Cries of “protect our children” and “stop the crap” echoed through the streets of Copperhill and McCaysville last Wednesday as biosolid protesters marched to the Copperhill City Hall. Worries over the smell dominated the concerns heard, but voices also warned of dangers to area water.
The group of citizens gathered for the noon event was small but vocal as they continued what has become a far reaching effort to stop the spread of biosolids at Copperhill Industries.
Sludge – human waste – from three wastewater treatment plants in Cobb County, Georgia, arrives at Copperhill Industries in the form of Class B biosolids. It is then treated with lime and spread on the ground as Class A-EQ biosolids, the same grade that is sold as fertilizer.
Biosolids are known to contain PFAS (forever) chemicals, but the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not ruled what amount, if any, of these chemicals are safe.
Joining the citizens fight to stop the spread of biosolids, the Polk County commission is aligning with commissions in Bledsoe and Grundy counties in hopes of establishing private acts, law enforcement in Georgia has effectively stopped trucks carrying biosolids from coming through the popular tourist town, and most recently a Cherokee County, North Carolina, commissioner has joined the fight.
At the heart of Wednesday’s protest were renewed complaints of the odor from biosolids forcing students inside at the Copper Basin schools.
Crystal Taylor, the parent of a Basin student, said, “He was so disappointed. He said, ‘we were going to go outside for STEM and do a project, but we didn’t get to’.”
When she asked why, her son’s reply was, “Because the teacher said it was too stinky.”
“That just takes away from my son’s learning,” she said.
Dr. James Jones, director of Polk County Schools, confirmed the problem in a statement to Channel 9 News out of Chattanooga, saying, “I can say that at times, the smell from the biosolids is so bad that teachers have told me they have to come in because the students are complaining so much.”
A spokeswoman for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) said in an email response to The News Observer, “The agency has not received any recent odor complaints regarding the site.”
She said TDEC maintains a webpage on the site at: https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/environment/program-areas/rem-remediation/ongoing-projects/copper-basin.html that lists two email addresses where complaints, questions or other information can be sent.
In an email Monday, June 5, Buddy Haynes, owner of Copperhill Industries, wrote, he was “very, very confident the odor issue will soon be over.” He also referred to conversion of biosolids from Class B to Class A-EQ at the facility before spreading in order to finish up reclamation “hopefully without any odor.”
Haynes did not respond to an email Friday from The News Observer asking him to explain, “Why is the odor forcing children back inside?”
A statement on the Copperhill Industries website reads, “Upon delivery to Copperhill Industries property, biosolids are treated with lime...The lime causes a chemical reaction that may release a small amount of odor for a short period of time in the immediate processing area.”
The Polk County commission is waiting on word from the Bledsoe County commission as to progress with a private act to be introduced in the state legislator. That act would allow citizens to vote for or against the spread of biosolids in their counties.
Polk County Executive Robby Hatcher said Monday he has not received an update, but was going to contact Bledsoe County Mayor Gregg Ridley the next day.
Hatcher said a biosolids item is on the Polk commission meeting agenda for October 19 when the board will meet at the Copper Basin Community Center.
Transportation of the sludge has been a major concern among residents. Efforts by McCaysville and Georgia authorities have worked to keep trucks from coming through the small town. Early on, Haynes said he requested trucks not to come through the downtown Copperhill/McCaysville area.
A Polk County deputy issued a citation to one truck after he witnessed it leaking sludge onto Highway 64 after coming up the Ocoee River gorge. However, the citation was nolle prossed (dismissed) by the Tenth Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s office saying it did not meet the statute.
The trucks have been seen on various roadways, including coming through Cherokee County, North Carolina.
In a Facebook post, Cherokee County Commissioner Jan DeWitt Griggs wrote, “I am working with officials from Polk County, Tennessee, on this issue. We are having our well tested as a precaution since we live only a few miles from the Tennessee border. Our drinking water is a major concern for everyone. I will continue to provide updates as I get them.”
Two speakers at Wednesday’s protest concentrated their remarks on the affects biosolids could have on water.
Mary-Katherine Horne, who identified herself as a rafting guide on the Ocoee River, warned of the effect runoff could have on the quality of water.
A speaker who identified himself as a grandfather from Bradley County, said he had visited the area for years and brought his grandchildren to enjoy the waters of the Ocoee and Parksville. He was worried, reminding listeners that water flows downstream.