Smells from Synagro biosolids upset town

Gladstone, Va. — Synagro isn’t making any promises to residents of this tiny community two miles southwest of Richmond, who are complaining about odors from biosolids in railcars parked for unloading – sometime for weeks and months – at the edge of town. Residents of this town of about 24 say that sometimes the smell is so bad they can’t stomach their food, and what’s even more frustrating for them – they claim that placing the cars just a half-mile further away would eliminate the problem. “CSX and Synagro wanted an unloading point and chose a place where the train is stopped, uncoupled, and the cars are pushed down a half mile below Gladstone,” long-time resident Charles Brown told Green Markets. “Actually, some of the cars over the years have become very corroded and its smell trouble for Gladstone.” Synagro admits that operations in Gladstone do at times result in railcars being temporarily located near neighborhoods that reside close to the rail yard. “Recently, higher than normal volumes forced us to position the railcars closer than usual to the community,” reported spokeswoman Lauren Howe. “But they were moved as soon as possible. We work very closely with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to ensure our operations comply with environmental regulations and are conducted in a safe and responsible manner.” But that doesn’t satisfy Brown and others in Gladstone. “The whole problem is the railroad needs to tell its people you have got to push it out of town. But they are too lazy to do it,” Brown insisted. “They push it to a sidetrack and uncouple it and leave.” He said townspeople have called EPA, Nelson County, and the governor’s office, and they won’t do anything. “Every time we call somebody you’re referred to somebody else. Basically our hands are tied. They bring those trains into Gladstone with six containers on each railroad car. Might be 20 or 25 cars. Synagro has the unloading station three-quarters of a mile below Gladstone instead of keeping on pushing the cars another half or three quarters of a mile.” Synagro said it has its cars positioned on the section of rail yard that it leases and where it needs to conduct its business.