Dear Friends,

Perhaps the most nauseating topic in the district is an incessant odor assumed to be coming from the landfill off 304^th & Meridian. My office has received numerous calls and emails about this, and hopefully, relief is on the way.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is aware of these concerns and has provided the below information to help educate the public about what is happening. I confirmed with the department that the below communication came from the agency and I wanted to pass it along for information.

From TPCHD:

 
The Health Department will continue to send periodic updates as we work with LRI to make improvements and reduce impacts to the community. The LRI Landfill has: 

• Cleared liquid blockages in gas lines following snow and heavy rains.
• Installed odor control wells on the perimeter of the filling area.
• Begun drilling 19 new gas wells on top of the landfill this week (completion expected in about two weeks).
• Extended and prepared gas collection pipes to quickly connect to gas wells once drilled.
• Completed applying soil over the open areas that will be covered with plastic to reduce and control odors. 

How does the gas collection and control system work?

• LRI collects landfill gas and sends it to a power plant to produce electricity.
• LRI flares off remaining gas not going to the power plant.
• The flares can handle all the gas the landfill produces.
• Flares help reduce gas emissions and odors.
• The gas collection and control system operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• LRI shuts down the system only during times of maintenance and when connecting gas wells. 

NOTE: TPCHD anticipates gas odors during the new gas well connection process. We’ve received your complaints and work to resolve these issues. If you feel conditions have not improved over the next few weeks, please contact us online (Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department | Home (tpchd.org)) or email us at [email protected]. You can also file odor and air quality issues with Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.

We’re open to serve you! We’ll continue to offer services online, too. For more information, see the yellow bar at the top of tpchd.org.