Dive Brief:

• A mesh barrier will be installed at the West Lake landfill in Missouri, as part of a settlement agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the owners of the Bridgeton landfill subsidiaries of Republic Services.
• The mesh barrier is a precaution against blowing debris that may surface during an upcoming dig. It will serve as one aspect of a series of measures that need to be completed prior to the construction of an isolation barrier.
• The site owners will face fines of up to $20,000 per day if they are not in compliance with the agreement.

Dive Insight:

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the EPA has said the contamination is contained at the West Lake landfill, based on results from a radiation-detecting plane that flew over the area last year. Radioactive materials found at the West Lake landfill have created a string of endless troubles for both the site's owners and the community.