No to Residential Waste Along the Quinnipiac
Quinnipiac River Fund member testifies against trash hauler’s application to accept household garbage
A proposal by Murphy Road Recycling, located adjacent to the Quinnipiac River at 19 Wheeler Street, to accept “wet” garbage from suburban households is meeting with strong community opposition. On behalf of The Quinnipiac River Fund, advisory committee member Nancy Alderman joined with other public intervenors to question the applicant at the Nov. 19 New Haven City Plan public hearing. Alderman also submitted written testimony in opposition to the application.
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Murphy Road Recycling is seeking a permission to allow up to 500 tons a day of wet garbage, including diapers, into the Annex neighborhood facility. During the November 19th City Plan meeting, conducted via zoom, city officials and environmental activists questioned Murphy’s claims “that this will not adversely affect the neighborhood,” claims Murphy attempted to verify with letters from satisfied neighbors living near their facilities in other towns. Independent consultants, hired by the city, debunked this evidence by demonstrating that these other sites have at least a quarter mile buffer between the plant and residential properties. At Wheeler Street, the nearest houses are a mere 350 feet away from the plant, and less than 100 from the dumpsters of All American Carting, which shares the property, and is expected to be a part of the proposed expansion.
With such close proximity, the impact of Murphy’s operation is already problematic to the neighbors who cite noise, traffic, vermin and noxious odors.
“It smells most of the time, especially at night,” said a Fairmount Avenue neighbor. “And the noise. It starts like 3:30, 4:00 in the morning, banging dumpsters around. It’s awful.”
“Our exterminator bill is higher than our mortgage” declared another neighbor.
With prevailing westward winds pointing the stench directly at nearby homes, and organic waste offering a gourmet feast for pests, Murphy’s proposed expansion would further plummet both quality of life and property values in the area. According to independent reviews, the allowance of putrescible waste in Murphy’s current plans “likely will violate city zoning laws around outdoor storage of waste in proximity to current residential properties.” (Green, New Haven Independent)
City consultants also revealed a disturbing environmental concern. Even now, “a large portion of the northern parking lot does not drain into the site’s existing catch basins, but rather discharges untreated runoff to an adjacent property, which in turn sends that runoff into the river.” If applications are approved, “adding wet trash to the allowable mix of materials processed at the transfer plant could result in contaminated runoff.” (Green, New Haven Independent)
With long and heated discussion, public testimony was delayed until the December meeting. However, a half dozen concerned community members, called “intervenors,” were able to share their concerns and questions. Among them, Nancy Alderman from the Quinnipiac River Fund, who in light of the existing run-off issue, inquired whether the trash would go on the ground, and, if so, would their be liners. Murphy’s answer, no liners, and yes to garbage on the ground, but only when inside the transfer building. Alderman’s written testimony also highlighted the probability of increased asthma rates from the air pollution of diesel exhaust and open trash heaps.
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Read about the article by Thomas Green in the New Haven Independent.
Hear recorded testimony from Wheeler Street neighbors. https://www.wevideo.com/view/1927715823
