Dive Brief:
- A fire official announced that infrared readings taken from above the Bridgeton landfill in Missouri appear to show high heat readings in areas beyond those where a smoldering fire was reportedly contained.
- Deputy Chief Matt LaVanchy gave the Missouri Department of Natural Resources a video of the heat signatures to review.
- LaVanchy said the readings showed that the area was hot and that heat “appears to be moving toward the nuclear material” in the adjacent West Lake Landfill.
Dive Insight:
Richard Callow, a spokesperson for Republic Services, the owner of the Bridgeton landfill, said this was “another false alarm” and that “there are no changes in the quarry data.”
A whistleblower claims that some DNR employees have a ‘cozy’ relationship with the owners of the site. If these allegations are true, this relationship could potentially cloud their judgment when reviewing the video provided to them.
