Work Begins at Republic's Troubled Countywide Landfill in Ohio

Date: December 6, 2008

Source: News Room

Work has begun to create a huge firebreak that is expected to contain underground fires at Republic Services' troubled Countywide landfill in Stark County, Ohio. It is a mandated remedy that is being overseen by both the federal EPA and the Ohio EPA. Republic is funding the $6 million project which involves digging a trench some 700 feet long, 400 feet wide, and 70 feet deep, and removing 400,000 cubic yards of buried trash that is expected to prevent the further spreading of fires at the 258-acre landfill. It creates a barrier between the landfill's original 88 acres, where the fires and odor problems originated, and the landfill's newer Cell 7. The underground fires having been burning there for two years and are thought to be caused by aluminum dross disposed at the older portion of the site long before Republic assumed control of the facility. Temperatures as high as 277 degrees have been recorded in three areas near Cell 7, and one gas-extraction well recently melted when temperatures hit320 degrees. Representatives from Republic believe that only 200 tons of aluminum wastes went into Cell 7 but that as much as 600,000 tons went into the landfill's original 88 acres. The company has already spent tens of millions addressing the problem, including the installation of a synthetic cap over much of the original 88 acre portion of the site.

Republic Services, Countywide Landfill: www.countywideohio.com.

Ohio EPA, Countywide Landfill Page: www.epa.state.oh.us/pic/countywide.html.

See also: www.wasteinfo.com/news/wbj20081112B.htm.

To learn more about Republic Services, visit: www.republicservices.com.

Sign up to receive our free Weekly News Bulletin