Superior landfill closing, trash headed to Virginia
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Minn. (Northern News Now) — The Moccasin Mike landfill in Superior, Wis. is the final destination for trash from, and all around, the Twin Ports; but with it set to close at the end of 2026, the solution is in St. Louis County.
The City of Superior is in the midst of a contract with Resource Renew, the brand of Western Lake Superior Sanitary District, to use it as a dumpsite.
“All of the city of Duluth, the area around the city of Cloquet, and Cook and Lake counties all came to our facility in Duluth and then went to the Superior landfill,” said Brandon Kohlts, Resource Renew’s director of planning and technical services.
That contract ends in June 2026.
St. Louis County approved a resolution Tuesday to contract with Resource Renew for 10 years and dump that waste load in the landfill in Virginia.
According to Kohlts, the increased load may lower costs for northern St. Louis County residents.
“We had a really nice last 20 years because we’ve only kind of had to haul it 12 miles, and with that closing now, we know we’re gonna have to haul it further,” said Kohlts. “St. Louis County is still the next closest landfill in the area. So, transportation cost will go up a little bit, but it’s still better than any other alternative.”
The contract, if Resource Renew approves it at their meeting on May 19, would begin on July 1, 2026.
Meanwhile, Superior is now deciding where its trash will go and how to keep rates for residents low.
“A big part of what Duluth’s garbage did for us is they paid so much to dump it we have enough set in reserve to cover not only operations but to keep that rate low for a few years to come,” said Superior Mayor Jim Paine.
Along with temporarily keeping rates low, Paine said Superior residents will benefit from what the landfill could become in the future.
The pavilion on Wisconsin Point is built on top of an old landfill.
“We have to monitor it for at least 80 years,” said Paine. “Once it’s stable, that’s a beautiful space that will overlook Lake Superior.”
Superior will continue to use its landfill for its city’s trash until it completely closes.
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