[ back ]
Cleanup makes progress at salvage yard
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - January 29, 2009)
Cleanup makes progress at salvage yard
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Significant progress continues to be made in the cleanup of a salvage yard in Chardon Township, according to Geauga County Health Department officials.
Health officials reported that a Nov. 6 inspection of the property at 11389 Clark Road showed a "substantial reduction" in solid waste there and that no new materials had been brought in.
The issue was raised last week by Robinson Road resident James Schumann and Clark Road resident Thomas Woods.
Township Trustees provided the two residents with copies of the report written following the November inspection of the 35-acre property.
Mr. Schumann said the property owner, Robert Echols, had been given two years to clean it up, and that two-year period is nearly over.
Trustee Steven Borawski said the issue had been turned over to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the county health department for handling.
He said the cleanup may have suffered a setback because the county health department representative originally handling the cleanup had retired and passed the matter to another worker.
Trustee Michael Brown said that, while Mr. Echol has been making progress, as reported, most residents might not be able to judge it similarly. He said most of the items to be removed from the property have been moved to the front of the home, making it more unsightly than in the past. He said county and state officials deemed the front of the house as the staging area for gathering the materials for removal.
Mr. Brown said the property was divided into four quadrants with quadrant four in the southeast corner of the property being the worst.
The Nov. 6 report said that Mr. Echols was making significant progress on the cleanup.
"Since our last inspection May 8, 2008, significant progress has been made in Quadrant three and Quadrant four," sanitarian Eric Robb wrote.
"During our inspection, we witnessed that these two quadrants have seen a substantial reduction of the amount of solid waste that resides in them," Mr. Robb said. "Approximately 10 to 15 automobiles, a school bus, a motor home and a few piles consisting of vehicle parts and other metals have been removed from these quadrants since the May 8, 2008, inspection.
"Since the original orders were issued on Jan. 9, 2007, these two quadrants have seen approximately a 50 percent reduction of the total amount of solid waste."
Mr. Robb said that the quadrant used as a staging area was little different from when its was viewed in May.
"Our progress findings on this sub-quadrant showed little change since the last inspection, but this was to be expected due to this quadrant being the staging area and ultimately the last of the quadrants to be cleaned," he said.
Mr. Robb also said that Mr. Echols provided him with receipts to show the items had been taken for proper disposal or to a recycling center in Painesville.
"From our inspection, it appears as though no new solid waste has been brought onto the property since the last inspection on May 8, 2008. Also, when asked, Mr. Echols stated that no solid waste had been brought onto the property since compliance orders of Jan. 9, 2007, were received.
Mr. Robb said that the next inspection would occur at the beginning of April.
[ back ]
