The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will look into the source of an odor that has been plaguing residents of the western end of Schuylkill County.

This week Schuylkill County Commissioner Chairman Larry Padora provided details of a meeting the commissioners had with state officials.

“We brought up all the issues - radiation detection, having loose loads,” Padora said. The state is going to look into everything. They will take all of the complaints back to their engineer. My advice to residents is to keep calling, keep complaining. It will really help a lot.”

Padora said he and the commissioners plan to make surprise visits to a firm that applies biosludge to the ground under a DEP permit.

“We want this stopped,” Padora said. “We will try to put as much pressure on them as possible.”

Commissioner Barron “Boots” Hetherington said the county wants to get personnel from either the county Soil Conservation District or Solid Waste Department certified to collect data toward a solution to the odor.

“The whole staff of DEP was there, even someone from the Governor’s Office,” Hetherington said. “The engineers are trying to figure out where the odor is coming from. When a complaint is made, by the time someone gets here from Wilkes-Barre, the odor is gone. We would like to get someone from the county certified to a site inspection and collect the necessary data.”

Commissioner Gary Hess said things cannot remain the way they are.

“The way things are is not acceptable,” Hess said. “People can’t live the way they are. This situation has made it all the way to the Governor’s Office.”

Hetherington said state officials have offered to do a follow-up visit.

“The problem is there is no device to measure odor.” Hetherington said.

One suggestion Padora made was to reduce tonnage to see if that affects the odor.

“They are permitted for 350 tons a day,” Padora said.

“When they were taking in 250 tons a day, there were hardly any complaints. If they reduced the tonnage, and gradually increased it, they could tell if it is the increased tonnage. These people can’t have a picnic or use their backyards. Kids are getting sick standing at bus stops.”

Youth Summit

Hess said that the 9th Annual Youth Summit will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday at the Schuylkill Campus of Penn State University

“Fourteen schools have been invited - that’s 125 to 130 students,” Hess said. “The main intent is to engage, equip and support young people. Students will be on stage asking questions, like, what would you do with open space? The idea is to ask what would do if you were going to stay here and raise a family.”

Hetherington added, “Not everybody has to get a college degree. There are a lot of good manufacturing jobs here.”

Padora noted the next commissioners’ meeting will be Thursday, April 25, moved a day back from the normal Wednesday because of Primary Election Day Tuesday.