State cites Hardeman County’s landfill
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BOLIVAR, Tenn — It’s a two acre opening at the Hardeman County landfill that officials say is to blame for 10 state violations, including unsatisfactory control of leachate — or liquid waste. “In state regulations, only one foot of leachate can collect before it exits the site,” Gene Mills, Director of Hardeman County Solid Waste, said. There is four feet collected at the landfill. Mills said their inability to use those two acres has caused other problems too, like the collection of additional waste. State officials said a piping issue must be fixed to use the land. “Right now we have a dam or levee stopping the garbage,” Mills said. Officials said if the piping problem isn’t fixed, it could lead to an even bigger problem for residents. “It could mean that the waste would exit the landfill and seep into open soil and could possibly bleed off into the streams,” Mills said. “We have been working around the clock looking for the pipe and doing a lot of shoveling,” Darren Grantham said, a construction worker whose company is working with the landfill. “And we finally found the pipe.” Now landfill officials are waiting on state approval to begin the construction process. Mills said once the piping issue is fixed, the other violations, like unsatisfactory litter control and improper spreading of waste, will also be corrected. According to state documents, landfill officials have until September to correct the issues.
