Murfreesboro City Council Files Lawsuit Against Republic Services Over Environmental Concerns

Strategic Insights -

The city of Murfreesboro, Tennessee has authorized a federal lawsuit against Republic Services, Inc., BFI Waste Services of Tennessee, LLC, and Republic Services of Tennessee, LLC, alleging ongoing environmental issues at the Middle Point Landfill. The lawsuit claims that the defendants have been releasing noxious odorous gases and toxic landfill leachate into the surrounding community, creating a public and private nuisance, damaging infrastructure and property, and breaching their contract.

Key Takeaways:

  • The city of Murfreesboro has reported over 2,000 odor complaints from the community surrounding the Middle Point Landfill between September 2021 and late April 2022.
  • The landfill is located near the city's corporate limits and is immediately across the East Fork Stones River from a public park owned and operated by the city.
  • Recent air sampling and observations confirm that the landfill is the source of the noxious odors, which are caused by failed and delayed site management, uncontrolled landfill gas emissions, ongoing leachate outbreaks, and an ongoing exothermic reaction from industrial secondary aluminum smelting ("SAS") waste.
  • The lawsuit alleges that the defendants have breached their contract with the city, failing to comply with all city ordinances and policies as an industrial discharger to the city's sewer system.
  • The city is seeking abatement of the nuisance, declaratory judgment, compensatory and punitive damages, and all other appropriate relief.

Statistics:

  • Over 2,000 odor complaints from the community surrounding the Middle Point Landfill have been reported to the city between September 2021 and late April 2022.
  • The landfill is located a few hundred feet from the city's corporate limits and is immediately across the East Fork Stones River from the Walter Hill Recreation Area, a public park owned and operated by the city.

Sources:

  • [COMPLAINT Plaintiff, City of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, ("City" or "Plaintiff"), by and through counsel, files this Complaint for nuisance, negligence, punitive damages, and breach of contract against Defendants BFI Waste Systems of Tennessee, LLC, ("BFI"), Republic Services of Tennessee, LLC, and Republic Services, Inc. (both referred to as "Republic") (collectively, "Defendants"), relating to Defendants' management and operations of Middle Point Landfill ("MPL" or "the landfill") in Rutherford County, Tennessee. ]