Landfill back in compliance with DNR standards

BENTON -- Scott County's closed landfill is back in compliance with DNR standards.

County Commissioners met with three representatives from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Jefferson City office during their regular meeting Tuesday to discuss the old county landfill.

The 52-acre landfill is located on hilly ground on the north side of Highway 61 just east of the Highway 61-Highway 77 intersection north of Morley.

The closure process for the landfill, which began in 1998, included the installation of 15 monitoring wells to track methane gas levels. The wells are read quarterly at a cost to the county of $1,300 per quarter.

Things appeared to be going well for the closure process until 2011 when methane gas levels above the permitted limits were recorded, according to Jamie Burger, presiding county commissioner.

Dennis Ziegenhorn, county commissioner, said he understands DNR officials are looking out for the public.

"The whole concern was about the migration of gas into surrounding areas," Ziegenhorn said.

Commissioners believe, however, that those high readings are linked to the rainfall events that eventually led to the widespread flooding in the spring of 2011.

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