Ross Environmental seeking to build 'monofill' in Eaton Township (UPDATED)

This story was updated to correct the number of acres of property Ross wants rezoned. EATON TWP — Ross Environmental Services Inc. is going through the permitting, zoning and planning process to expand the footprint of its incineration services in the township, where it wants to bury waste ash from its existing incinerator. The Elyria-based company will go before the Eaton Township Zoning Commission at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, at 12043 Avon Belden Road. Ross is asking to have approximately 218 acres of property it owns behind its incinerator facility on Giles Road rezoned from light industrial to heavy industrial. It wants to build a "monofill," where it will bury treated waste ash from the neighboring incinerator between plastic sheeting and cover it, on 23 of those acres. During an information session for the public at the FOP Lodge No. 54 on Royalton Road on Wednesday, Ross officials said the monofill will be hidden from view of neighbors by a double row of trees, won't emit a smell and won't result in noise pollution. More than two dozen people showed up at the session to learn about the proposed project. Pat Lawson, vice president for corporate compliance and risk management for Ross, said the intent is only to bury treated, residual ash from the incinerator, not any hazardous materials. The area where the monofill will be placed is north and west of the incinerator, on land already owned by Ross. The ash is treated after it is burned and then mixed with a mixture of cement or limestone before being buried. It won't just be any old pile of ash, though: First, a 3-foot layer of nonporous clay will be put down, followed by plastic sheeting to stop water from leaching in or out. The treated ash mixture is then buried and covered at the end of each day to prevent wind or water erosion. The ash will be 10 to 17 feet deep, starting from the east and working west. The monofill will be built no taller than 50 feet, which is shorter than typical municipal landfills, according to Ross officials. Groundwater will be continuously monitored, and the site is expected to have a 48-year lifespan. Ross also is financially responsible for the monofill and any contamination or cleanup in the future, Vice President of Business Development Darrell Zielinski said. The monofill has to conform to environmental protection standards, and the Ohio EPA will make scheduled and unscheduled visits to the facility to monitor progress and the health and safety of the project, according to Ross. Two stormwater retention ponds will siphon off rainwater to prevent contamination of the monofill and will not contain or come in contact with any of the nearby ash, Zielinski said. A security fence will prevent trespassing, and the monofill will not contain any materials that will attract animal life, he said. The geology of the area is perfect for the project, Zielinski said. Environmental protection officials wouldn't allow the project to proceed if it wasn't, he said. If all permits and the zoning change are approved, construction could start this year and the first loads of treated ash buried in 2024, Zielinski said. Ross Incineration received 40 tons of contaminated debris from the site of the Feb. 3 East Palestine train derailment, according to the Ohio EPA. The company already receives and burns chemicals including solvents, pharmaceutical waste and potentially toxic or hazardous solids. Ross currently ships the treated waste ash from its incinerator to landfills or storage facilities outside Ohio. Building a monofill on its own property will make Ross competitive with other similar incinerator operators, cut transportation costs, prevent accidents or spills during transport and ensure that if an outside landfill increases its prices or shuts down, Ross has a place to put waste ash well into the future, company officials said. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @DaveOBrienCT.