Landfill license renewed
BY Kelli Young
The Canton Repository
PLAIN TWP - Problems still trouble Countywide landfill.
A chemical-reacting fire still burns there. Garbage-smelling odors still bug neighbors, although not as frequently. And it still violates some Ohio environmental laws. But the Pike Township landfill presents no hazards to public health or the environment, said county health officials, who gave landfill operators at least another seven months to fix its problems.
The county Board of Health unanimously agreed Wednesday to renew Countywide Recycling and Disposal Facility's 2007 operating license, following a nearly 45-minute presentation by county Health Commissioner William Franks. He recommended renewal.
Denying the license renewal would have closed the controversial landfill.
REACTION
Brenda Charton, who lives a half-mile west of Countywide's entrance, worries that granting the operating license gives Countywide permission to relax its remediation efforts.
"I think we need a better way to keep their feet to the fire," Charton said.
Will Flower of Republic Services Inc., which owns Countywide, assured residents that the company still plans to aggressively eliminate the odors at the landfill and extinguish the fire. He said the company's chairman plans to meet with the director of Ohio Environment Protection Agency this week "to affirm our full commitment" to working with the state to address any problems.
PREPARING HIS RECOMMENDATION
Franks spent seven weeks investigating whether his department should renew Countywide's license before submitting his recommendation Wednesday.
He focused his scope around two themes: Does Countywide pose an imminent or long-term threat to public health or the environment? What state laws has Countywide violated and can the landfill ever be brought back into compliance?
To answer those questions, Franks met concerned residents and officials from Countywide, Republic Services, Ohio EPA, and Canton Air Pollution, which oversees air monitoring for the county.
Franks found:
• The landfill odors that started in 2005 still exist and represent a nuisance. But Ohio has no odor standards to gauge what is unacceptable. Testing for air quality in the community and at the landfill show no "unacceptable risks," he said. The testing also gives no evidence to expect short- or long-term health effects, Franks said.
• Results from groundwater samples taken by Countywide officials and the county health department show no contamination of wells at and nearby the landfill, Franks said.
• The plastic liner, capable of withstanding temperatures up to 270 degrees, exists under the 258-acre landfill and the clay under the liner also help protects the area's water supply from contamination.
VIOLATIONS
Franks said many of the violations the state cited at Countywide are being handled through an agreement the agency and Republic Services signed in March. The agreement requires Countywide to close its original 88 acres where underground fires have been found.
"The present 88 acres has been taken out of the picture so that the fire can be dealt with separately from the rest of the landfill," Franks said.
Republic has until May 28 to submit a plan to the Ohio EPA on how it will extinguish the fire. Ohio EPA believes that once the fire is gone, the odors will dissipate.
Franks also studied whether Republic Services is reliable enough and has enough expertise to bring the landfill back into compliance.
He noted Republic's five other Ohio facilities are in compliance with state laws and have attained their 2007 licenses.
Countywide's license will be reviewed again at the end of the year as required by state law.
COUNTYWIDE'S PROBLEMS
Sometime in 2005, aluminum dross waste disposed in the landfill between 1993 and 2001 is believed to have reacted with liquid waste resulting in the following effects:
• Heat exceeding 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Nauseating odors and landfill gases.
• Two underground landfill fires, according to the Ohio EPA.
• Unexpected settling where slope walls of the landfill have settled as much as 40 feet.
• High levels of carbon monoxide in landfill gas wells.
• Liquid waste taken to the Alliance wastewater treatment plant in 2006 has such high levels of ammonia and organic matter, it results in the plant releasing illegal levels of ammonia and organic matter into surrounding water.
WHAT’S BEING DONE
Closure of 88-acres and submit a plan to extinguish the fire by May 28.
88-acres closed to prevent further fueling causing the odors.
Planned 120-acres that will contine operation.
The Canton Repository
PLAIN TWP - Problems still trouble Countywide landfill.
A chemical-reacting fire still burns there. Garbage-smelling odors still bug neighbors, although not as frequently. And it still violates some Ohio environmental laws. But the Pike Township landfill presents no hazards to public health or the environment, said county health officials, who gave landfill operators at least another seven months to fix its problems.
The county Board of Health unanimously agreed Wednesday to renew Countywide Recycling and Disposal Facility's 2007 operating license, following a nearly 45-minute presentation by county Health Commissioner William Franks. He recommended renewal.
Denying the license renewal would have closed the controversial landfill.
REACTION
Brenda Charton, who lives a half-mile west of Countywide's entrance, worries that granting the operating license gives Countywide permission to relax its remediation efforts.
"I think we need a better way to keep their feet to the fire," Charton said.
Will Flower of Republic Services Inc., which owns Countywide, assured residents that the company still plans to aggressively eliminate the odors at the landfill and extinguish the fire. He said the company's chairman plans to meet with the director of Ohio Environment Protection Agency this week "to affirm our full commitment" to working with the state to address any problems.
PREPARING HIS RECOMMENDATION
Franks spent seven weeks investigating whether his department should renew Countywide's license before submitting his recommendation Wednesday.
He focused his scope around two themes: Does Countywide pose an imminent or long-term threat to public health or the environment? What state laws has Countywide violated and can the landfill ever be brought back into compliance?
To answer those questions, Franks met concerned residents and officials from Countywide, Republic Services, Ohio EPA, and Canton Air Pollution, which oversees air monitoring for the county.
Franks found:
• The landfill odors that started in 2005 still exist and represent a nuisance. But Ohio has no odor standards to gauge what is unacceptable. Testing for air quality in the community and at the landfill show no "unacceptable risks," he said. The testing also gives no evidence to expect short- or long-term health effects, Franks said.
• Results from groundwater samples taken by Countywide officials and the county health department show no contamination of wells at and nearby the landfill, Franks said.
• The plastic liner, capable of withstanding temperatures up to 270 degrees, exists under the 258-acre landfill and the clay under the liner also help protects the area's water supply from contamination.
VIOLATIONS
Franks said many of the violations the state cited at Countywide are being handled through an agreement the agency and Republic Services signed in March. The agreement requires Countywide to close its original 88 acres where underground fires have been found.
"The present 88 acres has been taken out of the picture so that the fire can be dealt with separately from the rest of the landfill," Franks said.
Republic has until May 28 to submit a plan to the Ohio EPA on how it will extinguish the fire. Ohio EPA believes that once the fire is gone, the odors will dissipate.
Franks also studied whether Republic Services is reliable enough and has enough expertise to bring the landfill back into compliance.
He noted Republic's five other Ohio facilities are in compliance with state laws and have attained their 2007 licenses.
Countywide's license will be reviewed again at the end of the year as required by state law.
COUNTYWIDE'S PROBLEMS
Sometime in 2005, aluminum dross waste disposed in the landfill between 1993 and 2001 is believed to have reacted with liquid waste resulting in the following effects:
• Heat exceeding 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Nauseating odors and landfill gases.
• Two underground landfill fires, according to the Ohio EPA.
• Unexpected settling where slope walls of the landfill have settled as much as 40 feet.
• High levels of carbon monoxide in landfill gas wells.
• Liquid waste taken to the Alliance wastewater treatment plant in 2006 has such high levels of ammonia and organic matter, it results in the plant releasing illegal levels of ammonia and organic matter into surrounding water.
WHAT’S BEING DONE
Closure of 88-acres and submit a plan to extinguish the fire by May 28.
88-acres closed to prevent further fueling causing the odors.
Planned 120-acres that will contine operation.
