From LEX18
Many questions remained unanswered following the discovery of tons of radioactive waste found in Estill County’s Blue Ridge Landfill. Since the middle and high school sit just across the street from the landfill, health inspectors have spent the past two days making sure students and faculty are safe.
State emergency officials have given their approval, but on Sunday a private company went to Irvine to assess the situation.
It’s about providing piece of mind. Administrators say both schools are safe, but there are still many questions.
“I think that the community here wants someone held accountable, and we agree with that,” said Estill County Emergency Management Director Ronnie Riddell.
Officials say the waste was used fracking operations, and built up from July 2015 to November, estimated at around 1,500 tons. Estill County’s judge executive says he inspected the privately-owned landfill himself, and says it is OK to go in.
Moving forward, teams will see if the landfill played a roll in the dumping and the county is already looking into B.E.S Trucking, who might have carried the waste to Irvine.
“We are going to look this week, once we get the reports back, at some type of technology to be able to X-Ray the truck, and determine this is not coming back in here,” said Estill County Judge Executive Wallace Taylor.
The judge says the landfill will also be hiring their own group to come in on Wednesday. That’s one of the reasons for Sunday’s second inspection, to keep things fair.
Water around the Blue Ridge Landfill, as well as other environmental samples, have been inspected. They’re all at normal levels, but it is a cost close to $12,000.
Taylor says piece of mind is worth the expense, but he says that bill belongs to whoever is responsible.
A town hall meeting will be held Tuesday to discuss the landfill issues.
