Gentile: ‘Aggressive Actions’ Taken To Deal With Compost Smell
Residents have complained about the smell coming from the compost program.
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With some residents complaining about the smell emanating from the compost pile at the Haverford Township’s Public Works facility, “aggressive actions” are being taken, says Larry Gentile, township manager.
At last week’s Haverford Township Board of Commissioner’s meeting, some residents criticized the compost program, which was created in 2009 by Haverford and Marple townships, because of the strong odor being produced, but steps have been taken to deal with the issue, Gentile explained to Patch on Friday in an email.
“There has been some odor complaints received by me (10 residents) and we have taken aggressive actions to address any odor issues,” Gentile stated. “The townships hired one of the best compost consultants in the country (Craig Coker) to assist with accomplishing this objective.” Coker will be at the facility next week to inspect the compost.
One of the remedies that the township has done was bringing in two large fans at a cost of $18,000 to blow the smell away from homeowners and an odor eliminator has been sprayed on the compost as well, Gentile wrote.
At the commissioner’s meeting, township officials spoke with the residents in private about the issue. Since then, the township has contacted the Department of Environmental Protection and “we advised that there are no health hazards relating with our program,” Gentile explained, adding that other environmental experts have been consulted with and other methods of addressing the odor issue are being researched.
While the compost program has given the township an odor problem, it is saving township residents money, assured Gentile.
“This program has made significant advances towards diverting yard waste and leaf disposal from our traditional trash stream—saving the Haverford Township taxpayer over $200,000 each year,” Gentile exclaimed.
The program also allows the Haverford Township Public Works department to collect leaves and process them into leaf mulch materials. Since the fall 2009, more than 12,000 tons of leaf waste has been collected, described Gentile.
The alternative to this program would be costly, he wrote.
“This material would have been placed in the trash stream collection system and would have cost our taxpayers $600,000 in disposal and operational fees,” Gentile expressed.
In fact, if the commissioners decided to end the compost program, it could cost an additional $200,000 to the 2013 Operating Budget for Haverford Township, Gentile warned.
“If the (commissioners) agree to end the program, all leaves collected in the fall of 2012 will require transport to the Delaware County Disposal Yard on Highland Avenue in Chester. This is an 18-mile trip, which takes 90 minutes for the entire load to be delivered and return,” stated Gentile. “Multiply this nine vehicles per day and multiple trips. The cost savings for gasoline alone is over $1,200 per day. This would have to happen five days per week for at least two months.”
Marple Township Manager Anthony Hamaday has not returned Patch’s voice message seeking comment on this issue.
Sandra Donato
9:33 am on Saturday, January 21, 2012
The twp needs to move it, it's not fair to say that the savings are more important than the few residents in wg that are experiencing this stink.
Jim
10:48 am on Saturday, January 21, 2012
Wait until Demello puts in the infamous sewage tank.It will smell like it used to, back in the 70's.This incompetent board, would much rather steal the taxpaers money in Haverford township than do the right thing, by making the diameter of the sewer pipe bigger.They could have done that project years ago,but they don't have the what it takes, upstairs!
Sam Smith
2:56 pm on Saturday, January 21, 2012
Now we are paying for a smellologist? Waste of money and on top of it you have the neighborhood smelling bad. $350k for the machine to turn the leaves 9K for each fan to blow away the stink. Do you know what stinks the people behind this stupid idea. Dumb Dumb Dumb you raise the taxes and you take on more things like this . Oh let's not forget the Fenimore's and the bubble gum site, we are gonna owe them a million or two maybe three. And after all that the Twp Manger goes out and buys 2 Brand New Ford Explorer's "not needed" at the cost of $62k . Now we have to have lights and siren's so when this shake's out it's another $100K . Now I get to open my tax bill in the next few weeks and I will throw up . I don't mind a tax increase for legitimate things but not for just plain stupidity.
Jim
2:58 pm on Saturday, January 21, 2012
Do the Havertown Hustle Do toot do doot do do toot toot toot do do. Do the Havertown Husstle. Everbody now!
frank breslin
12:42 pm on Sunday, January 22, 2012
why isnt the compost moved over to the reserve...in the woods there next to the blue route
Jim
3:06 pm on Sunday, January 22, 2012
good idea frank! Move up to where all the yankee bluebloods live.
Buzzy Giordano
7:54 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
Haverford Township is corrupt, Bill Weschler, Jimmy McGarrity, Steve DeEmelio, Mario Oliva, Larry Gentile, Maryanne DelPizzo, Dori Lasorsa, Tim Denny, Rich Dougherty, Dave Dabney, all lying scumbags!
Jimmyboy
8:56 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
What goes around comes around, I don't know what kind of crap you people pulled to get my case thrown out but it's not going to work in Federal court, how much money did you give Giordano to lie about me? Dave Dabney gets Mike Atkinson to cut me wide open with a trash can and Dabney's son gets my job before I even come back and now Atkinson is hired full time even though he's got no CDL, CDL permit or driver's license, all your lies wont work in a real courtroom, you could have got off easy but now I'm filing criminal charges too for putting that can in my leg and having the cops harass me, this isn't over, this isn't ever going to be over, I will never stop, you're all guilty, you people caused a lot of problems for my family and I and you will pay guaranteed.
Jim
9:17 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
Jimmy, there are many peope who knew that this incompedent and corrupt board of commissioners had your case tossed.The federel court is taking a close look at the politics in haverford township,especially after that cop rough up the Watson woman and came onto her property without cause. Good luck Jimmy
Bob
8:24 am on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Only 10 residents complaining? That's a bunch of BS. The smell has been horrific for 3 years, it's time to move it elsewhere. They will never move it to the reserve because of the tax base that lives there. Did they really think a fan would solve the problem? More wasted $$$$. The chairman of the Environmental Advisory Committee suggested "sprinkling ground up X-mas trees on top of the pile to give it a wintery green smell". Ughhh
Sam Smith
10:39 am on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Tell them to Google smelly leaves on their I pad's they have. I mean the commissioner's had to have them so we the taxpayer again see a big waste of money. These 9 along with the Township Manager have it all . Whatever happen to the Deer Hunt at the Haverford Reserve?? The taxpayer's bought thousand's of dollars of hunting equipment and food to attract the deer. I still see the deer but do we still have the equipment? DUMB DUMB DUMB