Ring of fire
Korleski, whose agency is studying a long-term solution, wisely is calling for a greater degree of caution in landfill operations. He has ordered the company to shift the area where garbage is received farther north, away from older, covered sections where fires have broken out and appear to be spreading. In addition, a fire break, most likely a berm constructed with clay soils, would separate a new active area of the landfill from closed areas.
Such prudence is justified. Continuing an unfortunate pattern, Republic Services argues that it finds no evidence the fires (which it terms chemical reactions) are close to the area of the landfill currently in use. That's an argument against shifting operations farther north, as Korleski wants. More, the company says the odor problem is under control and fires can be extinguished by capping the landfill.
What is evident is that the company's past carelessness in handling aluminum waste (the cause of the underground fires) continues to result in odors that bother those living in Pike Township. There were 70 complaints in August and 33 in September, hardly evidence that the situation has been handled to everyone's satisfaction.
In addition, the state EPA is examining whether the landfill's synthetic liner has been damaged, which would allow liquid runoff (as hot as 186 degrees) to contaminate groundwater.
Countywide is a huge operation, one of the largest in the state. It accepts 6,000 tons of garbage a day, much of it from Summit County. Similarly, its problems are also large. They demand just the approach Korleski is pursuing: detailed, thorough and effective remedies for the long run.
