Bristol's landfill sees significant remediation progress in 2023; plans ahead for 2024 - WCYB

Bristol's landfill sees significant remediation progress in 2023; plans ahead for 2024 | WCYB

BRISTOL, Va. (WCYB) — The Bristol, Virginia landfill remained a talking point in 2023, with several necessary projects being completed at the site.

This year was a busy one when it came to needed remediation work at the landfill.
"We did a whole bunch [of work], said Mayor Neal Osborne, of Bristol, Virginia. "We did our extraction wells for liquid, our extraction wells for gas, we hooked them up to a flare that is working really well and burning off all the excess gas."

Although costly, with the full price of remediation efforts estimated at roughly $60 million, city leaders say they are pleased with the progress that has been made this year.
"I'm very proud of the work that our staff has done, it's a big deal," said Osborne. "Obviously, we have to stay on schedule to meet the requirements of the settlement that we entered, but also, it's the right thing to do. We've seen a few hiccups with the occasional smell here and there, but we've really seen a whole lot of progress. We are glad to see that all the money we are spending and all of the time we are investing is working and delivering results."

Meanwhile, the grassroots organization, HOPE for Bristol, is advocating for continued air monitoring.

The group recently teamed up with the University of Kentucky College of Public Health, for a community study focused on the landfill.
"We have a couple researchers from the University of Kentucky and a gentleman out in Colorado have teamed up, he makes these little air sampling devices," said Joel Kellogg, president, HOPE for Bristol. "It will involve 20 homes throughout Bristol, Tennessee and Virginia, and we are going to sample twice a month at a minimum."

But what can be expected when it comes to remediation work at the landfill in 2024?
"We will finish the cover, we are also working on the legal DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality) defined closure for 498, which is the older landfill," said Osborne. "After we finish the cover, we will be looking at finishing the benzene mitigation system."