Published: Thursday, September 21, 2006
Resident questions landfill's intentions
A company spokesman said the landfill isn't expanding.
LISBON — A man has questioned whether a landfill is trying to expand after it was penalized for improperly handling material that contained asbestos.
Tom Haney of Black Road told Columbiana County commissioners Wednesday that he heard that A&L Salvage Inc., 11255 state Route 45 in Center Township, was trying to obtain land along nearby Black Road.
Haney said he feared his home would lose its value if the landfill expanded.
"I might as well tear it down myself," he said.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday announced a $13,000 civil penalty against the company for offenses in 2004.
A&L Salvage also had to pay a $56,553 civil penalty in 2005 for offenses including taking solid waste when it is supposed to accept only demolition debris, also in 2004.
Denies expansion
But Steve Callahan, an operations manager for A&L's parent company, Liberty Waste Service of Pittsburgh, said the landfill is not expanding or acquiring land.
Callahan said he had heard no complaints about the facility in a long time.
"It's been very quiet," he said.
The offenses leading to the most recent penalty included using a bulldozer that ripped open bags filled materials that contained asbestos. The offense took place in front of state EPA inspectors. The state EPA said that if inhaled, airborne asbestos fibers can pose health risks.
In the recent finding, the state EPA said its inspectors found improper handling of asbestos-containing waste four times in 2004. A&L Salvage also violated its air quality permit by failing to prevent asbestos from getting into the air during the disposal process.
Some $10,400 of the fine will go the state's air pollution control programs, and the rest will go to a program to provide clean diesel school buses.
Haney had also questioned whether the county board of health was trying to recover the monitoring of such waste sites. The state had taken control of the monitoring program because of problems in the county program.
A spokesperson for the state EPA said the county health department's bid to regain control of the program was still in an appeal process.
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