Greensboro community meeting turns contentious over landfill waste - WGHP FOX8 Greensboro

Greensboro community meeting turns contentious over landfill waste | FOX8 WGHP

GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — A community meeting planned to educate the public about removing toxic waste in one part of Greensboro and moving it six miles down the road erupted into tension and yelling on Wednesday night at the Peeler Community Center.

The current proposal is for the city to haul about 12,000 dump truckloads of toxic soil from Bingham Park to the White Street landfill.

Some community members in the audience said it’s simply moving the problem from one historically neglected community to another.

Wednesday night’s meeting at the Peeler Recreation Center gave people who live near the White Street Landfill a chance to learn more about the proposal to move the Bingham Park waste, but it quickly became contentious.

Several members of the crowd said their frustration stems from racial disparity.

“Why do we have to take it from one Black community and put it on another?” Malinda Pagett said.

“If you look at the demographics, it’s traditionally African American BIPOC community,” Chad Martin said.

Greensboro City Councilwoman Dr. Goldie Wells tried to reassure the crowd with little success.

“I really was taken aback,” Wells said.

She says with more education, the community would learn the planning team has been thorough.

“The landfill itself is so regulated in the way they have to monitor and cover every day, and it’s lined, and they see about the leakage. It’s not that threatening,” Wells said.

There’s also the money.

Moving 280,000 tons of waste to White Street is projected to cost $24 million to $27 million. Taking it to a landfill in Troy or Asheboro could cost double that.

“You talk about one community against another … It’s not the dirt. It’s them not accepting to help the people who need the help. We are our brother’s keeper. If they have that trash and contaminated soil, shouldn’t we want them to get away from that?” Wells said.

Four council members were in the crowd as well as the mayor. The city makes the final call, which will not be easier after Wednesday night.

“It’ll be all over Facebook … It’s going to be everywhere. It makes it tougher a decision for the council, but I promise the council is going to thoroughly examine it and make a decision,” Wells said.

The planners have proposed strict safety measures, including wetting the dirt before it’s transported to prevent it from getting into the air, and a cover would be placed daily over it, but many audience members remain concerned.