By HANNA MORDOH
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
Braun
Holcomb
Indiana leaders, including Gov. Eric Holcomb and U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, are opposing the decision to bring toxic waste from the New Palestine, Ohio, train derailment to an Indiana landfill.
Holcomb cited a lack of communication from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to him and other Indiana officials about the decision to bring the hazardous waste to the state. He said he learned about the plan third-hand and wants the waste to stay in Ohio.
The waste is planned to go to Heritage Environmental Services landfill in Putnam County. That’s three miles east of Russellville, a town of 300 about an hour’s drive west of Indianapolis.
Heritage says 100 trucks filled with 2,000 tons of toxic soil from Ohio will be dumped in its Roachdale landfill. It says the company already follows strict regulations from the federal government. Heritage told I-Team 8’s Kody Fisher that it bid on bringing the material to Indiana because the landfill is qualified to handle the toxic waste.
The company says the toxic materials are going through final testing before being approved to be sent to Indiana. Once at the Indiana landfill, Heritage will keep the waste in a double-lined storage area to prevent any leakage into the local water supply.
Ali Alivi, executive vice president of Heritage Environmental Services, said, “The regulatory level is 6 parts per million that you’re allowed to receive here at the landfill. The material that we’re receiving is coming out at about 0.033 parts per million.”
Landfill manager Eric Chris told I-Team 8 his own family relies on the landfill to keep toxic waste out of their water. “I live within a mile of the landfill. My homesite has a freshwater well, and I have no concerns about anything leaching out of the landfill because of how it’s designed, monitored, and upkept.”
County Commissioner David Berry, who lives in the Russellville area, has no problem with the toxic waste landing in Putnam County. “I was comfortable with that material coming here knowing that it’s going to be handled properly.”
People who live near the landfill said there are mixed feelings about the plan. Jennifer Goss lives less than 10 minutes away from the landfill in Russellville. She said she is not concerned about the material from Ohio coming to her community because of how long the landfill has been around.
“We ain’t grown six legs yet. I mean, really. They must be doing their job. Our water’s not getting contaminated. We get it checked regularly. I think they know what they’re doing with it,” Goss said.
If this material is approved to come to Indiana, Heritage said it will stay there forever.
