Harmful chemicals found in Tontitown air at landfill, officials say
TONTITOWN, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Two harmful chemicals were found at the Tontitown WM Eco-Vista Landfill in early February, according to the Arkansas Department of Energy & Environment.
An independent environmental contractor found benzene and acrolein in air samples of the landfill, according to a letter from ADEE sent to Representatives Robin Lundstrum and Steve Unger and Tontitown Mayor Angela Russell on Friday.
As residential homes surround the landfill, ADEE said in the letter that the amounts of benzene and acrolein were “above regional screening levels for residential air but below industrial standards.”
The cause is unknown but Tontitown Mayor Angela Russell says the health and safety of citizens is important to her.
“Someone does need to make sure that the citizens here in Tontitown are able to breathe clean air,” she said.
Residents like Mark Calcagni, who lives near the eco-vista landfill in Tontitown, have been expressing their concerns of the air quality for the past six years.
“We finally have gotten some attention, and we finally got the air to be tested,” Calcagni said.
From the dates of Feb. 5-8, ADEQ reported samples from S. Pianalto Road, Clear Water Road, Fayetteville, Arbor Acres Avenue, Springdale, and the corner of Arbor Acres Avenue and Dowell Road.
Timeline: Tontitown’s landfill controversy
The 61st Civil Support Team of the Arkansas National Guard conducted tests in December 2023, finding elevated levels of sulfur dioxide in the vicinity of the landfill.
The most recent sample did not detect sulfur dioxide or hydrogen sulfide at a level that would cause human health or environmental concerns, ADEE said.
Proj-037346-Air-Quality-ReportDownload
Benzene is a flammable, colorless chemical with a sweet odor that evaporates quickly when exposed to air, according to the American Cancer Society.
The Centers for Disease Control says long-term exposure to benzene affects the blood, leading to a potential decrease in red blood cells.
Women can experience irregular menstrual cycles and a decrease in the size of their ovaries,
and in some severe cases, the Department of Health and Human Services says high levels of benzene in the air can cause leukemia.
Acrolein is a colorless or yellow liquid that has an unpleasant order, according to the CDC.
Arkansas National Guard tests air quality in Tontitown
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry says acrolein can irritate skin, eyes and mucous membranes. Inhaling it can make it harder for people to breathe.
“That is very concerning to me and they’re very dangerous to the citizens’ health. If you’re out there breathing that,” Russell said.
She says it’s also scary “not only to all of the citizens that are around the area, but we’ve had citizens that are over a mile away saying that they go outside and they’re starting to get headaches and the nauseous feelings.”
Calcagni says he has experienced symptoms from breathing in these chemicals.
Russell says she received an email from a resident who believes the chemicals are impacting the health of her dog.
“The dog came back in and started throwing up because of the odor and the gases were so strong,” she said.
According to the Arkansas Division Of Environmental Quality Air (ADEQ) quality assessment, the results for benzene ranged from 0.13 ppb through 0.32 ppb.
“Exposure to 0.4 ppb in air over a lifetime could cause a risk of one additional cancer case for every 100,000 exposed persons,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Russell says this needs to be resolved and is something the state needs to take seriously.
She says there’s not many precautions that you can take to avoid being affected by the chemicals.
“Unless you had some kind of a gas mask or some type of mask on to prevent you ingesting breathing in those chemicals,” Russell said.
Calcagni says his wife is concerned for her health because she has asthma.
“The three substances that they found in the air, they’re hazardous to your breathing, you know, the lungs.”
He also has concerns about the water quality as well.
“You kind of wonder for the animals if that water’s bad and that they’re drinking at the ponds,” Calcagni said.
The Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission voted to expand the landfill in Dec. 2023.
But Calcagni says with 1400 signed petitioners against the expansion , and the water and air issues in the area, it shouldn’t be .
“We all want to stay healthy and safe, and we should be good stewards of the environment,” he said.
Mayor Russell says the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality has to resolve this issue.
“The health and safety of the Tontitown citizens is of great importance to me. I am thankful the air testing from the National Guard was able to determine what chemicals are being emitted into the air. I am also concerned with what could potentially be going into our water system. This not only affects Tontitown but the surrounding communities. It is imperative that the issues at hand be resolved quickly. All citizens have the right to breathe clean air and drink clean water.”
Tontitown Mayor Angela Russell in a statement on Friday.
“WM is reviewing the ADEE’s initial data and results from the sampling event that occurred in February 2024. WM’s Eco-Vista facility will continue to work with ADEE to conduct any additional sampling deemed necessary. The Eco-Vista facility continues to be operated in a manner that is protective of the health and safety of our employees, customers, and community,” WM said in a statement.
KNWA/FOX24 reached out to ADEQ for comment but has not heard back.
This is a developing story. Stay with KNWA/FOX24 for the latest.
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