Seneca County Health District launches new air monitoring stations near landfill

Fostoria, Ohio — The Seneca County General Health District introduced two new ambient air monitoring stations last week. Located near WIN Waste Innovations of Seneca County, the stations will continuously track hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide levels in the air.

The monitoring stations, equipped with full meteorological towers, are designed to detect up to six different pollutants, though they are initially focused on hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide due to their relevance to landfill operations. Steven Schilling from Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc., a solid waste management consulting firm hired by the Health District, confirmed that the equipment complies with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards and is set to detect gases at low thresholds.

“These will likely detect gases before your nose does,” Schilling said.

The stations will assist the Health District in addressing odor complaints by correlating meteorological data with the location of complaints to determine if they originated from the landfill.

The air monitors will provide continuous gas measurements, with real-time data accessible to the Seneca County General Health District (SCGHD). Reports will be sent daily, weekly, and monthly to both SCGHD and the EPA.

Julie Richards, Seneca County Health Commissioner, expressed satisfaction with the completion and operation of the new monitoring stations. “It was a long time in progress and I’m really happy to have them up and running,” Richards said.

Dr. Zachary West, Vice President of the Seneca County Board of Health, highlighted the significance of the new monitors. “The ambient air monitors are the latest step in providing additional oversight over the landfill,” West said. “The monitors assist in ensuring compliance with Ohio regulations regarding nuisance odors and gas pollutants that are a hazard to the health of Seneca County residents. The unbiased data gathered provides an ability to ensure accountability considering the facility’s record. A sincere thank you to all those that contributed to this major project.”