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Air Pollution & Odors
Here's a bit of information from our Research Paper regarding Air Quality Issues:
This C&D application calls for “Odor Control” in the form of “implementing a routine odor monitoring program” which includes “cover soil and
masking agents if necessary” However, according to the Lee Study:
“While typically landfill proponents will, as part of attempting to gain a permit, make such claims about controlling odors, frequently landfills with
grossly inadequate buffer lands will cause odors on adjacent properties. While the trespass of landfill odors on adjacent properties is sometimes
characterized as a ‘nuisance’, in fact landfill odors represent significant health hazards...In addition to the health impacts of landfill odors, landfill gas
releases that occur with the odors are known to contain carcinogens and other chemicals that, while not odorous, are a threat to human health."
Drywall is a major component of waste at C&D landfills. In numerous cases around the United States and according to the Florida Journal of
Environmental Health, drywall of any nature, especially when subject to moist climates such that of Florida, produces gases that are not only
extremely obnoxious, they are flammable as well. The “sulphur-like/rotten egg smell” that decomposing drywall emits, is due to the
dissolving of “sulfate to hydrogen sulfide.” This compound “has been observed over a tremendously large concentration range at C&D debris
landfills. Concentrations in pockets within one landfill has been measured at lethal levels. But, the human nose can detect hydrogen sulfide
at very low levels. Can you imagine what it is like at those lethal levels? The majority of states in the U.S. have moved to only recycling
drywall rather than disposing of it and for very good reason - Florida has yet to adopt any such plan.
Dust
The dust produced by this C&D landfill will come from many factors which may include but are not limited to: crushing of debris daily, traffic to
and from the landfill, movement of machinery within the landfill, and depositing of materials into the landfill. The Florida Journal of
Environmental Health states that "There is a need to raise awareness of the community and occupational health issues associated with C&D
debris landfills." The journal further states that the exposure concerns include "inhalation of smoke and dust from surface and subsurface
fires ... inhalation of dust from vehicle traffic." According to MSW Management, "dirt and dust are ever-present at a landfill, whether due to
unpaved roads or the cover soils used in and around the working face." Because dust and particulates typically are a big problem in landfills,
the article states that one of the ways to minimize the air pollution is by "reducing vehicle and equipment operating speeds to 10 miles per
hour." The speed limit on High Corner Road and Wildlife Lane is 40 MPH and the majority of vehicles travel upward of 50 MPH. Since dump
truck drivers are typically paid by the load, I don't see them going any slower than 40 MPH let alone obeying it. This could be a huge problem
for our neighborhood that is pocketed by trees and valleys.
Let's not forget the surface debris and litter. The proposed Croom C&D Landfill site is at one of the highest points in our area and a windy
day for some with speeds of 20 MPH is most times double that at the top of the hills such that of the landfill site. "The working face is
another source of particulates, blown litter and debris. This is a significant problem on windy and dry days." Many times landfill operators
use water or chemicals to spray areas down to reduce dust production. What would we rather have - our aquifer being sucked fry from daily
spraying of gallons and gallons of water or chemicals being sprayed all around?
Add everything up, really. Even if one of our main issues becomes a serious problem, our lives and quality of life will be seriously at risk. But
when you put all these issues together in a worst case scenario - can you even imagine what it will be like here in this beautiful County?
These risks are too great and the facts are well proven. This is a gamble we do not want to take.
Here's a bit of information from our Research Paper regarding Air Quality Issues:
This C&D application calls for “Odor Control” in the form of “implementing a routine odor monitoring program” which includes “cover soil and
masking agents if necessary” However, according to the Lee Study:
“While typically landfill proponents will, as part of attempting to gain a permit, make such claims about controlling odors, frequently landfills with
grossly inadequate buffer lands will cause odors on adjacent properties. While the trespass of landfill odors on adjacent properties is sometimes
characterized as a ‘nuisance’, in fact landfill odors represent significant health hazards...In addition to the health impacts of landfill odors, landfill gas
releases that occur with the odors are known to contain carcinogens and other chemicals that, while not odorous, are a threat to human health."
