March 14, 2008, Stratford, Connecticut - The ongoing battle between the Environmental Protection Agency and Stratford residents over the final resting place of some 10,000 cubic yards of toxic waste continues, as three Stratford state representatives have sponsored a bill that may block the EPA’s intentions.

The waste includes asbestos as well as lead and PCB compounds, and has so far intended to be buried at EPA waste-storage locations in Stratford. These sites currently hold waste excavated by the EPA during a toxic-waste cleanup that ended in 1999.

The first cleanup involved cleaning and rehabilitation of the Raymark Brake manufacturing company, a site now inhabited by a shopping center. The waste that was removed from the Raymark site was buried and capped at two different sites that are located very close to residential areas.

Capping involves covering the waste with a layer of waterproof material, then covering the material with layers of soil. The final layer is asphalt or turf.

The EPA is currently considering locations to dispose of the current load of asbestos-containing waste excavated from a total of 46 sites in Stratford. One option involves opening up the two previous disposal sites to add the new load of waste. Other options include capping the waste in its current location, or moving it to national waste disposal sites located out of town.

Stratford residents are worried that the EPA seems to prefer the option that involves opening up the two current waste disposal sites to add the new load of asbestos, lead, and PCBs. The two current disposal sites are located close to residential areas, and residents of those areas are very concerned about the potential future effects on their health and property values.

In response to the situation, three of Stratford’s state representatives have written and sponsored a bill that, if passed, may help prevent the EPA dumping the waste near Stratford residential communities.

State Senator Dan Debicella and state Representatives John Harkins and Larry Miller wrote the bill, known as HB5606, An Act Prohibiting the Disposal or Storage of Toxic Waste Near Residential Property. If passed, HB5606 will prevent the EPA opening up the two existing waste disposal sites to add the new load of waste.

HB5606 recently passed the Environmental Committee, mainly on the basis of testimony from concerned Stratford residents. The next step, says Dan Debicella, is to have the bill brought to the General Assembly floor for voting.

The EPA is expected to decide on the final disposal location of the waste over the summer.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 18th, 2008 at 4:20 pm and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Connecticut. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.