Potentially explosive gas found at landfill

Health district acts to abate public health and safety hazard

By Brian J. Evans

Bellefontaine Examiner

Staff Writer

    The Logan County Board of Health voted to spend $35,000 to abate a public health and safety hazard at a local landfill during a regular meeting Wednesday afternoon. 

    After finding potentially explosive gas migrating from the Chiles Landfill along Stockyard Road, south of the U.S. Route 68 overpass, the board granted the emergency appropriation and contract extension for Howard Weinerman, landfill consultant, to install a mechanical suction to extract the gas.  

    Environmental Health Director Craig Kauffman said the gas could migrate under National Salt Distributors’ main office and warehouse, 643 Township Road 217, which is about 100 feet away from where the gas was detected. 

    “We’ve asked the (Environmental Protection Agency) for funding assistance, but they didn’t make any promises,” Mr. Kauffman said. “We more or less expected this. We hoped the natural venting would eliminate the gas migration, but it didn’t. That’s the majority of the cost here because it has to last for 10 years because they estimate landfills will generate gas for 30 years after closure.” 

    The landfill, which closed in 1986, is next to the Bokengehalas Creek, which runs through DeGraff and into the Miami River , he said. 

    “All landfills  generate explosive gas,” Mr. Kauffman said. 

    In other action, the board confirmed the hiring of Lisa Engle as laboratory supervisor for the new water-testing laboratory.  Currently, the district is waiting on EPA certification and they hope to have it running by the first week of January.  The health district will later add a lab technician to the lab, which will be EPA certified.  

   With numerous flu shots remaining at the health district, health officials said they encourage anyone of any age to go to the health department, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays for shots. 

    In other action, the board:

    • prorated the district’s 2007 registration fees for sewage installer and hauler on an emergency basis;

    • passed the third reading of an amendment to establish and adjust sewage, recreational vehicle park and camp license fees;

    • passed the second reading of a regulation for fees for manufactured home placement inspections and adopted it on an

   emergency basis;

    • slated a license suspension hearing for Hide Away Haven Recreational Park , 770 S. State Route 292,  Zanesfield, for the January

   board meeting, after health inspectors observed several continuing violations;

    • ordered Carl Martin of Wapakoneta to remove a large accumulation of solid waste, including a camper, within 14 days from his

   property at 250 North St., Lakeview.

    • ordered Duane Stanfield of Huntsville to seal off entry within 14 days to his vacant house on Lima Street in Huntsville , which

   has open windows and an opening in a garage door;

    • ordered Aaron Brown of Dayton to repair an open roof within 30 days for his property at 215 Grove St. , Lakeview;

    • granted William Earman of Dayton a variance to place a water well five feet from a house in a parking area at 8840 State

   Route 368, Huntsville;

    • approved the purchase of audiovisual equipment for presentations in the board meeting room at a cost of $6,351;

    • went into executive session to discuss clerical salaries and afterward adjusted the clerical staff salaries based on the 2006

   Association of Ohio Health Commissioner’s Salary Survey; and

    • confirmed the hiring of Helen Brubaker, clerical specialist/ deputy registrar at the standard starting rate with a 120-day

   probationary period. 

    The board’s next meeting was rescheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10.