Drywall is a major component of waste at C&D landfills. In numerous cases around the United States and according to the Florida Journal of
Environmental Health, drywall of any nature, especially when subject to moist climates such that of Florida, produces gases that are not only
extremely obnoxious, they are flammable as well. The “sulphur-like/rotten egg smell” that decomposing drywall emits, is due to the
dissolving of “sulfate to hydrogen sulfide.” This compound “has been observed over a tremendously large concentration range at C&D debris
landfills. Concentrations in pockets within one landfill has been measured at lethal levels. But, the human nose can detect hydrogen sulfide
at very low levels. Can you imagine what it is like at those lethal levels? The majority of states in the U.S. have moved to only recycling
drywall rather than disposing of it and for very good reason - Florida has yet to adopt any such plan.
Dust
The dust produced by this C&D landfill will come from many factors which may include but are not limited to: crushing of debris daily, traffic to
and from the landfill, movement of machinery within the landfill, and depositing of materials into the landfill. The Florida Journal of
Environmental Health states that "There is a need to raise awareness of the community and occupational health issues associated with C&D
debris landfills." The journal further states that the exposure concerns include "inhalation of smoke and dust from surface and subsurface
fires ... inhalation of dust from vehicle traffic." According to MSW Management, "dirt and dust are ever-present at a landfill, whether due to
unpaved roads or the cover soils used in and around the working face." Because dust and particulates typically are a big problem in landfills,
the article states that one of the ways to minimize the air pollution is by "reducing vehicle and equipment operating speeds to 10 miles per
hour." The speed limit on High Corner Road and Wildlife Lane is 40 MPH and the majority of vehicles travel upward of 50 MPH. Since dump
truck drivers are typically paid by the load, I don't see them going any slower than 40 MPH let alone obeying it. This could be a huge problem
for our neighborhood that is pocketed by trees and valleys.
Let's not forget the surface debris and litter. The proposed Croom C&D Landfill site is at one of the highest points in our area and a windy
day for some with speeds of 20 MPH is most times double that at the top of the hills such that of the landfill site. "The working face is
another source of particulates, blown litter and debris. This is a significant problem on windy and dry days." Many times landfill operators
use water or chemicals to spray areas down to reduce dust production. What would we rather have - our aquifer being sucked fry from daily
spraying of gallons and gallons of water or chemicals being sprayed all around?
Add everything up, really. Even if one of our main issues becomes a serious problem, our lives and quality of life will be seriously at risk. But
when you put all these issues together in a worst case scenario - can you even imagine what it will be like here in this beautiful County?
These risks are too great and the facts are well proven. This is a gamble we do not want to take.
Air Quality Issues
There are MANY issues with this Croom C&D Landfill regarding air quality. Stepping outside into beautiful Brooksville currently fills your lungs
with fresh, clean air and sometimes with a hint of pine trees. That's part of the reason most of us live or even visit here - fresh air is one of
the many the benefits of being in the country. This landfill will ruin that - no question about it. Study after study proves that C&D landfills can
be a serious health issue.
Some people have mistakenly said that C&D Landfills don't smell. WRONG. These landfills can reek not just from the decomposing drywall
that smells like rotten eggs/sewage, but also from the growing rodent, nuisance birds, raccoon and possum populations that are inherent
problems with landfills. The smell gets that much worse when fires break out - rotten egg smell on fire? I can't even imagine. Oh and let's
not forget the amount of dust that will be filling our skies from the 75+ dump trucks flying down our roads 6 days a week or more and from
crushing debris. Or how about the smell of diesel that will fill the surrounding sites from the tractors and equipment needed to operate the
landfill on a daily basis. Air is just as important as water - they both support life. This landfill threatens these precious resources for the
residents and wildlife and will drive the many tourists that visit our beautiful county yearly.
There has been a lot of media coverage lately regarding the many dangers of Chinese drywall. One of the main issues with the drywall is its
production of a foul and sickening odor that can be related to rotten eggs and sewage. While non-Chinese drywall produces the same gas,
Chinese drywall emits the gas 100 times greater than non-Chinese drywall. "New federal guidelines say thousands of U.S. homes tainted by
Chinese drywall won't be safe unless they are completely gutted." This is not only because of the horrendous smell that it emits, but also
because the drywall actually damages "electrical wiring, outlets, circuit breakers, fire alarm systems, carbon monoxide alarms, fire sprinklers,
gas pipes." See the links box below to learn more about Chinese Drywall.
