern about traffic, noise and pollution such a station might create. Westfall believes those concerns are legitimate:
"Some of the reaction, I think, was an overreaction, but all of it was genuine in my opinion," Westfall said. "So, I'm listening very clearly to what they're saying and have never seen such a number of e-mails and letters and phone calls. They don't want it, I think there's some legitimate reasons why it shouldn't go there, and I'm opposed to it."
Westfall says six months should be enough time to consider whether stricter regulations regarding trash transfer stations should be enforced.