Dust and smell in our community/ No mister system in place

Unresolved

Tuesday 28 September 2021 10:42:00 AM

Location: Stratford Ave, Avenal, CA, USA

Categorie: Air

Description:

There is a strong wind blowing the stench of garbage and dust into our side of the community (east). The mister system has not turned on and I was wondering why this is so. I went to the city to ask about this issues and I was told to call the landfill and ask them. I do not believe this is the way it should have been handled. They are also doing some work on the South west side of the landfill causing more dust to blow into our neighbor hood. Maybe this work should be done on a day with little wind.

Administrator Comment:

I got a call from a resident of Avenal that lives on the Southeast side of the community near the landfill. He was wondering why the mister system was not on. The wind had been blowing (15MPH) bringing dust and the stench of garbage to there side of town (he had already brought the issue of the misters to our attention-Sep 20) It was mentioned that he had gone to the city and also brought this to the attention of the city. but the city simply provided him the phone number of the Landfill and told him to call the landfill to figure out what was going on. After hearing this response I contacted the Landfill Manager (LFM) George Anderson. I gave him the back ground of what was happening and commented that although the wind was showing that the direction of the wind was at the moment NNW this was not the case. I was told by LFM that the flags we showing that the wind was blowing towards the community but that was part of the misconception because it was actually blowing N. The LFM also mentioned that there was a grid check done at 10:45Am as well as a Neighborhood check done at 10:53am but there were not picking up any smells but this did not mean that there was nothing there. In regards to the mister system it was not operating at the moment because it was under maintenance, and they had sprayed extra citrus spray to help with the loads they were receiving. I told George that I would circle back around with the community member about the misters and the wind direction and would reach back out to him. The community member sent me a video that (I shared with the LFM) showed the wind was indeed blowing SE. The resident told me that this was part of the issue with the communication and action on behalf of the Landfill. "They ignore us and this doesn't seem to go anywhere"