So besides an odor just being plain annoying to the point that backyard BBQ's and trail-riding become unbearable, being exposed to the
Hydrogen Sulfide gas produced by regular dry wall has been proven to produce the following symptoms in people surrounding many landfills:
Short Term Exposure Effects:
Diarrhea, migraines, nausea, vomiting, difficulty concentrating, burning/itchy eyes, asthma, skin rashes, decreased lung function, nosebleeds
and has even been documented to result in pulmonary edema, central nervous system effects and even severe injury and death. This is all
from short term effects.
Long term Exposure Effects:
Neurologic effects (fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, headache, vomiting, irritability, poor memory, depression, motor skills, and dizziness)
and respiratory effects (nosebleeds, breathing abnormalities). Several studies have been conducted which show neurologic effects from
chronic low-level exposures. These studies have documented deficits in cognitive function, reduced perceptual motor speed, impaired
memory, impaired balance, and abnormal mood status. These effects were still evident months and sometimes years after exposures ceased.
Source: United States Department of Health & Human Services
But to give you a little more info for those in doubt, here's a breakdown of how our air quality will be adversely affected...
Fires
The gases produced by wallboard and the decomposition of other C&D debris are flammable. According to FEMA, “Fires occurring in landfill
sites are an ongoing, complex problem that has existed for decades.” To further prove the danger of allowing this C&D Landfill in our
neighborhood adjacent to our state conservation forest is the fact that “C&D landfills are at a much higher risk for a significant fire than other
types of landfills.” If/when a C&D landfill fire occurs and expands to our forest, there are thousands of acres of ‘fuel’ to completely devastate
the forest and animals; not to mention the surrounding homes, farms and businesses. The U.S. Fire Administration has even done studies on
landfill fires and the tragic effects. One landfill fire burned from 2005 until 2006. The smoke that fills the air from a landfill fire will certainly be
an issue for all of Hernando County and perhaps even surrounding counties. We all know how quickly smoke and ash travel. The toxins that
are released from materials in a C&D Landfill and spread when on fire have been documented to cause serious health problems both long
and short term.
Furthermore, we can't help but correlate 9/11 to a C&D landfill fire. There has been a lot of media coverage surrounding the illnesses and
deaths that the first responders and even those working on Ground Zero have been experiencing. The falling of the towers and the
subsequent fires are sadly, no different than a landfill fire. The towers burning on 9/11 were comprised of materials exactly like what will go
into the Croom C&D Landfill. A former EMS explains, "there was an enormous amount of toxic debris and smoke, your skin was on fire you
couldn’t breathe, your eyes were tearing." Here's a site that gives you a look into how these heroes are suffering - all because of the
destruction of the Twin Towers: "9/11: Still Killing" Besides the pictures labeled landfill fire, the pictures below are from this website as well.
There are MANY issues with this Croom C&D Landfill regarding air quality. Stepping outside into beautiful Brooksville currently fills your lungs
with fresh, clean air and sometimes with a hint of pine trees. That's part of the reason most of us live or even visit here - fresh air is one of
the many the benefits of being in the country. This landfill will ruin that - no question about it. Study after study proves that C&D landfills can
be a serious health issue.
Some people have mistakenly said that C&D Landfills don't smell. WRONG. These landfills can reek not just from the decomposing drywall
that smells like rotten eggs/sewage, but also from the growing rodent, nuisance birds, raccoon and possum populations that are inherent
problems with landfills. The smell gets that much worse when fires break out - rotten egg smell on fire? I can't even imagine. Oh and let's
not forget the amount of dust that will be filling our skies from the 75+ dump trucks flying down our roads 6 days a week or more and from
crushing debris. Or how about the smell of diesel that will fill the surrounding sites from the tractors and equipment needed to operate the
landfill on a daily basis. Air is just as important as water - they both support life. This landfill threatens these precious resources for the
residents and wildlife and will drive the many tourists that visit our beautiful county yearly.
