NEW: State Sen. Calls for Immediate Action on Landfill Odors
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
Senator Frank Lombardo III is pushing for swift action by the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation to mitigate foul odors emanating from the Central Landfill in Johnston and permeating throughout the town and neighboring communities.
“The projected timetable of two to three weeks to place a new soil cap on the trash emitting these noxious gases and odors is simply unacceptable. The cap needs to be in place by this Friday,” said Senator Lombardo. “In addition, all dumping of construction and demolition debris on the landfill should cease until this immediate odor problem is resolved, since the discarded wallboard appears to be contributing to the problem.”
“Independent air quality testing should be conducted immediately, in Johnston and in surrounding communities,” said Senator Lombardo. “This should be a top priority. I would like to see the results of this testing made public by early next week. In addition, the Department of Environmental Management should be present at the landfill, monitoring air quality and remediation on a daily basis.
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“The pace of action to remedy this current problem is not urgent enough,” said Senator Lombardo. “I’ve listened to the explanations from Resource Recovery about why there is a proliferation in odor emanating from the landfill. However, I no longer believe that Resource Recovery is acting with the urgency needed to solve the problem. I am calling on them to redouble their efforts to put a speedy end to the current odor.”
Senator Lombardo will submit legislation to ensure that RIRRC is acting to effectively contain gases and odors on an ongoing basis. The legislation will prohibit the use of construction debris, including wall board, as part of the soil cover that caps the active area of the landfill. Further, the bill would allow independent inspectors access to the landfill on a random basis, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, to ensure they investigate and monitor the material being used as cover.
The legislation will also mandate air quality testing in Johnston and nearby communities, as well as a health-oriented analysis to protect the Johnston residents living closest to the landfill. It would assess a $5,000 per day fine for each day that air quality and odors exceed a certain threshold.
Mostly, the senator said, he wants to see a swift and effective solution. “Resource Recovery should take all necessary measures to ensure that we are never in this situation again,” he said.