November 22, 2009
What's Inside:
Landfill will continue to accept sludge
Industrial sludge that is the focus of lawsuits will continue to go into the St. Joseph Sanitary Landfill.
The sludge is produced at National Beef Leathers, formerly known as Prime Tanning, in St. Joseph.
Bruce Woody, director of public works for the city, said in a memo to the City Council that the landfill has accepted loads of sludge from Prime Tanning in the past and will continue to do so.
“Prime Tanning/National Beef Leather’s sludge has been tested and shown to have only 2 percent of the allowed chromium content. There is no regulatory reason to refuse this sludge,” the memo states.
Three lawsuits, including one class-action suit on behalf of residents of Northwest Missouri, have been filed seeking damages against the company. The suits claim the sludge contained chromium 6, a carcinogen that caused tumors and other health problems.
The sludge was spread on farm fields as fertilizer because it contains organic matter, such as hair. The lawsuits claim the chromium spread through the air and sickened nearby residents.
After the first lawsuit was filed last week, National Beef stopped applying the sludge to land. Two loads were returned to the plant on April 24, the company said in a statement released Thursday. Those two loads will go to the landfill.
Prime Tanning has shipped sludge to the landfill when fields were frozen or too wet for application, according to the city. Over the past four years, the company brought in about 175 tons, paying tipping fees to dump at the landfill.
Mr. Woody’s memo states that city staff tests the sludge before it is accepted at the landfill and that all chromium levels tested significantly below Environmental Protection Agency regulations. The company requested to bring in increased quantities, and Mr. Woody said the city has granted interim permission.
The tannery operates its own wastewater treatment facility, and Mr. Woody said it complies with regulations.
Susan Mires can be reached
at susanm@npgco.com.
This story has 6 comments. Click here to join in on the discussion.
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I see that as an appropriate interim solution to the problem. Once this matter is resolved, a decision can be made as to whether this is a long term solution. It is nice to see the city use logic instead of superstition in this matter.
It's a shame more people aren't using logic in this matter.
It would be interesting to see how many people involved in these class action lawsuits are overweight, smoked all their life, and have led an inactive lifestyle and now the ambulance chasers have given them someone to blame for their health problems.
Here is a little different take to consider on this subject "purely" in relation to the city and "liability".
Say at some near point in time the EPA as a result of legal actions redefine the total allowable concentration of chromium 6 contamination that is acceptable for dumping in volume.
Guess who gets sued next and better yet gets stuck with the costs of any judgement for clean-up. A bit like the fuel tank issues a while back.
Lets face it, if the fed's do a 180 on consumable products like just seen with OTC diet pills, situations such as this are a natural for becoming even more volatile.
Until such a time that this matter is resolved by the courts and or government it is suggested city tell NBL to find another place to dump their sludge.
As far as the gov't changing the accepted levels of chromium content - I don't see that as an issue. Seeing as how the sludge contains 97% below the accepted levels of chromium 3 NOT the carcinogen chromium 6.
Bearcat - Exactly the point 3 vs. 6. An extensive reading on the EPA Site and the direction they appear to be heading on this might prove informative. What appears to be a growing focus beyond that of inhalation is that associated to ground water contaminations and its potential association from large volume disposal.
Again, not arguing the issue on either side of safe or hazardous but rather how the city might best prevent itself from getting into the middle of a very untenable situation. Remember also the gears of government protectionism on matters such as these have already begun to shift and it will not be long before we see things in overdrive.