There has been a lot of media coverage lately regarding the many dangers of Chinese drywall. One of the main issues with the drywall is its
production of a foul and sickening odor that can be related to rotten eggs and sewage. While non-Chinese drywall produces the same gas,
Chinese drywall emits the gas 100 times greater than non-Chinese drywall. "New federal guidelines say thousands of U.S. homes tainted by
Chinese drywall won't be safe unless they are completely gutted." This is not only because of the horrendous smell that it emits, but also
because the drywall actually damages "electrical wiring, outlets, circuit breakers, fire alarm systems, carbon monoxide alarms, fire sprinklers,
gas pipes." See the links box below to learn more about Chinese Drywall.
So besides an odor just being plain annoying to the point that backyard BBQ's and trail-riding become unbearable, being exposed to the
Hydrogen Sulfide gas produced by regular dry wall has been proven to produce the following symptoms in people surrounding many landfills:
Short Term Exposure Effects:
Diarrhea, migraines, nausea, vomiting, difficulty concentrating, burning/itchy eyes, asthma, skin rashes, decreased lung function, nosebleeds
and has even been documented to result in pulmonary edema, central nervous system effects and even severe injury and death. This is all
from short term effects.
Long term Exposure Effects:
Neurologic effects (fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, headache, vomiting, irritability, poor memory, depression, motor skills, and dizziness)
and respiratory effects (nosebleeds, breathing abnormalities). Several studies have been conducted which show neurologic effects from
chronic low-level exposures. These studies have documented deficits in cognitive function, reduced perceptual motor speed, impaired
memory, impaired balance, and abnormal mood status. These effects were still evident months and sometimes years after exposures ceased.
Source: United States Department of Health & Human Services
But to give you a little more info for those in doubt, here's a breakdown of how our air quality will be adversely affected...
Fires
The gases produced by wallboard and the decomposition of other C&D debris are flammable. According to FEMA, “Fires occurring in landfill
sites are an ongoing, complex problem that has existed for decades.” To further prove the danger of allowing this C&D Landfill in our
neighborhood adjacent to our state conservation forest is the fact that “C&D landfills are at a much higher risk for a significant fire than other
types of landfills.” If/when a C&D landfill fire occurs and expands to our forest, there are thousands of acres of ‘fuel’ to completely devastate
the forest and animals; not to mention the surrounding homes, farms and businesses. The U.S. Fire Administration has even done studies on
landfill fires and the tragic effects. One landfill fire burned from 2005 until 2006. The smoke that fills the air from a landfill fire will certainly be
an issue for all of Hernando County and perhaps even surrounding counties. We all know how quickly smoke and ash travel. The toxins that
are released from materials in a C&D Landfill and spread when on fire have been documented to cause serious health problems both long
and short term.
Furthermore, we can't help but correlate 9/11 to a C&D landfill fire. There has been a lot of media coverage surrounding the illnesses and
deaths that the first responders and even those working on Ground Zero have been experiencing. The falling of the towers and the
subsequent fires are sadly, no different than a landfill fire. The towers burning on 9/11 were comprised of materials exactly like what will go
into the Croom C&D Landfill. A former EMS explains, "there was an enormous amount of toxic debris and smoke, your skin was on fire you
couldn’t breathe, your eyes were tearing." Here's a site that gives you a look into how these heroes are suffering - all because of the
destruction of the Twin Towers: "9/11: Still Killing" Besides the pictures labeled landfill fire, the pictures below are from this website as well.
| Landfill Fire |
| Landfill Fire |
| Links & Documents to Learn More |
- U.S. Fire Administration
- C&D Landfills: Emerging Public and Occupational Health Issues
- Gut Homes with Tainted Drywall
- Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Homes with Chinese Drywall Must be Gutted
- Drywall Chamber Test Results
- Gut Homes to Get Rid of Chinese Drywall
- State of Florida - Division of Emergency Management
- Chinese Drywall.com
- FDEP Memorandum
- Chinese Drywall.org
- Landfill Plans Course of Action to Curb Odor
- Feds: Gut U.S. Homes with Chinese Drywall
- Florida Journal of Environmental Health
- Landfill Owner Subject of Complaints
- Passing the Smell Test
- Residents Join Lawsuit Against Landfill
- Recycling Drywall