In 2010, the adjacent Bridgeton Landfill developed an underground landfill fire which has raged out of control to the present day. Republic Services insists that there is no landfill fire, but merely a "'smoldering chemical event,' or a 'subsurface smoldering event'. (Source : http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/confused-about-bridgeton-west-lake-landfills-heres-what-you-should-know )
The utter stupidity of Republic's semantic hair splitting speaks for itself.
While Republic Services was arguing the difference between a 'smoldering event' and a fire; local residents in Bridgeton, Mo. were living with foul odors so noxious they rendered outdoor activities impossible. (Source : http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/theres-burning-problem-bridgeton-landfill-it-stinks-it-unsafe )
So far no one at Republic Services has admitted any liability regarding this 'subsurface smoldering event'. Though presently unable to verify the cause of this underground landfill fire (which has been raging over 5 years to date); the most common cause remains the actual 'gas collection systems' ironically used to remediate such fires. When gas collection systems (such as the 'gas extraction wells used at Republic's Bridgeton Landfill); withdraw an overabundance of landfill gas--a subsurface smoldering event, or underground landfill fire occurs. (Source : dnr.mo.gov/env/swmp/Bridgeton/DataEvaFinal.pdf) (see p. 5 of report).
These underground gas collection systems for harvesting landfill gas are germane to this article as they bring into question a new program namely 'landfill gas to energy' spearheaded by Republic's majority stockholder, Bill Gates. Landfill gas to energy programs are being touted as safe, clean and user friendly.
In 2014 Gates purchased some 42 million dollars worth of Republic Services; making him the largest stockholder at some 91 million shares. Gates also has one of the largest slices of potential civil and criminal liability, if this situation remains unresolved. (Source : http://www.wallstreetdaily.com/2014/06/24/bill-gates-invests-in-republic-services/ )
As Republic Services continued to stonewall any independent investigation; their 'smoldering event' at the Bridgeton Landfill was progressing closer to the raw buried nuclear waste in the adjacent West Lake Landfill approximately 1000 feet away.
The Dirty Bomb scenario"a Goliath over entire Midwest"
Citizen groups have argued that if the underground smoldering event/fire comes into direct contact with the dumped nuclear waste at the unlined West Lake site; the release of toxins and carcinogens would go airborne in a goliath nuclear plume, and create the mother of all dirty bombs.
Depending on prevailing winds at the time of a nuclear release event at West Lake; the entire St .Louis Metropolitan area of some 3 million people, could be impacted. Additional contamination could spread far beyond St. Louis and possibly poison the entire Midwest United States in the form of nuclear airborne particulates. Local groups have conducted independent assessments outside the perimeter of the two landfills. A state consultant went on record reporting to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the Bridgeton Landfill fire is spreading north towards the nuclear waste. (Source : http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/state-consultant-says-bridgeton-landfill-fire-spreading-north/article_1913a2e4-bcf5-51cll-8827-658e5469b59.html )
Further complicating this situation is the possibility of drinking water contamination, as West Lake sits on top of the Cold Water Creek floodplain. Geologic chemist Dr. Robert Criss, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis""determined that groundwater in St. Louis County had come into contact with radioactive waste at the West Lake Landfill." (Source : http://www.moenviron.org/images/West_Lake_Photos_/West Lake Rept03142013.pdf )
Geology experts have estimated that this nuclear 'event' could occur within weeks or months. No one knows for sure, as both Republic Services and Exelon have been allowed to conduct and control the assessment process, with the blessing of Obama's EPA. Soil samples independently collected outside the perimeter of the West Lake Landfill have confirmed the presence of the following radioactive substances : actinium 227, radium 226,224,223, thorium 232,230 and uranium 235,238,234. (Source : moenvironment.org/images/2013_11_21_RobertAlvarezWestLakeReport.pdf
Residents hired independent testing"
Community groups hired a Massachusetts lab to further analyze soil samples taken near the landfills. Since residents weren't allowed on either property; these families took soil from their kids nearby abandoned baseball field. The lab found elevated levels of a type of radioactive lead which can develop from decaying radon or uranium particulate matter. (Source : https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7c8H-bVdYKvM0dGaWZLNnhXUkU/edit
The EPA under Obama wouldn't let these outside assessments stand, so they conducted 'follow-up' assessment and concluded that --nothing was out of the ordinary." (Source : http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/health/epa-soil-tests-on-bridgeton-ball-fields-show-no-radiation/article_822baf06-bb3b-5200-9076-7490926a8f2d.html
Republic Services attorneys were satisfied with the EPA results.
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