Thursday, May 8, 2008

Casella opponents hire experts in environmental health, justice

By Brian Lee TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

SOUTHBRIDGE— Opponents of a plan to bring more municipal solid waste to the town landfill have hired experts in environmental health and justice, one of whom last night rebutted testimony from a Casella Waste Systems official who recently suggested the quality of leachate from municipal solid waste is better than construction waste.

David O. Carpenter, professor at the Environmental Health and Toxicology Division at the University of Albany’s School of Public Health in New York, served as a witness for Kirstie L. Pecci, a lawyer for Southbridge, Sturbridge and Charlton residents, at the Board of Health hearing.

Dr. Carpenter said there would be a problem with daily garbage coming in and getting covered, but not capped.

He said biodegradable materials from municipal solid waste is “much worse” than construction waste. Biodegradable paper, cardboard, wood, wood residues, plastic, for example, “are the same things that lead to contamination of the leachate,” he said.

Dr. Carpenter said people are exposed to escaped toxic gas by breathing it in. He pointed to a New York Department of Health study that reported women living near solid waste landfills where gas is escaping have a fourfold increase in their risk of bladder cancer or leukemia than people who don’t live near landfills.

Earlier in the hearing, environmental justice lawyer Veronica Eady stated key concerns with Casella’s request before the Health Board would be exhaust, particularly from diesel trucks that have fine particulate matter linked to triggering asthma, first-time incidences of asthma, as well as linkage to heart disease.

Ms. Eady, senior staff lawyer at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, said she was also concerned about noise, odor, leachate and other dirt and dust from the trucks.

Ms. Eady answered questions on behalf of Southbridge Community Connections Director Lynn Simonds, who cited data from Harrington Memorial Hospital:

About 61 percent of Southbridge residents suffering from asthma, with particularly high incidence among Hispanic residents.

Answering lawyer Robert Cox, who represents Charlton’s Board of Selectmen and Board of Health, Ms. Eady said health concerns would be raised by a proposed access road leading to the landfill from Route 169 headed into the abutting community, “if people had homes or schools along the route.”