Landfill proposal war of words heating up

Cherokee Landfill Opposition United Together (CLOUT) continued its harsh tone at Thursday's Cherokee County Council meeting in its ongoing battle to stop Waste Management's planned construction of a $150 million recycling center and landfill on a 1,550-acre site in McKowns Mountain.

This time, CLOUT member Derek McAbee ratcheted up the rhetoric by claiming the proposed landfill would pose health risks for McKowns Mountain residents.

McAbee said the New York Department of Health reported elevated risks of bladder cancer, leukemia and low birth weight associated with landfill contaminants.

"There is no way that liners can keep contaminants from reaching the environment," he told council members.

McAbee noted the risk of losing human life isn't worth the economic benefit.

McAbee also reiterated the claim made by another CLOUT spokesperson, Joan Wheeler, by saying Waste Management has a "very sad" reputation in communities.

He also focused on one of Waste Management's biggest selling points - its recycling center. He said the company has no plans to collect the recyclables and the current tight economic times would decrease the profitability of recyclables for Waste Management.

"Waste Management has been quoted as saying that if it's not profitable, we will not do it," he said.

McAbee concluded his remarks by saying, "It doesn't matter how much you pretty it up, a dump is still a dump."

Gaffney native and manager of community and municipal relations for Waste Management Bob Peeler had a strong reaction to CLOUT's latest attack.

"CLOUT finally said something truthful about 3Cycle when their spokesman said recycling would be really great if it's done," Peeler said. "That is why Waste Management wants to invest millions of dollars in the latest technology to reduce, recycle, and reuse waste more efficiently than ever before. Local people would build and work in the most modern single stream recycling and construction and demolition debris recycling center in America.

"CLOUT is running a negative campaign trying to prey on people's fears with outright falsehoods," Peeler added. "At the appropriate time, we look forward to presenting our factual, reasoned proposal to county council and the people of Cherokee County."

In order to move forward, Waste Management must obtain approval from Cherokee County Council members, whose present solid waste management plan bans new landfill construction. Although Waste Management has met individually with each council member, the company has yet to deliver a presentation at a council meeting.

CLOUT plans to hold a community meeting Monday at 7 p.m. at the National Guard Armory on Hampshire Drive