The Public Will End Up Paying For The Toxic Legacy Left Behind By WMI

From The ACE Board of Directors

Families in the Greater Pottstown Area will face the consequences of Pottstown Landfill’s toxic legacy for decades, if not forever. In the April 22, 2008 Mercury, DEP said Waste Management (WMI) went beyond regulations in closure. While true, DEP’s lax regulations never protected our air, water, soil, or health, and still don’t. Pottstown Landfill’s many serious violations of regulations and the law should be used as leverage to require WMI to actually reduce threats.

DEP failed to adequately deal with most threats. The public will end up paying, not only with their health but also financially. The $34 million bond is absurd. That wouldn’t begin to cover costs for environmental damage already done, much less problems disclosed in the future. ACE and others asked for at least $100 million dollars. Some believe that’s woefully inadequate. Our community has been sacrificed for the profits of a worldwide, billion-dollar corporation. WMI made a fortune dumping extremely hazardous wastes in our community from many other states and counties, yet is not being held accountable for the extraordinary damage left behind.

It’s deceptive to assert that increased monitoring removes threats. In reality, it’s highly unlikely monitoring will ever lead to full, accurate, timely disclosure. All monitoring and reporting are done by WMI, the company with a vested interest in the outcome, with little, if any, independent oversight. WMI’s record suggests they can’t be trusted. WMI has even refused to provide their monitoring reports to the public through a website.

Our air will continue to be poisoned 24 hours a day. Pottstown Landfill gas is one of the worst toxic brews imaginable, emitting radiation, heavy metals, VOCs, plus dioxin and many other hazardous by-products of combustion. Health based standards of the Clean Air Act are still violated, yet DEP is failing to require the safest technology or even filtration on any of Pottstown Landfill’s five combustion sources.

Forty unlined acres and more poorly lined acres in the old landfill will continue to produce extremely hazardous gases and leachate forever as heavy rains and flooding penetrate wastes from the sides and bottom. DEP failed to require a new cap on the old landfill as recommended by Closure Committee experts. This could have significantly minimized future hazardous gas and leachate production. It’s only a matter of time before the old cover is breached and the liner in the new landfill section leaks.

Groundwater remains highly contaminated. Decades old Pottstown Landfill leachate contamination of groundwater may have spread 15 miles and even contaminated public water wells. Contamination includes alpha and beta radiation, and a broad range of heavy metals and VOCs. Monitoring is woefully inadequate to accurately determine how far or in which directions hazardous leacahate traveled. Pottstown Landfill is likely the major factor in contamination of over 164 wells within ½ to 2 miles, yet WMI will walk away without being held accountable.

Toxic gases rising from contaminated soils will continue to threaten the public, especially children and animals outdoors. It can also rise into residents’ homes. This was verified by DEP in the 1980s, yet the full extent of the vapor intrusion into homes was never fully independently investigated.

If Pottstown continues to allow Pottstown Landfill leachate to travel through its sewer line to the sewer treatment plant, Pottstown will continue to face financial risks. It makes Pottstown’s sewage sludge extremely hazardous. Air pollution from the drying process will poison the air. Effluent into the Schuylkill River will remain hazardous. Radiation is a major concern. 17 of 17 kinds of radiation were found in Pottstown Landfill’s 2005 leachate testing. Just one will be monitored. None will be filtered out prior to entering Pottstown’s sewer line.

DEP is being paid with your tax dollars, but is failing to protect your interests. You can still comment to DEP, 2 E. Main Street, Norristown, prior to issuance of the final permit this summer. For more information, contact ACE (610) 326-6433.