MONCKS CORNER, S.C.- (Friday, February 1, 2019) Berkeley County Water and Sanitation (BCWS) is continuing to search for ways to reduce and eliminate the odor coming from what’s believed to be inside the landfill, off Highway 52 in Moncks Corner.
The County is asking citizens to call BCWS when they smell an odor near the landfill. That information is being captured with the date, time, location and nature of the smell. As the calls come in, the information is being mapped and will help identify a solution to the odor. If an odor is noticed, please notify BCWS at 843-719-2386. If a message is left, please be as specific as possible including location and time.
County leaders are hopeful a solution will be found soon, and the smell will be eliminated. In the meantime, crews continue to explore all options to reduce the odor in the area.
- The County has increased the coverage over the landfill with more dirt and Posi-Shell. Posi-Shell is a hardening material that encapsulates odor.
- The County has ordered a larger carbon scrubber for the landfill that will control the odor that comes off leachate. Leachate is the water, often created through precipitation, that has percolated through any permeable material.
- The County has placed six monitors around the area to capture locations where Hydrogen Sulfide is detected. The monitors have been placed inside the landfill, along the perimeter of the landfill and inside the Foxbank neighborhood.
- Along with monitors, BCWS employees are walking the Foxbank neighborhood in the mornings, while wearing a meter.
- The County is in the process of installing a berm that will divert stormwater runoff during rainfall events.
- The County has reduced the size of the daily working face. This is the area where Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is kept. By keeping the area small, it limits MSW’s exposure to air.
- Crews are maximizing the withdrawal of landfill gas.
- The County received a report from BCWS consultants, per DHEC requirements. The report has been sent to DHEC to be reviewed to see what alternatives can be explored.
The landfill started in 1975 and has never experienced an issue like this in the past. The colder weather and significant amount of rainfall causes a thermal inversion; therefore, the odor is believed to be stronger during the Winter. County leaders are working hard to find a solution and hopeful the problem will be solved soon.
