NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. — Some Newton County neighbors are speaking out about a nearby landfill that they say is releasing a foul odor.
“You ever been behind a cow truck or garbage truck? It stinks,” said Charles White.
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The landfill is in Covington on Lower River Road. White says the stench has been going on for months.
NewsDrone 2 flew over the large field Sunday night and you can see birds eating trash.
Bernard Bethea also lives blocks away. He told Channel 2’s Cory James the smell is even worse after it rains.
“It’s a very strong chemical smell, for a lot of people it smells like it may be sewage or human waste,” Bethea said.
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We reached out to Newton County. In a statement to a county spokesperson said:
“The county has not been made aware of any odors coming from the landfill. I can confirm we have an active gas extraction system that reduces odors.”
Channel 2 Action News also covered this landfill back in 2015 when neighbors were fighting back against a proposed expansion.
An Emory University environmental scientist told James that the odor could be hydrogen sulfide. They said it is best for proper testing and measurements to take place to determine exactly what the odor is.
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