Imagine trying to enjoy a warm summer day in your backyard, when suddenly the odors from a nearby landfill go wafting by.
That’s the scenario some Orion Township residents have informed the township board of trustees that they’ve been dealing with. Waldon Road residents Tim and Tiffany Simmons requested the board review Eagle Valley due to a daily odor problem at the board’s Sept. 20 meeting.
The Simmons were also worried that workers were working at Eagle Valley, located on Silverbell Road and owned by Waste Management, past 2 p.m. on the Saturday after Labor Day.
They said a manager at Eagle Valley told them the landfill had a ‘unwritten agreement with the township to work past hours of operation on Saturdays following holidays.?
The board voted to authorize an immediate inspection of Eagle Valley, as well as a review of the landfill agreement with the township.
‘We need to review that to see how to resolve the current situation resulting from the additional 14 acres on the north side of the landfill being permitted,? said clerk Jill Bastian.
Jim Logsdon, Waste Management district manager, attended the township meeting and said the company was aware of some residents? complaints regarding odor.
‘We do take this seriously,? he said. ‘Internally, we have under development site odor control mechanisms…odors are caused by many things, not just trash.?
Logsdon said this ‘stringent inspection plan,? was to be done daily at the landfill, and should be complete in the next two weeks.
‘I’d be happy to share this with the board on its completion…by your next meeting,? he said.
According to Logsdon, Eagle Valley management was getting information from landfill sites that are warm year-round.
‘We’ve solicited our friends to the south to share some of their ideas,? he said, adding that any complaints in the meantime could be directed to Eagle Valley Site Manager Scott Rowe.
Supervisor Jerry Dywasuk said in his office, he had noticed that the usual amount of complaints from residents regarding the landfill had increased over the past two weeks.
‘Something to do with compost that’s been brought in there,? he added.
Logsdon said compost was being brought into Eagle Valley and was ground there before being transported to another facility for processing.
‘It has to emit a pretty bad odor,? Logsdon admitted. ‘We’re looking into transferring offsite to grind it and process it.?
Bastian said grinding the compost was one of the things that wasn’t allowed on site, according to the township’s agreement.
‘You can collect it, but you can’t do anything with it,? she said.
‘When residents say they’ve been calling (Eagle Valley) every day…and haven’t gotten anywhere, that doesn’t make us feel very good,? added Bastian.
Logsdon said methane gas from the landfill, which was sent to the nearby GM Plant, emitted a strong odor, which could be part of the problem as well.
‘But we’re just grinding the compost, not processing it,? he said.
‘The minute you touch it, it can emit odors,? said Bastian.
Regarding the complaint about workers working after hours on the Saturday following a holiday, Logsdon said that was sometimes required to serve customers.
‘The policy has always been on a holiday that falls on a Monday…the rubbish still needs to be collected,? he said. ‘On the Saturday after Labor Day, they work until at least 2 p.m…and we stay open until 4.
‘I would request we be allowed to serve our customers, and Orion Township,? Logsdon said, adding that he wasn’t sure if the host agreement with the township included provisions for Eagle Valley to stay open later on the Saturday after a holiday.
The board voted to contract with Tim Carpenter, a consultant with Geo Dynamics in Commerce, at a cost not to exceed $1,500 to have an inspection of the landfill done.
Carpenter charges $135 an hour and 33 cents a mile. The money is to come out of the township general fund, and Carpenter is to also review the agreement with Eagle Valley, and report back to the board.