Missouri’s issues with radioactive waste in landfills cropped up following a Senate hearing last week, the latest update to an ongoing debate. Landfill issues also continued to simmer elsewhere, including in Hawai’i and Oregon. 

Here’s a look at some of the most notable landfill news developments in recent weeks:

Radioactive waste in Missouri landfill gets Zeldin's attention

New U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said during his confirmation hearing that he would visit a former landfill and Superfund site that houses radioactive material from the Manhattan Project in Missouri. Lawmakers have drawn increased attention to the West Lake Landfill site, owned by Republic Services, and its cleanup over the past year as health impacts have become more evident. That includes Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who pressed Zeldin about the issue in written questions.

Missouri officials have also petitioned to have EPA take over oversight of the Bridgeton Landfill, which is adjacent to the site it's already cleaning up. The Bridgeton Landfill, currently owned by Republic Services, has had a subsurface smoldering event for more than 14 years, St. Louis Public Radio reported. But the state’s Department of Natural Resources said it is concerned that radioactive waste may also be in the Bridgeton facility close to the smoldering area.

Zeldin did not commit to accepting Missouri's petition, but Hawley said he would continue to press the issue. Republic Services told St. Louis Public Radio that it has seen no evidence of radioactive material at the Bridgeton Landfill.

Opposition to proposed Hawai’i landfill grows

Hawai’i state lawmakers have introduced bills to change landfill siting rules as opposition grows to a proposed Honolulu landfill site.

The city must find a new trash disposal option as the existing Waimanalo Gulch Landfill, operated by WM, is expected to close by 2028. But members of the Honolulu City Council, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau and the Sierra Club have all come out and opposed the current selection in recent days, Hawai’i Public Radio reported.

Sean Quinlan, majority leader in the Hawai'i state house, introduced a bill that would prevent siting landfill on aquifers, a key concern for the proposed Wahiawā site. The bill would also reduce the minimum distance required between a landfill and homes, schools and hospitals to a quarter-mile to open up new options. 

Honolulu is also avoiding areas where the geology could allow leachate to seep into groundwater, a concern which excludes about 77% of the island. Rick Blangiardi, the city's mayor, has said he has no choice but to site the landfill at Wahiawā due to current rules. 

Other landfill news:

• Neighbors near Waste Connections’ Winnebago Landfill in Illinois are pursuing a lawsuit, saying odor and litter impacts from the landfill violate state law. (WTVO)
• The Campbell County Board of Supervisors in Virginia voted against an expansion request for the Region 2000 landfill, which is expected to reach capacity in 2029. Residents have long opposed expansion plans. (The News & Advocate)
• City officials in the Detroit suburb of Riverview, Michigan, voted to close their city-owned landfill when it reaches capacity instead of pursuing an expansion plan. The landfill has between six and seven more years of capacity. (The Detroit News)
• The city-owned landfill in Jackson, Mississippi, remains partially closed as officials work with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to obtain approval to open a new cell. (WLBT)