Six things you should know about toxic waste coming to Indiana from the Ohio train wreck

Hazardous waste from a toxic train wreck in East Palestine, Ohio, might be coming to a landfill about 40 miles west of Indianapolis. On Monday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a decision to transport hazardous material to a landfill in Roachdale, Indiana. Here's what we know so far.

The latest:Roachdale landfill owner hosting public meeting on toxic waste from Ohio train crash

Where is Roachdale, Indiana?

The small Indiana town of Roachdale in Putnam County sits roughly 45 miles west of Indianapolis, about an hour's drive taking I-74. Its population is approximately 1,000 people and spans an area of less than one square mile, according to the town's website. The community was named after Judge Roach, a railroad official, and is home to local businesses, a Carnegie Library, churches and an elementary school.

The landfill itself is located about seven miles outside of the Indiana town.

What is being sent to the Roachdale landfill from the East Palestine wreck

It is unclear at this time what type of waste — toxic soil or liquids — and in what amounts will be housed in the Roachdale landfill. IndyStar has reached out to the EPA for additional information.

Where else are contaminated materials from the Ohio train derailment being sent

EPA officials had previously said they approved shipments to two agency-certified sites in Ohio. On Monday, EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore said an additional site in Ohio and one in Indiana had also been selected to receive contaminated soil and liquids from the train wreck.

After concerns were raised on where the hazardous waste was going — towns in Michigan and Texas complained they didn't receive notice — the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency paused the shipments to provide some oversight to the disposal plan. The shipments resumed on Monday, and the agency announced some of it would be heading to Indiana.

The EPA said it is now getting close to having enough certified facilities to take all the waste that was produced at the site of the Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine.

What have officials said about bringing hazardous waste to the Indiana landfill?

Objections are already being raised by officials who are concerned about hazardous waste being brought to Indiana from Ohio. Among them are Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb. In a tweet Tuesday, Holcomb cited a lack of communication between himself and other leaders.

He said he believes that the hazardous waste materials should go to the nearest disposal facilities and not be moved "from the far eastern side of Ohio to the far western side of Indiana."

More:Gov. Holcomb 'objects' to Indiana taking toxic waste from Ohio train derailment

Is there already toxic waste at the Heritage Environmental Services landfill in Roachdale?

The landfill is operated by Heritage Environmental Services and is a RCRA-certified facility. On its website, Heritage said that it has roughly 14 million cubic yards of permitted landfill capacity, and added that its landfill is geologically isolated.

The landfill is classified by the EPA as a "hazardous waste treatment and disposal site.''

What is the Resource Conservation Recovery Act?

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) gives the EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from cradle to grave, meaning the agency oversees the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste.

Congress passed the RCRA in October 1976 to address the growing volume of municipal and industrial waste. According to the EPA, it serves as the nation's primary law for handling solid and hazardous waste.

John Tufts covers trending news for the Indianapolis Star. IndyStar reporter Sarah Bowman contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Roachdale, Indiana, site to receive toxic waste: What to know