Reader's Viewpoint: Health departments should consistently enforce rules
To the Editor:
The Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Solid Waste District Board has discussed in the past violations concerning the landfills in the district, and it has been stated on several occasions at meetings that the Kimble Landfill has a much higher amount of violations than the other two landfills in the district.
The Countywide Recycling and Disposal Facility has also noted in the past that it has very few violations in relation to the Kimble Landfill. It seemed prudent to me to find out what violations each landfill actually had received in the last few years (2005-2006). I requested the information to get an actual number from the respective health departments rather than rely on just general conversation.
After I received the list of violations from each health department, I was quite surprised by the vast differences in the amount of violations from each landfill. In 2005-2006, American Landfill received two violations, Countywide received four and Kimble received more than 80. It is hard to understand that there would be that much difference in the operations of each respective landfill that would warrant the vast amount of differences in violations.
In order to get an even better understanding, I also requested the amount of solid waste each landfill received in 2005-2006:
– American – 2005, 1,585,892.95 tons; 2006, 1,363,373.11 tons.
– Countywide – 2005, 1,412,577.17 tons; 2006, 1,680,921.46 tons.
– Kimble – 2005, 409,059.00 tons; 2006, 349,140.00 tons.
After the article in The Times Reporter about the landfill citation process, it became more clear to me that there is a distinct difference in the operating procedures of the Northeast District (Stark County Health Department) and the Southeast District (Tuscarawas County Health Department) of the OEPA when it comes to citing violations.
I sent a letter to the director of the OEPA requesting that he take a closer look at the citation process of the Northeast District and the Southeast District, making certain that there is consistency in how violations are cited, when they are cited and exactly what the OEPA expects from each district when it comes to citing violations.
It is important that each landfill is being inspected under the same guidelines when it comes to compliance, making certain there is consistency in procedure concerning violations. It is to our advantage and that of the community that proper procedures are in place to keep our landfills safe for all or our residents in Stark, Tuscarawas and Wayne counties.
Again it is important to note that each health department is given direction by the OEPA’s Northeast or Southeast District. That is why it is necessary for the director to review the process of each district so that they may in turn advise our health departments on proper procedures in handling the violation process in the same manner.
Chris Abbuhl
Tuscarawas County Commissioner
