The environmental and toxics problems in the Winton Hills area are a prime example of environmental racism. Winton Hills, with over 6,000 residents, is the most densely populated community in Cincinnati. The community has been described as a 'toxic donut,' because it is literally surrounded by three landfills, numerous illegal dump sites, more than fourteen polluting chemical and manufacturing factories, and two hazardous waste treatment facilities. The Winton area was declared the most polluted area in Ohio several years ago.
Winton Hills residents have experienced environmentally-related health problems such as respiratory illnesses, skin rashes, asthma, and cancers for years. A tremendous number of families have experienced serious health problems after moving into the area, even though they had good health when they lived elsewhere.
'The ELDA Landfill has been a threat to residents' health and well-being for many years,' said Rev. Solomon Lundy of Communities United for Action.. 'Residents have been working to improve the community, but the landfill wants to make things worse. We've been successful in fighting the dump and we'll continue our efforts to clean up the community.'
The landfill, which is owned by Waste Management Inc., has dumped waste in the Winton Hills community since 1973. Since 1985, ELDA has made several attempts to gain expansion permits, none of which have ever been implemented. In 1994, ELDA filed an application for a 106-foot vertical expansion so high it would have created a trash mountain casting a shadow over much of the community.
In response, Communities United for Action waged a direct action campaign against Waste Management and ELDA, with actions including visits to the homes of the landfill's president and lawyer; delivery of Christmas gifts - bags of garbage - placed under a large tree in the lobby of ELDA's attorney's office; and countless community meetings, public hearings and city council meetings.
'I have lived here for over 15 years, and we have been battling the ELDA landfill the whole time,' said Linda Briscoe, a resident of Winton Hills and Communities United for Action leader. 'With perseverance and people working together, we are showing that we can indeed fight the giants - and we can win.'
As a result of the community's organizing efforts against the 106-foot vertical expansion, residents won a 'proposed denial' from the Ohio EPA in 2995. Waste Management appealed the Ohio EPA decision and the appeals process lasted well over a year. All through this time, ELDA continued to pile the garbage higher and higher, with money continuing to roll into their pockets.
On February 5, the Ohio EPA rejected ELDA's appeal in issuing the final orders to close. However the Ohio EPA gives them up to one year to close, unless they fill up first, and they are likely to reach capacity in coming months.
In addition to the Ohio EPA ruling, Communities United for Action got the Cincinnati United for Action got the Cincinnati Board of Health to deny ELDA's operating license for 1997. After lengthy testimony at a public hearing on December 30, the Board of Health ruled in the communities' behalf, rejecting ELDA's license renewal. The landfill is appealing this decision, and continues to operate without a license during the appeals process.
Because of the severity of problems at the landfill, especially problems with landfill gas migrating into the adjacent residential community, the organization filed a 'citizens suit' against Waste Management in December. The federal complaint states that ELDA poses an 'imminent and substantial threat' to the health and well -being of the surrounding community and notes violations of numerous federal regulations.
'Now that we are closing down the landfill, we must force them to clean up the mess they caused over the last 25 years,' explained Betty Gazaway of Communities United for Action. 'We are using the citizens' suit to make them remediate the site.'
While the group is celebrating some major victories against the ELDA landfill, people realize that the fight for environmental justice is a long one. 'We still have lots and lots of polluting companies located right next door,' said Linda Briscoe. 'We still have some big fights ahead of us.'"
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