I live near the George Town dump. Our house was built before the dump became a landfill site that has grown to a mountain.

There are homes galore all around the dump. There is a school almost beside it.

Governments have come and gone all saying something must be done.

The must done has been not done except committees formed and case studies done.

The present government has promised much the same, formed committees and are preparing a case study. They are upset because the public doesn’t seem to understand the government have to get it right.

The public is upset because the government doesn’t seem to understand the need for something (almost anything) to be done NOW!!

The NOW that we want – NOW – may not be the final answer but we cannot have fire after fire continually occurring at the dump that is happening NOW.

The cost in manpower and water and equipment putting out all these fires there must be staggering.

But this is only half of the problem.

I am concerned about our health.

I quote from ”Landfill gas and health issues”

“All of us living near a landfill are exposed to gases either from the surface or below ground. Gases can move through the landfill surface to the ambient air. Once in the air, the landfill gases can be carried to the community with the wind. Odors from day-to-day landfill activities are indicative of gases moving above ground. Gases may also move through the soil underground and enter homes or utility corridors on or adjacent to the landfill.

“Landfill gas may form an explosive mixture when it combines with air in certain proportions

“People in communities near landfills are often concerned about odors emitted from landfills. They say that these odors are a source of undesirable health effects or symptoms, such as headaches and nausea. At low-level concentrations—typically associated with landfill gas—it is unclear whether it is the constituent itself or its odors that trigger a response. Typically, these effects fade when the odor can no longer be detected.

“Many people may find the odors emitted from a landfill offensive or unpleasant. In reaction to the odor, some people may experience nausea or headaches. Although such responses are undesirable, medical attention is usually not required. Often, symptoms such as headaches and nausea fade when the odor goes away. However, the effects on day-to-day life can be more lasting. Families living close to a landfill in Connecticut described frequent odor events as overwhelmingly disruptive. One family reported being awakened during predawn hours by a flood of nauseating air that persisted for 2 or more hours. The loss of sleep and the frustration from the frequent odor events greatly added to the level of stress in the family’s life. Although landfill odors may not associated with long-term adverse health effects or illness for most people, the added disruption and stress of day-to-day activities can greatly impact quality of life.

“Landfill fires may or may not be directly caused by landfill gas; however, because of the potential health and safety issues that they pose (e.g. gases released during the fire), this primer provides information about landfill fires.

If conditions are right, landfill fires can burn underground. Underground fires are extremely difficult to combat and can burn for days or even weeks. The heat from the fire can cause chemicals to volatilize or break down and enter the environment. “Consumer products in a landfill are the most likely source of chemical releases; these products may include pesticides, paints, solvents, cleaners, or chemical additives. These chemicals may be released in smoke from the fire.

“Currently, no scientific publications are available that address health effects from inhaling smoke produced during landfill fires. In order to answer concerns about potential health effects of smoke, a health professional can evaluate potential health effects posed by the particulate matter and individual chemicals emitted during the fire. It is important to note, however, that although a single chemical in the smoke may not be present in concentrations that are high enough to cause health effects, the effects of a combination of chemicals may produce unknown health reactions. “Ambient air sampling and monitoring data from the community can most accurately identify the contaminants being released during the fire.

“Public health and environmental professionals may be called on to develop responses for preventing or reducing community exposures to landfill fire smoke and emissions. Guidance on landfill fires developed by ATSDR describes possible responses. The guidance describes action levels that can be developed, using monitoring data along with assumptions about the fire’s duration. The action levels are then used as triggers for measures to protect public health. For example, at certain particulate matter or chemical concentrations, the guidance recommends that people remain indoors and close windows and doors. The guidance also states that if the concentration increases, it may be appropriate to evacuate people within a certain radius of the landfill.”

It does not make nice reading but everything in that study above is happening here. What is disturbing is the government and the health services here don’t seem to care that we are being exposed to these hazards.

They are not monitoring it and no notice is given out immediately when the dump is on fire.

Is that too much to ask whilst we wait for a permanent solution?

Is there adequate water on tap around the landfill to quickly extinguish the fires?

When will all the tyres be removed? They make the hazard there even worse.

My biggest worry is from the above report – ““Currently, no scientific publications are available that address health effects from inhaling smoke produced during landfill fires”.

Can’t we do our own? Shouldn’t we? That wouldn’t cost too much.

There are a lot of problems with our dump that could and should be tackled NOW and wouldn’t cost us thousands of dollars another report is.