NEW: Central Landfill Sued for Clean Air Act Violations
GoLocalProv News Team
NEW: Central Landfill Sued for Clean Air Act Violations
The lawsuit alleges that Rhode Island LFG Genco, LLC, Broadrock Gas Services, LLC, and Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC) have failed to adequately collect gas, have failed to operate gas combustion equipment properly, have violated conditions in existing permits, and have failed to obtain a required operating permit.
As waste breaks down in the Landfill, it produces landfill gas. Landfill gas contains hydrogen sulfide (a toxic air pollutant), volatile organic compounds (a family of gases that includes toxic and hazardous pollutants like benzene and toluene) and methane (a powerful greenhouse gas).
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The lawsuit claims that the owners and operators are not collecting enough landfill gas, and the gas is escaping through the ground without being collected. Jedele said, “Very simply, the gas collection system at the Central Landfill is broken. Among other things, the collection wells are flooded or obstructed.”
CLF also claims that the owners and operators of the landfill illegally burned untreated landfill gas resulting in an increase of sulfur dioxide emissions (which causes respiratory-system damage) and that some of the control equipment used to destroy pollutants in the gas is not being operated properly, resulting in excess emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
“The flares are receiving too much landfill gas and burning it at temperatures too low to destroy the VOCs, so these harmful pollutants are entering the air instead,” said Max Greene, staff attorney in CLF’s Rhode Island office.
Between January 1, 2013 and June 30, 2013, methane gas readings at the Central Landfill violated their legal limit 154 times (sometimes multiple times in the same location), Methane is measured as an indicator for the presence of other air pollutants.
The 37-page complaint was filed in federal district court in Providence, Rhode Island. The listed Defendants have 30 to 60 days to answer the allegations or file dispositive motions.
“CLF’s ultimate goal is to find meaningful and lasting solutions for a significant problem that poses a real threat to public health,” Jedele said.
Providence's Most Dangerous Neighborhoods
#9: District 9
College Hill, Wayland Square, Fox Point
Violent Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 35
2012: 53
Property Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 597
2012: 630
Other Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 183
2012: 218
Total Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 815
2012: 901
#8: District 8
Mount Hope, Hope, Blackstone
Violent Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 36
2012: 40
Property Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 596
2012: 531
Other Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 226
2012: 212
Total Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 858
2012: 783
#7: District 3
Reservoir, South Elmwood, Washington Park
Violent Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 63
2012: 67
Property Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 443
2012: 452
Other Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 311
2012: 305
Total Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 817
2012: 824
#6: District 1
Downtown
Violent Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 79
2012: 94
Property Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 1116
2012: 1118
Other Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 563
2012: 580
Total Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 1758
2012: 1792
#5: District 6
Mount Pleasant, Manton, Elmhurst
Violent Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 128
2012: 116
Property Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 829
2012: 885
Other Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 531
2012: 559
Total Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 1488
2012: 1560
#4: District 7
Charles, Wanskuck, Smith Hill
Violent Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 172
2012: 183
Property Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 1143
2012: 1092
Other Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 784
2012: 813
Total Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 2099
2012: 2088
#3: District 4
Federal Hill, West End
Violent Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 173
2012: 188
Property Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 1082
2012: 1085
Other Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 755
2012: 919
Total Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 2010
2012: 2192
#2: District 5
Olneyville, Silver Lake, Hartford
Violent Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 206
2012: 189
Property Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 911
2012: 865
Other Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 758
2012: 724
Total Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 1875
2012: 1778
#1: District 2
Upper South Providence, Lower South Providence, Elmwood
Violent Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 213
2012: 188
Property Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 966
2012: 964
Other Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 841
2012: 910
Total Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 2020
2012: 2062
Citywide
Violent Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 1121
2012: 1135
Property Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 7738
2012: 7714
Other Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 5017
2012: 5296
Total Crimes Reported (YTD)
2013: 13876
2012: 14145