What is a landfill and how would it affect my town?
How do we know if the groundwater stays clean?
Gerhard/ALCEN: Monitoring and testing of wells surrounding the site are performed.
Monitoring wells are installed on and off site to detect any leakage.
Brant Citizens: The landfill company will check for us..placing wells hundreds of feet apart
and checking them every 90 days (Part 360-2.11(c)). Off site monitoring is only done at the
discretion of the DEC...When they mandate it....
Don't all liners leak?
Gerhard/ALCEN : No, Liners are designed with multiple layers of collection and
monitoring points which eliminate the potential for any leakage beyond an imperceptible
amount. Many studies on have been performed on liners systems that have demonstrated
their effectiveness. There has not been a reported failure of a non-invasive double composite
liner system to date.
Brant Citizens: No leak over what has been “allowable”..Double lined dumps have only
been around a few years..only time can tell.
How long do the liners last?
Gerhard/ALCEN: A study prepared by Hsuan and Koemer indicate that liners have an
antioxidant life of over 200 years. Additionally, the half-life of the physical properties of the
liners is estimated over 750 years. The estimate for the half-life continues to increase as the
test data becomes available. The half-life of the liner does not mean the liner will fail to
perform. The performance of the liner could be many times greater than the half life.
Brant Citizens: Monitoring of the landfill will only be 30 years past closure. Testing
of the liners were done in a lab, no real world study has been completed. Could “cocktailed” wastes such as TCE, PAH’s, or other organic
compounds reduce the protection/life of a liner...You Bet
How are landfills built?
Gerhard/ALCEN:Landfills are constructed using techniques that have evolved over the
past ten years. Liner construction quality control is considered the primary driving force of
the construction practices used. Independent (100%) inspection is performed during every
phase of the facility liner construction.
Brant Citizens: Landfills are built “as cheap as possible”. This is a large short term
investment by landfill companies to make a large some of money fast. Speed is the name of
the game..volume the key to success.
Section 2 page 2 paragraph 1 of Gerhard's proposal states that “no material placed in the cell will escape
into the environment." Yet, on page 3, the proposal states that the "If you assume the same operating
efficiency in the secondary liner as the primary liner (approximately 98 percent) the amount of drainage
through the secondary system could be projected to approximately 60 gal. per day for a 150 acre
site" Can Brant expect...IN THE BEST CASE...to be contaminated at a rate of 160 gallons
a day, 4,800 gal. per month, 58,400 gal. per year, for this 400 acre non-leaking site?
Brant Citizens: Yes, at Minimum, even if the liners DO NOT LEAK, which they all do eventually,
160 gallons PER DAY will escape into our groundwater and eventually our wells..at Gerhard’s own admission.
What if there is a leak in the liner and ground water contamination occurs?
Brant Citizens: They walk...They file bankruptcy..They sell off to a smaller
operator without sufficient funds...ultimately it is us THE TOWN OF BRANT who will be stuck.
WE CAN'T WALK AWAY
The proposal states that this facility will be “STATE OF THE ART” does that mean
an "Anerobic Bioreactor Based" - State of The Art Landfill?
Brant Citizens: No, This is a MINIMUM STANDARDS LANDFILL. There is
no one point in the proposal making this site “state of the art”. All they are asking for is the
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS acceptable to the NYSDEC.
Will, during construction, any “exceptions” to the NYSDEC code be applied for?
Brant Citizens: Yes, all landfills, all construction companies for that matter,
will apply on an as needed basis for exceptions to various codes/laws/practice depending upon
economical/site conditions. The best part...The Town of Brant will have no say.
...(see proposal page 5)
What will be the additional cost to the town to implement checks/balances, inspectors,
and increased infrastructure? Who will help pay when the site closes?
Brant Citizens: Many new costs to the Town will occur..many of
which may be deferred for
a short time by the landfill...but who will pay when the dump closes?
