'We don't trust you': Indiana landfill neighbors don't want toxic waste from Ohio train

RUSSELLVILLE, Ind. — Officials from the Indiana landfill accepting toxic debris from an Ohio train wreck were peppered with questions for more than three hours Wednesday night by a crowd of several hundred area residents, many concerned about the out-of-state waste polluting local water and a lack of notice about the controversial shipments.

As the representatives from the landfill tried to ease concerns and downplay any potential danger, the crowd grew raucous. At one point, several shouted "we don't trust you."

No one in the audience spoke in favor of the waste coming to the privately owned landfill.

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Heritage Environmental Services hosts meeting in Russellville, Indiana

The meeting was hosted by Heritage Environmental Services, which operates a licensed hazardous waste landfill in rural Putnam County between the small communities of Roachdale and Russellville. The facility, about 40 miles west of Indianapolis, was selected by the U.S. Environment Protection Agency to receive some of the hazardous material from the Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

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Trucks hauling the toxic material began arriving at the landfill Tuesday, despite concerns expressed by Gov. Eric Holcomb, U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, state environmental officials and residents.

The crowd began lining up outside the Russellville Community Center nearly an hour before the meeting's 7 p.m. start time. There was a heavy police presence as people packed the bleachers in the former elementary school gymnasium.

Ali Alavi, Heritage’s executive vice president of regulatory affairs and general counsel, and landfill manager Eric Chris stood at a podium at the middle of the basketball court and people began shouting questions almost as soon as they began talking.

Many exchanges were pointed and tense but generally didn't get out of hand. When one man began cursing, several from the audience called out for the microphone to be taken away from him.

Residents fear chemicals from Roachdale landfill leaking into local water

One major concern was the possibility toxic chemicals from the landfill would leak into the groundwater and nearby Big Racoon Creek. Some said they feared the waste would contaminate an area aquifer that feeds local wells. Others wondered about the landfill's safety record.

The crowd erupted in anger when Alavi said the facility accepted three truckloads of contaminated soil Tuesday, a day before the public meeting. Residents were upset Heritage did not notify the communities prior to accepting the hazardous waste.

“The (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) designated several places that it could go,” Alavi said between heated outbursts. “This is the most environmentally responsible thing to do with this material is to bring it to this facility.”

Landfill owner answers questions about EPA noncompliance

The crowd also asked repeatedly why the Roachdale facility was marked as noncompliant by the EPA for the past 12 quarters. Alavi’s answer, that there was a labeling issue, was immediately met with yells of “that’s a lie!”

“That EPA website for that particular issue is inaccurate. The alleged noncompliance was related to a labeling issue to a container, there’s been no release from that landfill,” Alavi said.

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He said the noncompliance notice period only lingered because state officials were completing paperwork.

"That labeling issue," Alavi said, "was corrected immediately.”

More trucks coming to Indiana landfill Thursday with materials from Ohio

Alavi and Chris also announced that more trucks loaded with debris from the train wreck site will arrive Thursday. They said they didn't know how many trucks will deliver the contaminated soil or for how long.

The contaminated soil coming into the facility is “low level” risk, Alavi said. Tests conducted on the soil for one of the contaminants, vinyl chloride, show 0.033 parts per million, he said, noting that is well below the EPA standard of 6 parts per million.

Chris likened that ratio to one cup of water in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Indiana officials acknowledged earlier this week there is likely nothing they can do to stop the shipments because the landfill is certified by the federal government to accept the hazardous materials. Alavi said the company notified the state and set up the public meeting as a courtesy.

“The reason we chose to notify IDEM (about accepting this waste) is because of the fanfare in Ohio, it had nothing to do with the risk of the material,” Alavi said.

The materials coming into the landfill will not affect the human health or the environment, Chris said, because the facility is specifically designed for this type of hazardous waste.

The landfill is double lined, he said, with a collection system that moves any contaminated water away from underground water and prevents it from leeching into nearby waterbodies. The liners contain PVC materials meant to last hundreds of years, he said.

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They also monitor leachate that hits the perimeter collection system and are notified of any potential leaks.

State Rep. Beau Baird, R-Greencastle, was standing with the crowd when one resident confronted him about the issue. Baird said he was here just like everyone else: to get answers.

The lawmaker said the EPA should have been there answering questions and that he has asked them to pause the decision to move the material until the agency has responded.

By the time the meeting concluded a little after 10 p.m., residents filed out unhappy with the answer to their biggest question: What can be done to stop the shipments? One speaker summed up the sentiment with a statement that drew loud applause.

"If we don't fix this," the man said, "we'll be a documentary in 10 years."

Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk

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: Roachdale landfill neighbors don't want toxic debris from Ohio