Apr 5, 2019 3 min read

Rostraver Township officials are responding to concerns that not enough is being done to address rising levels of sewage sludge at the Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill site.

Cheryl Myers, who lives near the landfill site on Connor Lane, read a prepared statement at the commissioners’ monthly meeting Wednesday, alleging that 19,151 tons of sewage sludge was deposited at the landfill in 2018, compared to 8,002 tons in 2017. She also claimed that the landfill is taking sewage sludge from Huntington, W.Va., which is reportedly having problems finding a place for its waste.

Myers told the commissioners that low tipping fees, especially in Western Pennsylvania, have encouraged the disposal of biosolids into landfills.

“The idea that toxic material and pathogens are removed from sewage sludge at a sewage treatment plant is a myth,” said Myers. “New research indicates that sewage sludge treatment facilities are actually breeding grounds for antibiotic-resistant pathogens.”

Myers reminded the board that the Connor Lane facility has been cited several times by the state Department of Environmental Protection for various violations, including problems with the leachate system performance and runoff of water and mud on a public highway. No fines were assessed for those violations.

“Why do we, the citizens of Rostraver Township, have to bear the burden of the disposal of such material near our homes, in a landfill that seems to operate with impunity, and ignore rules and regulations without consequences?” said Myers, who claimed that numerous complaints have been brought to the attention of the township commissioners since 2011. “The Pennsylvania DEP and our own commissioners have made only hollow gestures toward controlling past and present situations concerning this facility.”

Myers asked the commissioners to contact an outside testing agency to survey and test the landfill and surrounding groundwater, runoff and soil for pollutants, bacteria and viruses from sewage sludge that may have leached into the environment.

Devin DeRienzo, chairman of the board of commissioners, said he recalls getting only a few complaints the past three months – one for odor and the others for mud on the road outside the landfill site.

“Typically, Jeff Keffer, our office manager and deputy zoning officer, handles all incoming complaints,” said DeRienzo. “He emails the complaints to all the commissioners and reaches out to the township department that can address the complaint.”

DeRienzo promised Myers the township will follow up to learn what can be done to address her concerns.

“A lot of things with the landfill are out of our control because it’s controlled by the DEP,” he said. “However, I will contact the DEP and will also speak with Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill. In addition, Mr. Keffer will speak with a few contacts in Harrisburg to get more facts before we proceed with further action.”

Following the meeting, DeRienzo sat down privately with Myers to discuss her complaints in more detail.