Smell test

The Akron Beacon Journal

PIKE TWP - In March, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency ordered Republic Waste Services to extinguish underground fires fueled by a chemical reaction at its landfill in southern Stark County. The agency has in mind halting the foul odors emanating from the Countywide landfill for the past year, harming the quality of life for neighboring communities. The company presented a plan in May that called for sealing the smoldering area with a cap of clay, the fires ending in three years to six years.

As Bob Downing, a Beacon Journal staff writer, reported, the agency and the company since have engaged in a dialogue examining courses of action. Republic Waste Services has raised questions about the feasibility of injecting fire-suppressant compounds into the affected section of the landfill. A third option involves excavating the troubled area, covering 88 acres of garbage. Both the injection and excavation are more expensive than installing the cap....Read more.