Countywide still unsure of material
BOLIVAR – Officials at Countywide Recycling and Disposal Facility in Stark County’s Pike Township still were awaiting word Thursday as to what “non-acceptable material” erroneously was shipped to the facility in September by a Cleveland firm.
Meanwhile, Tuscarawas Valley school officials had to take quick action at Bolivar Elementary Thursday morning to prevent the pungent odor generated by Countywide landfill, just north of Bolivar, from entering the school.
District Superintendent Mark Murphy said he received a call from Bolivar Elementary Principal Diana Flickinger about a heavy odor lingering outside the school.
“The uni-vents were shut down temporarily and restored later in the day,” Murphy said. “The odor did not get inside the school.” He added that when he arrived at the school the odor was gone.
“We followed the proper channels, as we want the parents to also do,” Murphy said. He noted that he called the necessary officials and reported the odor coming from the landfill.
Residents in the Bolivar area have complained about the odor coming from the landfill for months. Murphy noted that Thursday’s was the first odor complaint at the school since classes began Aug. 28.
He added that several days before that teachers smelled a strong odor at the school.
“The odor has never impacted the children at Bolivar,” he said. “We follow the chain of command and report to officials about the odor.”
Murphy said he spoke to a representative of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Thursday and was told they are going to install an air sampler at the elementary.
OEPA officials then will check the samples for air quality, he said.
Murphy said if parents smell the landfill odor they should register their complaints and concerns with county health departments.
Tim Vandersall, Countywide general manager, said Thursday night that the director of the OEPA gave Countywide orders on Sept. 6 “and we are fully complying and fully committed to getting rid of the odor as soon as possible.”
As for the “non-acceptable” materials that he reported Wednesday had been shipped to the landfill by Clean Harbors, Vandersall said he still doesn’t know what the material is or the quantity shipped.
He added he is waiting to hear from Clean Harbors about those issues.
In a news release issued late Wednesday, Vandersall said Countywide has been assured that the material poses no risk to the community.
