“…this particular situation with the original 88 acres probably has more monitoring around it than any other landfill in Ohio …while this aluminum dross reaction underground fire continues and we expect will continue for a number of years, the situation is well contained….we have no reason to believe that it’s causing any undue impact to the environment or the community,” Epa spokesman Mike Settles said.

The fire was first discovered in 2006 by a local pilot who had equipped his plane with infrared equipment that detected the growing heat.  The Beacon Journal further documented the problem, which was caused by the chemical reaction of aluminum biproducts and landfill runoff.

Since then, the landfill’s owner, Republic Services, has spent 60- to 100-million dollars to prevent the spread of the fire, and to protect surrounding groundwater.  A class-action suit filed by more than 800 nearby residents and businesses has been paired down to about 600.