By Stephanie Loder
Area Republican politicians and some Absecon residents say something stinks about the 120-acre Atlantic County Municipal Utilities Authority (ACUA) landfill in Egg Harbor Township, and they want to see a change.
GOP officials – and a few residents of a The Gathering at Bel Aire Lakes retirement community in Absecon that was built in 2006 next to the ACUA landfill – voiced concerns last week outside the environmental park offices on Delilah Road with state Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic.
They said more needs to be done to stop the garbage odors drifting from the landfill, which began receiving solid waste in 1992.
Polistina suggested that Atlantic County eliminate the ACUA and instead privatize solid waste management.
Atlantic County democrats denounced Polistina’s privatization idea and called the press conference a political stunt.
Pleasantville councilwoman Joanne Famularo, a Democratic Atlantic County commissioner candidate, last week disagreed that privatization of solid waste management was the answer.
Famularo challenged incumbent Republican candidate Maureen Kern for the 2nd District Atlantic County commissioner seat in Tuesday’s election.
Kern attended the press conference at the environmental park last week along with Drew Parker, Richard Dase, John Risley and June Byrnes, and Assemblywoman Claire Swift, R-Atlantic.
Landfill odor complaints decreased in 2024, said ACUA President Matt J. DeNafo, who took over after longtime President Rick Dovey retired July 1 after 33 years of service.
Last year, the ACUA received 129 complaints in December, he said Tuesday.
As of September, there were just 15 complaints, he said.
“Last year was a challenge for all landfills trying to deal with wet weather managing and managing landfill smells because it decomposes in a larger volume,” DeNafo said. “We had a lot of complaints (last year).”
Odor complaints increase when the weather gets colder, DeNafo said.
DeNafo said “more than $1 million in upgrades to eliminate odors” threatening nearby residents have been put in place.
Beginning Nov. 1, landfill gas collection wells have been installed, according to the ACUA website.
The drill rig is currently undergoing repairs, but the remaining wells are expected to be installed by the end of next week. The expanded gas collection pipeline is 100% installed, and the new header system has been activated, according to the website.
The ACUA also established an online complaint form on it’s website.
DeNafo said he uses his cell phone to handle a complaint of an odor and he also investigates it.
“We set up our own hotline and online form so that if you had an odor complaint, then that went to my cell phone and landfill manager’s cell phone and we all responded to those,” DeNafo said.
“I responded to a complaint on New Year’s Day at 8 p.m.,” he said. “When people have the information, it seems to help them be more rational.”
DeNafo said the landfill follows state odor standards.
The ACUA also promotes environmental stewardship through reducing emissions with a cleaner fleet, investing in resiliency measures and connecting with the community to give tours of the landfill during Earth Day, DeNafo said.
The landfill, however, isn’t without problems.
Earlier this year, a group of Absecon homeowners contracted an environmental law firm and filed a civil action in the U.S. District Court against the ACUA on behalf of Bel Aire Lakes Homeowners Association Inc. and 65 residents of the Absecon retirement community.
The action alleges the ACUA’s landfill in Egg Harbor Township emits hazardous levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) which is well above the health-based standard of 30 parts per billion. They also allege the facility’s nighttime operations are in violation of state laws.
The ACUA solid waste landfill is a disposal site for trash from Atlantic County homes and businesses.
The landfill is expected to contain approximately 9.9 million tons of garbage by closing, according to the ACUA website.
The anticipated closing date for the landfill is 2029.
DeNafo said the ACUA is already working on ways to either extend the life of the landfill or find an alternate way to dispose of Atlantic County’s trash.
Stephanie is a freelance writer with 40 years experience covering NJ news for The Asbury Park Press, The Courier Post, The Catholic Star Herald and The Press of AC. Email her at stephanieloder59@hotmail.com
