US landfill sued over methane collection

Here is an interesting case for landfill operators and others.



The system for collecting methane at Alliance Landfill cannot control the gas produced by the garbage buried there, leading to the possibility of it migrating from the site, a class action suit filed in Lackawanna County Court maintains.



The Pennsylvania, US newspaper The Scranton Times Tribune reports that the action, filed by attorneys Joseph Wright and David Gromelski on behalf of anyone living within one mile of the site, bases its charges on a report prepared by Waste Management, Alliance’s parent company, and released in February 2000. The suit maintains that Alliance did not make the report available to DEP until two years after it was completed.



The suit is one of a series filed against Alliance by neighbouring residents and businesses. The plaintiffs claim the landfill has reduced the value of their properties and diminished their quality of life. Assigned to Judge Trish Corbett, the suit asks the landfill be ordered to pay damages, abate the nuisances it causes, and be barred from future infractions. In keeping with Waste Management policy, Alliance spokesman John Hambrose declined to comment directly on the complaint, but emphasized the landfill will continue its campaign to win the support of its neighbours.



The class action suit says Alliance has not corrected the problems uncovered by the internal investigation. Findings include:



Landfill gas in off-site wells drilled to monitor groundwater Inadequate gas collection resulted in capped areas rising several feet because of underground pressure Recovery wellheads are maintained or patched with duct tape



The lawsuit proposes that it can be joined by residents of the Bichler, Greenview West and Greenview East developments in Taylor, Pine Crest and Forge Estates developments and the Austin Heights and Sibley sections in Old Forge and the St. George’s Cemetery area of Ransom Township.