Debris from Ohio school demolition illegally dumped

Demolition debris from an Ohio school was dumped illegally by a Zanesville contractor, a report by the Morrow County Sentinel says. Debris from Edison School in Edison, Ohio, was found at a dump site on private property on County Road 76.

The Morrow County Health District investigated complaints about the debris and found Russ James Contracting Inc. was out of compliance.

Rodney Brewer, Morrow County Health District inspector, found several types of material not allowed at the site. The report says the site can accept clean hard fill, including brick, stone, gravel, soil, concrete and asphalt. Brewer found pipes, plastic, wood, some glass and pieces of drywall mixed in with the brick and stone materials. He took photos of the debris and sent them to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA).

Phil Farnlacher, environmental specialist with the Ohio EPA, confirmed that the pipes and other materials needed to be separated and taken to a licensed facility, the report says. Brian Benick, the county’s environmental health director, instructed Russ James of Russ James Contracting to separate the material.

According to the report, James argued at first that the only materials mixed in with the debris were wood chips and mulch but then admitted to the unregulated materials. As of Dec. 28, the report says that James removed the unregulated debris.

Currently there is no requirement for the EPA or the county health department to inspect buildings when they are demolished, the report says. The EPA conducts abatement before demolition begins and will not interfere unless there are complaints.

The Morrow County Health Department will continue to monitor debris disposal until the work is finished, the report says.