Reader's Viewpoint: For the sake of Bolivar residents, put a stop to Countywide Landfill
To the Editor:
Recently there have been several articles in the newspapers regarding the Countywide Landfill in Pike Township. Let me address some of the issues that concern me.
Today, I was informed the Ohio EPA receives $3.50 per ton that is dumped in the landfill. If 6,000 tons are taken there each day, that amounts to $21,000 per day which is allocated among four agencies within the EPA. If someone is receiving $21,000 per day, I don’t see that same organization closing the landfill down. It certainly appears to represent a conflict of interest.
In fact, we are the dumping grounds for other states. New York sends its trash to Bolivar by trains. It sits in a holding place for 24 hours and then it is considered Ohio trash.
An expert from California, Todd Thalhamer, has stated, “Under California’s more stringent environmental laws, but not Ohio law, the aluminum waste – impurities and scum formed during aluminum processing – would be considered hazardous.” If it is hazardous in California, is it not a hazard to those of us in Bolivar? According to a memo found at the Stark County Health Department dated 1993, Countywide was told not to mix the aluminum waste with other solid waste and to keep surface water away from it because it could cause the release of ammonia.
According to another article, “Pilot Can’t Get Attention,” in the Akron Beacon Journal on Feb. 4, “There were also EPA files that data on air samples of benzene, a cancer-causing substance, were provided to the Twinsburg office but not shared with the Columbus office.” Why? This was covered up for some reason.
If benzene was in the air once, that is once too many times for this community. Maybe the person withholding that information needs to come to a community meeting in Bolivar to explain why this information was withheld.
Kudos to Chris Korleski for going to a Joint Waste District meeting, which the former director never attended. I pray that Mr. Korleski will understand all the facts and realize that this landfill needs to be closed. It should have been closed two years ago and again, a glitch in the system allowed them to continue operating.
This past summer, the odor was so atrocious that you couldn’t even sit outside – let alone open windows. Hopefully we will not be prisoners in our homes again this summer.
Countywide’s Tim Vandersall stated that he spent $6 million to “clean up” the area. Maybe he could have bought the homes in the vicinity of the landfill for their market value because believe me, nobody in their right mind would buy a home today in Bolivar.
This community was a quiet, beautiful, historic place at one time. Now it is just going to be known for being the “highest point in Ohio.” I don’t consider that an honor. Put a stop to this landfill – it needs to be closed without further delay.
Brenda Neading, Bolivar
