Ohio EPA official says complaints have risen to 100 in December. State signs revised orders
By Bob Downing Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Saturday, Jan 05, 2008
BOLIVAR: Odors are continuing at a landfill in southern Stark County, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency said Friday.
The odor complaints from the Countywide Recycling & Disposal Facility in Pike Township climbed from October to December and may be linked to increased activity at the 258-acre landfill, said Bill Skowronski, chief of the EPA's Northeast District office in Twinsburg.
The number of complaints climbed from 46 in October to 82 in November to 100 in December, he said.
Skowronski, speaking at the meeting of the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Solid Waste Management District, said it is possible the odor problems stemmed from activities at the landfill by owner Republic Services.
His report came in the wake of EPA Director Chris Korleski signing revised findings and orders to help remediate the underground fires and odor problems at Countywide.
The revised orders were signed on Monday and were released on Wednesday.
Installation of 37 new pumps to remove excess water must be completed by mid-February and drilling two new relief wells to help drain liquids must be done by Feb. 29.
The company and the EPA had worked out the revised timetable in a series of meetings in December, after the company determined it could not meet an earlier EPA deadline.
The EPA said landfill fluids may be contributing to the chemical reactions and fires. They are accumulating faster than expected, affecting the ability of gas extraction wells to do their job and slowing the process of liquid removal, the agency said. The fluids also make the landfill less stable, it said.
The agency said the landfill produced about 25 million gallons of liquid runoff last year. It is hauled away for disposal.
What happens after the liquids are removed will help shape the final remedy for the landfill, officials said.
The EPA could require Republic Services to cap the affected area with synthetic liners and install additional gas-extraction wells until the landfill is fully stabilized. That approach is preferred by the company, although it could take six years to complete.
Bob Downing can be reached at 330-996-3745 or bdowning@thebeaconjournal.com.
BOLIVAR: Odors are continuing at a landfill in southern Stark County, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency said Friday.
The odor complaints from the Countywide Recycling & Disposal Facility in Pike Township climbed from October to December and may be linked to increased activity at the 258-acre landfill, said Bill Skowronski, chief of the EPA's Northeast District office in Twinsburg.
The number of complaints climbed from 46 in October to 82 in November to 100 in December, he said.
Skowronski, speaking at the meeting of the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Solid Waste Management District, said it is possible the odor problems stemmed from activities at the landfill by owner Republic Services.
His report came in the wake of EPA Director Chris Korleski signing revised findings and orders to help remediate the underground fires and odor problems at Countywide.
The revised orders were signed on Monday and were released on Wednesday.
Installation of 37 new pumps to remove excess water must be completed by mid-February and drilling two new relief wells to help drain liquids must be done by Feb. 29.
The company and the EPA had worked out the revised timetable in a series of meetings in December, after the company determined it could not meet an earlier EPA deadline.
The EPA said landfill fluids may be contributing to the chemical reactions and fires. They are accumulating faster than expected, affecting the ability of gas extraction wells to do their job and slowing the process of liquid removal, the agency said. The fluids also make the landfill less stable, it said.
The agency said the landfill produced about 25 million gallons of liquid runoff last year. It is hauled away for disposal.
What happens after the liquids are removed will help shape the final remedy for the landfill, officials said.
The EPA could require Republic Services to cap the affected area with synthetic liners and install additional gas-extraction wells until the landfill is fully stabilized. That approach is preferred by the company, although it could take six years to complete.
Bob Downing can be reached at 330-996-3745 or bdowning@thebeaconjournal.com.
