Countywide landfill stinks, residents get no relief

In today's Akron Beacon Journal, Bob Downing has yet another story on the notorious Stark landfill known as Countywide. I've discussed it on more than one occasion over the course of the past year. (Check here and here and here.)

In this latest story, residents continue to complain about the stench from this landfill -- only this time workers were not drilling or shifting garbage around, activities that generally produce additional odors. So what is causing the problem?

The article gives no clear reason, and officials have no answers. However, this passage is ominous:

[EPA Staffer] Princic also reported that the company has installed four special wells to remove excessive liquids from the landfill, although it will take several months to determine if that step will help solve the problems.

The company is having problems getting the pumps to work because of the corrosive nature of the leachate or liquid, he said.

That must be really nasty stuff down there peculating beneath the trash -- so nasty it eats away at the pumping equipment!

But odors may be the least of the problems for persons unlucky enough to be living near this toxic site:

The company has also submitted a proposed plan on dealing with airborne toxic chemicals including dioxins and furans, both cancer-causing pollutants, and the Ohio EPA is reviewing those plans, he said.

The EPA is also continuing to investigate how solid waste and liquid came to be outside the lined area on the landfill's southern slope, he said.

I have to wonder -- is Countywide representative of the typical US landfill? If so, how much longer can the human race survive as it continues to pollute its habitat?