Greenco composting animal carcasses
With its court-ordered shutdown date looming November 11, troubled Greenco Environmental has begun composting animal bedding materials and carcasses at its Roger Brown Drive facility near the Cedar Grove landfill.
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I hope they hurry up and leave.
When you approach the landfill, you pass Greenco and the odor you are smelling is coming from Greenco. That stench flows out into the surrounding area on a regular basis.
So, using the mask of anonimity, you can insult the people who live in the area as much as you want to - you are just showing your ignorance. And now people who have bought and used the compost have to be concerned of possible biohazard contamination.
"Lesko said Thanksgiving weekend was the worst for odors. "I'm sure I probably ruined everyone's Thanksgiving dinner," he said.
Lesko said he is committed to solving the problems and wants to be a good neighbor and good corporate citizen. He plans to construct a berm around his property and plant it in bamboo to help contain the odors which he blamed on improper mixing of food and wood waste in his composting windrows.
"People think I am not committed to this but we work very hard. My skin crawls when we get odor complaints. That reflects badly on me," he added.
Mary E. VanPelt, an environmental scientist with the Environmental Protection Agency, predicted Greenco will be an asset to the community.
"This is not a Cadillac of an operation. It is a Mercedes of an operation. I think the problems will be worked out over time," she said.
Citizens in attendance seemed to be mollified by Lesko's contrition and he acknowledged complaints from the community have his full attention. When asked if he thought he would be back at a similar gathering in a year, Lesko replied, "No. If the odors continue, the community will seek and get a solution," he said."
Is it any wonder industry doesn't want to locate here?
If you are bothered by the smell of the drying kilns at Jordon, then YOU need to lodge a complaint. I don't even recall the last time I smelled them, but the disgusting stench that comes from Greenco is always around. There have been times that you could even smell it in Barnesville.
Now this has gotten more serious than just the nauseating smells. You should be concerned about the possibility of lab animals that may have been radiated or contaminated with other bio-hazards decomposing in compost.
You need to be concerned that the composting operation is not required to have a liner and that the contaminates from the site are leaching into the ground and are in the run off that comes from the area during downpours and eventually making their way into the watershed.
I hope that you don't get your water from that watershed!! Or, maybe it would be fitting that you do. Then you just might feel a little bit of the discomfort and concern that we have been going through for 3 years.
Wrong.
The "problem" is people that allowed themselves to be located near an INDUSTRIAL PARK. You know, where INDUSTRY can be found?
Where were all these CAVE (Citizens Against Virtually Everything...)when the industrial park was planned to be located where it is? Did not any of these bright lights realize that smells could come from potential industries locating there?
Let's not forget all the hue and cry about the noise from Rayonier's debarker or Billy Kitchens constant harassment of the railroad for their noise. Never mind the railroad has been there since before the Civil War! Old as Kitchens is, he isn't that old!
May I suggest moving if you don't like being located near an INDUSTRIAL PARK?
You cannot seem to get it through your tiny little brain that the problem is not the Industrial Park. The problem is Greenco and the fact that they are a nuisance with the stench that their operation creates and they either will not or can not do anything to control it. Even tenants of the Industrial Park were complaining about the putrid smell until they were told to keep quiet. And as "tired of Greenco" pointed out, Greenco is also now posing a danger to people who use the compost and to water supplies by adding dead lab animals and bedding ( which they are not allowed to do per their permit regulations) to the mix.
So, where were you to be found when the proposal was made to build an industrial park at that location?
Where were you when the compost operation, located beside a LANDFILL, was proposed?
Just what do you think an industrial park is for? Producing rainbows and unicorn farts perhaps?
Why is Jordan allowed to release a smell from their operations and Greenco is not? Because the burning bark smell is considered "pleasant"?
Lots of questions, but very few answers. But thanks for helping with understanding why this place will remain a backwater with few opportunities for decent employment. Carters is gone, Aldora will be too when the war stops and military tire demand dries up.
Better wake up, Spalding and Upson counties are bringing in new business and jobs while Lamar has CAVE dwellers that usually commute elsewhere for their work.
In reply to your ramblings - I DON'T have a problem with the Industrial Park. The majority of the tenants there are good neighbors. They don't create a disgusting putrid odor that has permeated the surrounding area many days EACH AND EVERY week for the last 3 years!
In answer to your second question, I could not go to the public hearing on Greenco because I was at work and most other residents were also. It is the habit of the IDA to hold those meetings during work hours, possibly so people won't be able to come and voice their concerns. If I could have attended, I would have brought information about the odor problems that are associated with commercial composting companies - companies that are only composting yard waste .. and Greenco, in spite of the fact that they were only supposed to be composting waste from the lettuce packing plant, yard waste and other carbon material, began to bring in what is basically garbage in the form of meat and dairy products from Emory and other eating establishments. Then, we find out that they entered into an agreement to bring dead lab animals and animal bedding from Emory. I believe that the IDA dropped the ball on this one by not doing sufficient research on large composting operations and then by not holding Greenco to their signed agreement that there would be no odor associated with the business.
As far as Greenco locating beside a landfill - and this is getting redundant -- THERE ARE NO ODOR PROBLEMS COMING FROM THE LANDFILL. Why can't you get that through your head? Do you just have a hard time comprehending the truth. It is too bad that Greenco is not operated with the same integrity and expertise that Johnny Poore runs the landfill. Then we possibly would not have had this problem in the first place.
I don't know what unicorn farts smell like, but once again and maybe it will finally sink into your thought process --- THE PROBLEM IS NOT WITH THE INDUSTRIAL PARK, THE PROBLEM IS WITH GREENCO. Why would I take issue with Jordon when I don't even remember the last time I smelled burning bark? I am not in the habit of complaining about non existing problems. However, as I said above, the stench from Greenco is not an occasional problem, but is prevalent throughout the community many days EACH AND EVERY WEEK.
And one last thing ... if you don't have the balls to use your name when you insult the people of this neighborhood, then you really should just keep your mouth shut.
State Authorities: Georgia Dead Animal Disposal Act (O.C.G.A. 4-5); passed 1969, amended 2002. Purpose: “… To prevent the spread of infectious, contagious and communicable diseases from dead animals…”
What is the definition of “Dead Animals”?
Carcasses, parts of carcasses, fetuses, embryos, effluent or blood of cattle, swine, sheep, goats, poultry, ratites, equine and alternative livestock; animals associated with animal shelters, pet dealers, kennels and stables, and bird dealers licensed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture; animals processed by commercial facilities that process animals for human consumption and animals associated with wildlife exhibitions.
Note: Nothing is mentioned about composting animals from an animal research facility. The statement alone implies that these animals may pose an environmental hazard. Composting must be approved by state veterinarian. According to U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service standards or equivalent. The penalty for violations can include a fine up to $1000.00 per violation.
Perhaps an inspection of their permits is in order along with the name of the state approved veterinarian authorizing the site for composting research animals. Either the state or the composting business will have to be held accountable for improper actions if future environmental damages become exposed. It might be difficult to hold the company accountable if they vacate the county before potential damages is identified.
I believe the seemingly deliberate disregard of laws deserves to have some repercussions. It is hard to believe it was agreed that animal remains would be acceptable.
Perhaps the IDA should be looking into this. They should protect our community from businesses they recruit, not just focus on bringing them in.