Private landfills have become the bane of the Escambia County. Since 2005, Escambia County and Florida DEP have tried to deal with the Saufley Landfill. Last week Operation Brownsville netted the arrest of the owner of another smoldering landfill – Ambush Land Clearing Debris land.
Neighbors have complained about the smoke and fumes coming from the Saufley Landill for months – now years. The debris piles were allowed to grow over 160 feet high. Fires went unabated under the piles. To date, the owners have been successful in getting the courts to keep granting them extensions.
In today’s daily newspaper, the health department reports that site is a health hazard. In a very weak defense by former DEP ombudsman and now consultant to the landfill – Sava Varazo – he asserts that the landfill isn’t the only air polluter. Very weak – you’ve hurting people around the site and all you can say is that so-and-so is polluting, too.
This is ridiculous. These private landfills need to regulated more heavily – by the county and the state. We keep killing this paradise.