Waste Management landfill to address odor complaints

Waste Management (WM), Houston, says it is addressing odors at its Perinton, New York, landfill after receiving several complaints from residents, a report by Spectrum News Rochester says. Locals began complaining of the odors at High Acres Landfill in September 2017.

One resident says in the report that her dog doesn’t want to go outside because of the odors. Another says her child could smell the odors on the nearby school playground. The report says Fairport Central School District claims the smell affected local classes.

Steve Poggi, director of local disposal operations at the landfill, says in the report the odors are caused by a several factors. An increased amount of precipitation can affect methane release from the landfill, he says in the report, and a change in its gas release technology has affected the amount of gas released from more odorous areas of High Acres.

Poggi says in the report two gas recovery power plants at the landfill were shut down and that gas has been automatically directed to enclosed flares. The redirection occurred before the flow was adjusted and an increase of odors occurred.

WM says in the report that they will provide mitigation recommendations to the Perinton Town Board on Jan. 24. The board will petition the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to implement more monitoring and reporting of landfill gases.