The Fremont County Commissioners voted 3-0 at Tuesday's regular meeting to deny an application by Twin Landfill Corporation for an amendment to its' Certificate of Designation for the Phantom Landfill along County Road 67. Twin Landfill had sought permission to accept friable asbestos and low level radioactive sludge for disposal at the landfill.
Landfill operator Les Liman said permission to accept alum sludge was sought only as a convenience to the City of Canon City so sludge with elevated levels of radioactivity could continue to be deposited at the landfill. The sludge is a byproduct of improved filtering at the City's Water Treatment Plant and results from naturally occurring radiation in the Arkansas River.
Liman had also sought to expand his license to accept friable asbestos. The landfill is already permitted to accept non-friable asbestos. The health threat from friable asbestos results from airborne asbestos particles.
A number of neighbors in the landfill area near Penrose testified in opposition to the application during the hearing which lasted more than four hours.
The Commissioners said a workshop will be scheduled soon to assemble a specific list of findings to support their vote of denial for the alum sludge and asbestos. Those findings will be detailed at the Board's regular meeting on March 8th.
