Jefferson County health department’s hands full with violations, complaints
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STEUBENVILLE -- The Jefferson County General Health District's environmental staff has had its hands full with violations and complaints, representatives told the county's board of health Tuesday.
Marc Maragos, environmental health director, told the board his staff has been busy returning phone calls about complaints of offsite odors stemming from Apex Landfill, with some complaints being forwarded by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. So far, October has seen 39 calls to the odor complaints hotline, he said. Tallies from previous months include: 47 in September, 56 in August, 55 in July and 27 in June.
"The offsite odors continue to be a problem and will continue to be addressed by the Jefferson County General Health District, Interstate Waste Services management and the Ohio EPA," Maragos said, adding later that complaints remain concentrated around the 288-acre Apex Landfill itself, with the farthest-reaching complaints coming from Hopedale in Harrison County.
Furthermore, Maragos said the Ohio EPA conducted its annual survey on the health department's solid waste program Monday. Ohio EPA officials accompanied sanitarian Carla Gampolo and Emma Gray, sanitarian in training, as they visited county landfills and other businesses and facilities under the department's solid waste program.
During the survey inspection at Apex, health department and Ohio EPA staff identified three violations, Maragos said. Those violations, which he said warrant soon-to-be-issued notices of violation set for later this week, included "an uncontained leachate outbreak, ... failure to have up-to-date paperwork accessible for review ... and sump four (being) 12 inches above the maximum head on the liner."
Maragos said he has been informed that C&DD and Crossridge landfills continue to "have the same outstanding violations with no changes noted."
The health department's solid waste survey was completed to the Ohio EPA's satisfaction, Maragos said, and the health department will continue to be placed on the EPA director's approved health department list.
Asked how the health department handles notices of violation, Maragos said the department notifies the agency of the observed violations. The notices become public records that can be seen by any organization wishing to do business with the violator. Health commissioner Andrew Henry added that, contrary to misconceptions, the health department itself does not fine organizations for violations.
Maragos said Jefferson County is an approved solid waste district, making it an extension of the Ohio EPA, which is available if the health department needs assistance.
Separately, Maragos noted that a new EPA inspector will be assigned to Jefferson County and could start as soon as next month.
Another matter discussed was an open dump investigation on a county Road 20 property. Henry said the health department, working since August to abate the issue, has received "quite a bit" of pushback from the individual accused of dumping on the property and his attorney.
Henry said the individual does demolitions and had an understanding with the property's owner to do some construction on the property with the intent to buy it. The individual did not yet own the property and had dumped construction and demolition debris on it. However, mixed with the "clean, hard fill" was municipal solid waste, and a later formal complaint brought the health department into involvement.
Maragos said any municipal waste mingled in the demolition debris must be cleaned up, and Henry said the issue may be presented to the board in November if the issue is not resolved by then.
Henry added that the property owner has been congenial with the health department and wishes to be updated on the situation, having not given permission for the dumping to occur.
Additionally, the board heard about a nuisance property located at 1339 Main St., Smithfield. Sanitarian Jack McGuire said an investigation of the property began on July 10, after which two houses on the property were assumed to have been vacant for years.
Except for a grassy area in the backyard, the whole property was "completely covered" in trash, including in the houses' interior, McGuire said. The property had evidently become home to rodents, including rats and groundhogs, which had begun trying to invade next-door properties. McGuire presented photos of the property taken in July and others taken Monday.
Some action had been taken to clean the property, McGuire said, "but it is far from nuisance-free."
The property's owner, Joan Marie Carlsen, said one of the houses contains two apartments, and she lives in the second unit. She is trying to connect the two houses, and efforts have left building materials and totes around the property. Carlsen said a friend had helped her take care of some trash, but debate ensued with the board about the extent and contents of the debris.
The board motioned to give Carlsen 30 days to have the property cleaned.