Ohio EPA Orders Countywide Landfill to Take Tougher Actions to Control Odors
For Release: March 28, 2007
Media Contact: Mike Settles, (614) 644-2160
Citizen Contact: Andrea Zacharias, (614) 644-2160
To Take Tougher Actions to Control Odors
Company Also Will Close Original 88-Acre Disposal
Area and Pay Over $1,000,000 in Fines and Relief
Republic Services of Ohio has agreed to stringent Ohio EPA orders aimed at ending the odor nuisance and underground fire at Countywide Landfill in East Sparta.
Ohio EPA Director Chris Korleski announced the agreement today. Director Korleski also notified the Stark County Health Department of the agreed upon Director's Findings and Orders in a letter to Commissioner William Franks. The Stark County Board of Health is the authority responsible for issuing the landfill's annual operating license and will consider the Director's Findings and Orders, as well as other criteria, before making a final decision on the landfill's 2007 license.
The Orders put Countywide Landfill on a rigid 60-day schedule to develop and submit fire suppression recommendations to the Ohio EPA. Countywide Landfill will be ordered to implement one of more of these recommendations. To help assess the plan, Ohio EPA has retained the services of two independent experts in fire protection engineering, chemical reactions and leachate composition.
Countywide also must revise its odor control plan; determine the integrity of engineered components (liner, gas collection and ground water monitoring wells); evaluate the possibility of expanding the landfill gas control system; and perform weekly sampling of air quality. These Orders further require significant data collection in order to ascertain the rate and extent of the fire and to evaluate all potential remedies.
In addition, the landfill's 2003 expansion permit will need to be modified to require the closure of the original 88-acre disposal area and the forfeiture of at least 15,500,000 cubic yards of currently permitted airspace. Once the subsurface fire is extinguished, Countywide will need to place additional material in the original 88-acre disposal area to bring the subsided area up to grade for closure.
Republic Services also will pay over $1,000,000 in fines and financial relief, including $250,000 to establish an interest-bearing account known as the Community Benefit Project Fund. Ohio EPA will solicit input from interested parties within the community in developing project evaluation criteria on how the fund may provide the most benefit to impacted communities.
Director's Findings and Orders for Countywide Landfill:
www.epa.state.oh.us/pic/media/countywide3.pdf
www.epa.state.oh.us/pic/media/countywide3a.pdf
