Residents in Benton County learn what some are calling a dangerous landfill in the heart of their community is finally on its way out. It’s been a long battle for Michael Melton.
“Finally, we’re going to get some resolution,” Melton said. “This has been a seven-year problem.”
He’s just one Camden resident who has been putting up with a landfill in his back yard for years.
“Right behind me it’s called ‘black mountain,’” Melton said. “It’s filled with hundreds of thousands of tons of aluminum salt cake.”
He says not only is the stench overwhelming but it’s an eyesore that poses hazardous threats.
“It started out with this nauseous, ammonia smell, just breathtaking and burning,” Melton said. “We had children in the neighborhood throwing up. It’s been awful.”
But Melton may finally get some relief after city officials say the company that owns the EWS landfill filed for bankruptcy.
City Alderman Randall Clark says the landfill is a threat to the whole county and the state is opening bids to hire a company to clean it.
“As a city alderman, we’re just working to try and keep the citizens safe,” Clark said. “They are looking at closing the landfill and putting a cap on it and then will monitor it for the next 30 years as far as groundwater because it is close to the creek and the Tennessee River.”
But some say getting rid of potentially dangerous waste isn’t easy.
“It will always be here, but hopefully covered properly so it won’t bother us anymore,” Clark said.
After years of complaints and legal challenges, Melton says the community is finally getting some peace.
“It pays off to be persistent,” Melton said. “It was a long, hard struggle, but if you believe in your cause, then right will win.”
To read the full story, visit http://www.wbbjtv.com/2017/12/12/officials-take-bids-clean-landfill-benton-county/.