Roachdale landfill owner hosting public meeting on toxic waste from Ohio train crash
Indiana residents will have the opportunity tonight to learn more about plans to dispose of hazardous waste from the Ohio train wreck at a landfill about 40 miles west of Indianapolis.
A community meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Russellville Community Center, located at 300 North Harrison Street in Russellville, Ind.
Russellville is about 10 miles from Roachdale, Ind. the town where the landfill that will house the waste is located. The landfill, which sits about seven miles outside Roachdale, is operated by Heritage Environmental Services and it is certified to handle hazardous waste.
Ohio train derailment:Six things you should know about toxic waste coming to Indiana
Heritage Environmental Services is hosting the informational meeting and will be available to answer questions, according to Roachdale Town Council President Rick Miles.
Heritage Environmental Services site has history of noncompliance
The Indiana landfill has had 12 quarters of noncompliance dating back to the spring of 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Enforcement and Compliance History Online database shows. It is unclear what the specific violations are. Neither the EPA nor Heritage Environmental Services have responded to IndyStar questions regarding the facility's compliance issues.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a statement Tuesday that he continues to object to the EPA's decision to bring contaminated soil and liquids from the wreck to the state. Holcomb also said there has been a "lack of communication" with him and other Indiana officials about the decision, which the EPA announced Monday.
Railroad disaster:Indiana landfill receiving toxic waste from Ohio train derailment has past violations
Toxic waste on its way to Indiana
It is unclear at this time what type of waste — toxic soil or liquids — will be placed in the Roachdale landfill or in what amounts. It also is not known when the shipments will arrive and how they are being brought to Indiana.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management said it is communicating with the EPA and local authorities in Putnam County to determine exactly what material is being brought to Indiana, when, and in what quantities.
Several toxic chemicals, including vinyl chloride and others, were released into the nearby water, soil and air during the Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Nearly 45,000 fish and other animals were killed during the derailment and many residents have complained of headaches, difficulty breathing or skin and eye irritation. Clean-up has been ongoing in the weeks since.
Roachdale has a population of approximately 1,000 and spans an area of less than one square mile, according to the town website. The town and landfill is less than 50 miles west of Indianapolis.
Miles told IndyStar he believes the informational community meeting will be "very well attended."
"I expect that [Heritage Environmental Services] will answer any and all questions that anyone may have," Miles told IndyStar.
Call IndyStar reporter Sarah Bowman at 317-444-6129 or email at sarah.bowman@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @IndyStarSarah. Connect with IndyStar’s environmental reporters: Join The Scrub on Facebook.
IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Meeting in Russellville to address toxic waste coming to Indiana landfill
