Residents Protest at EWS Landfill
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Neighbors to the Environmental Waste Solutions Facility said they are literally sick and suffering the consequences of having a landfill in their backyard. Residents in Benton County said they are ready for their neighborhood aluminum landfill to shut down, even if it means blocking dump trucks from the company’s driveway with lawn chairs. “We’ve got a lot of people that live here that have real serious problems healthwise with in the last 18 months, and we know it’s coming from them, ” said Roy Sharpe, a Camden resident. Officials said the Environmental Waste Solutions plant also known as “EMS”, believe their facility does just the opposite helping the environment by recycling aluminum. ” We take and process the waste generated from the recycling of aluminum cans or automotive wheels or transmissions stuff like that,” said Ben Brewer, President Recycling Ventures. Neighbors said the problem comes with the excess ammonia and dust that is left in the air from the plant’s excess waste, and they fear it’s whats making them very sick. “I like to work in my flowers and when I get out there and go back, I get in the house my eyes are real watery and they burn and I itch too, my skin itches,” admitted Jean Prince, a Camden resident. EWS officials said they monitor ammonia levels every minute of everyday with an area ray. Those ammonia readings are reportedly no high than what residents would experience cleaning their kitchen sink according to EWS officials. “We’ve had no negative results from our employees who are operating in this material all day everyday, We’ve done all the research we can do to make sure we are not causing any kind of public health and safety issue,” admitted Brewer. It is an issue residents say they will protest peacefully until the facility is shut down. “This is a peaceful, non violent protest, we specifically asked for peaceful protesters… bring your wheelchairs and your walkers down here if you have to,” said Travis Busby, plant protestor.
