Kansas Residents are Angry Over Small Town’s Ongoing Landfill Issues

A landfill outside of Kansas City has been causing problems for residents in the area for a few years, and now those residents are speaking up about ongoing concerns.

Last year, a large fire broke out at The Flat Land site in Leavenworth County, roughly 45 miles from Kansas City. Since, the fire has been mostly put out, but the landfill still has smoldering spots. Residents are still concerned over the air and water quality from the fires and local leaders have said that the state agency has failed to protect their health and environment.

“It’s just becoming ridiculous that we have to fight this battle when KDHE [Kansas Department of Health and Environment] ought to be fighting it for us or with us,” said Howard Crook, a concerned local.

Shawn and Christina Britz took over the landfill in 2019, and since, officials have fielded dozens of complaints from the small town including: increased truck traffic, litter escaping from uncovered trucks and from the site, and operating outside permitted hours.

Litter and contamination are just a few concerns, but other locals are siting the awful smell coming from the landfill, even comparing the smell to the burn pits of Iraq.

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