SUSSEX COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — It’s a stench that no one wants in their back yard. For the past year, odors from the Sussex County Landfill have been floating over into Prince George.
When asked what it smells like, one resident answered, “Sewer or garbage, like garbage that has been sitting for a while.”
“We can smell it, especially in the evenings,” says Jon Greenwell.
On December 21, 2015, the landfill received two violations. Department of Environmental Quality officials say the violations included run-offs into wetlands and for gas leaks that could be contributing to the smell. The Department says the company that manages the landfill is working on solutions.
“We recognize that it is a problem and that’s why we are working very closely with the landfill to find solutions. As I said before, it’s not a quick thing, but we do have to identify what might be causing the problem and find solutions to it,” says Bill Hayden with the Department of Environmental Quality.
The Sussex County Landfill which is operated by Waste Management, says they’re fixing leaky gas wells and if the weather cooperates, they’ll put a cap on the landfill by March of 2016. Officials hope the changes will eradicate the smell.
In a phone interview, Lisa Kardell, the Director of Public Affairs for Waste Management says “We apologize for any inconvenience that it has caused to them. We are continuing to make those upgrades, as I said, our goal is to have no off site odors at the landfill and are working diligently to achieve that goal.”
As residents wait for a solution, their only option right now is to make a report every time they get a whiff of the bad odor.
“I’d like it to get fixed. You live out in the country, so there is a lot of different smells, but this is something that probably could be taken care of,” says Greenwell.
The County wants for residents to report every time they smell that odor. The number to call is 804-722-0706.
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