Dave Prunty

"We are out of space, the site is full," said David Prunty, Norcal's general manager."It's been very difficult to market it."Norcal signed a 10-year contract with the Solid Waste System in 2000.The system is a joint venture of the city and county, but it is managed by the city.

"We are in discussions with them about the contract," Prunty said.

...
Prunty said Norcal entered Spokane's recycling market at a bad time.

Shortly after the San Francisco-based company signed its contract to operate the Colbert composting facility, the effects of the herbicide clopyralid in compost were being realized.

The herbicide is found in a Dow AgroSciences product called Confront, which has been popular with lawn care services in the region for killing weeds, Prunty said.

But when it gets into compost material that ends up in gardens or farm fields, it's also effective at killing broadleaf crops such as tomatoes and peas.

...
So far, it has only sold 7,000 cubic yards of the tainted material and is looking for alternative markets, Prunty said.

Prunty said he doesn't know when Norcal will be able to begin accepting yard waste again.He declined to say whether he believes Norcal will be able to make money at the Colbert facility.

"It's been difficult to move the product and that is essential to us being successful here," he said.

>

Dave Prunty, General ManagerNorcal Waste Systems of Spokane, Inc.22204 North Elk Chattaroy RoadColbert, WA 99005

(509) 238-1738, Customer Service(509) 238-1735, Fax

NORCALThis web site is best viewed with version 5.0 or later of Microsoft Internet Explorer.Email Webmaster with questions or comments about this web site.Copyright © 1998 Norcal Waste Systems, Inc.Last modified: February 01, 2002

Dave Prunty

When Dave Prunty took over as director of the Flathead County landfill, he brought several years of experience in waste management and a love for western Montana.

Prunty's first few weeks will be spent picking apart options for a possible landfill expansion and wading through menial tasks that coincide with getting a new job.He started Aug. 26, and a few days later was nearing the point of information overload.

"I'm just trying to get my arms around everything," he told county commissioners last Wednesday at his first monthly meeting with the board."I'm learning."

Prunty's been working in engineering and waste management since he graduated from college in 1992, employed much of that time by California-based firms.

"Whether it's here or in California, the garbage and the issues around it stay the same," he said.

But Prunty's also got what some people around these parts feel is a character blemish - he's a Bobcat fan.Considering Prunty's roots, though, most University of Montana Grizzlies fans should be able to find a way to forgive him.

"I was born and raised in Bozeman," said the Montana State University graduate.

After earning a civil-engineering degree from MSU, Prunty worked for an engineering company in Bozeman that specialized in waste management.He moved to California in 1995, working for NorCal Waste Systems in Marysville City and San Francisco.He directed a landfill in Spokane for a short time, and then he heard about the job in Kalispell.

"The desire to get back to Montana is always present," he said."So we went after it."

Prunty moved here with his wife, Jennifer, and their son.Raising a family also contributed to the couple's desire to get back to Montana.

"The thought of raising a kid in California, compared to here ... it was important to get back," he said.

His relocation came at a critical time, just after the installation of a lined cell to replace the old site and right as sanitation officials are beginning to map out possible expansion plans.Although it likely will be several years before expansion is necessary, Prunty and his crew intend to be prepared to handle the increased load of garbage produced by one of the state's fastest-growing counties.

"We just need to know where we're going as this new cell fills up," he said.

The south boundary of the landfill will expand by about 100 acres to accommodate the new site, he said.However, estimates of how much money or time the project will consume are not solid figures at this time, he said.

"We're in the very early stages, just conceptual plans," he said.

Prunty also is looking into ways to improve the recycling capability of the landfill.Producing compost is one way to do that, he said.

"Is there potential to make a product we can return to the community?"he asked."That's one issue we'll be looking at."

09/03/2002

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Dave Prunty is a longtime manager at Norcal Waste Systems, a private recycling and composting firm in Colbert, Wash.

He will take over as director of the county landfill in early August.A two-year contract was approved last week by both the solid-waste board and the county commissioners, interim landfill director Myrt Webb said.

"He's an outstanding candidate," Webb said.

Prunty was picked from a field of 17 candidates.He has an engineering degree from Montana State University in Bozeman.

Dave Prunty

When Dave Prunty took over as director of the Flathead County landfill, he brought several years of experience in waste management and a love for western Montana.

Prunty's first few weeks will be spent picking apart options for a possible landfill expansion and wading through menial tasks that coincide with getting a new job.He started Aug. 26, and a few days later was nearing the point of information overload.

"I'm just trying to get my arms around everything," he told county commissioners last Wednesday at his first monthly meeting with the board."I'm learning."

Prunty's been working in engineering and waste management since he graduated from college in 1992, employed much of that time by California-based firms.

"Whether it's here or in California, the garbage and the issues around it stay the same," he said.

But Prunty's also got what some people around these parts feel is a character blemish - he's a Bobcat fan.Considering Prunty's roots, though, most University of Montana Grizzlies fans should be able to find a way to forgive him.

"I was born and raised in Bozeman," said the Montana State University graduate.

After earning a civil-engineering degree from MSU, Prunty worked for an engineering company in Bozeman that specialized in waste management.He moved to California in 1995, working for NorCal Waste Systems in Marysville City and San Francisco.He directed a landfill in Spokane for a short time, and then he heard about the job in Kalispell.

"The desire to get back to Montana is always present," he said."So we went after it."

Prunty moved here with his wife, Jennifer, and their son.Raising a family also contributed to the couple's desire to get back to Montana.

"The thought of raising a kid in California, compared to here ... it was important to get back," he said.

His relocation came at a critical time, just after the installation of a lined cell to replace the old site and right as sanitation officials are beginning to map out possible expansion plans.Although it likely will be several years before expansion is necessary, Prunty and his crew intend to be prepared to handle the increased load of garbage produced by one of the state's fastest-growing counties.

"We just need to know where we're going as this new cell fills up," he said.

The south boundary of the landfill will expand by about 100 acres to accommodate the new site, he said.However, estimates of how much money or time the project will consume are not solid figures at this time, he said.

"We're in the very early stages, just conceptual plans," he said.

Prunty also is looking into ways to improve the recycling capability of the landfill.Producing compost is one way to do that, he said.

"Is there potential to make a product we can return to the community?"he asked."That's one issue we'll be looking at."

09/03/2002

Go Back

Go Back