"Today's Trash. Tomorrow's Green Energy." That's the logo you'll see on Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority trucks driving to and from their Harrisburg Pike complex.

LCSWMA has taken its goal to manage solid waste and recyclables one step further with the completion of a $3 million, 40,000-square-foot transfer station complex. The station has been operating since last summer, and final construction was finished in April.

A dedication ceremony was held Friday afternoon at LCSWMA grounds for the $31.3 million station. But instead of a traditional ribbon-cutting, the LCSWMA board of directors and staff were invited to toss garbage bags into a new waste transfer trailer.

Each year, an estimated 75,000 garbage loads are transported to the transfer station, which compacts waste, James Warner, LCSWMA executive director, said.

A small-vehicle drop-off building also was constructed at the station for Lancaster residents to deliver waste in smaller vehicles and trucks.

"The waste comes here first, is consolidated and transferred to the Frey Farm landfill or resource recovery facility," Warner said. Frey Farm Landfill is located in Conestoga, and the resource recovery facility is in Bainbridge.

Visitors to the complex used umbrellas for a walking tour of the station, on which construction began in March 2005. They were able to watch as waste was sorted into three categories: construction and demolition; household; and single-stream (recyclable). Single-stream waste, such as aluminum, glass and paper, is transported to various recycling facilities, Jeff Munster, transfer station complex manager, said.

More than 100 guests attended the ceremony, and visitors included state Sen. Mike Brubaker and county Commissioners Craig Lehman, Scott Martin and Dennis Stucky.

"Solid waste management is a forward-thinking organization," Lehman said at the dedication. "They preserve the quality of life we have here, and provide a service to residents of Lancaster County that is affordable."

This year, the station received 240,116 tons of garbage and 64,647 inbound loads of garbage. The staff transferred 14,027 outbound loads. The station achieved an 82 percent reduction in traffic to disposal facilities.

Barbara Hammel, board of directors chairperson, commended LCSWMA for the service it provides. "They really are the leader in the field of solid waste management," Hammel said.

LCSWMA will hold an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. June 21 for those interested in visiting the transfer station, including the scales and scale house, household hazardous waste facility and the maintenance facility, which completed in the spring of 2006. The LCSWMA main office is located at 1299 Harrisburg Pike.

E-mail: kobrien@lnpnews.com