DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County leaders said they are planning to stop dumping in a section at a controversial landfill. The County says the decision to stop dumping in the area that sits directly behind homes in the Rockmill Neighborhood was always a part of their plans. However, homeowners were notified about the timeline just one day after Channel 2 Action News shed light on the issue.
The Seminole landfill has been operating in Ellenwood for more than 40 years, but has now started dumping in the area directly behind the Rockmill neighborhood.
Homeowners said the landfill is pushing a rotten odor into their community that is so bad they wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air.
Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln first broke the story of the growing mountain of trash on Channel 2 Action News at 6 p.m. on Monday.
DeKalb leaders announced Tuesday that they will discontinue dumping waste in that section of the landfill on June 1.
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Homeowners said that if it wasn’t for public scrutiny, they wouldn’t have learned about the timeline.
“If it wasn’t for the media, we would have not gotten a response, because we have been asking for help for years,” one neighbor said.
Gloria Walcott said her home is lined with scent diffusers and industrial air fresheners to keep the smell out.
“We have been dealing with this a long time,” Walcott said. “When I first came here, you couldn’t see it.”
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The county said they will stop disposing of trash in that section of the landfill once the Environmental Protection Division approves the opening of a new section that’s currently under construction.
Construction of a new cell began in November 2022 and is expected to be complete by June 1.
Once discontinued, the area will be covered with dirt and grass.
The county said the strong gas odor is due to the construction of a new gas control system that is required by law.
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“I’m wheezing at night, I have headaches, my eyes burn like crazy,” one neighbor said. “I should be able to come into my home and be OK, and I don’t feel like i have that.”
Several homeowners said their realtors did not tell them they were purchasing a home near a landfill because they couldn’t see it. The county said they cover each section with dirt at the end of the day to help with the smell.
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