08/30/2026
Below is one of the speeches gave to ADEQ, on th 25th by local citizen, Michele Carpenter. Still waiting on video of meeting.
Great job Michele ~
If you've noticed something wrong in your community, you speak upāthat's the idea behind "see something, say something," a phrase that gained traction after 9/11 to encourage people to report suspicious activity to law enforcement. Here's the thing: Tontitown residents have been
doing exactly that for years, and especially since 2021. That's precisely why they're standing firmly against this proposed air permit. We need to learn from history, not repeat itāespecially
when that history harms people and damages our environment.
Let's talk about what's really driving this concern: toxic gases. Chemicals like benzene andacrolein don't just disappear into thin airāliterally. They travel through the atmosphere in predictable ways.
Industrial plants, landfills, cars, and accidental spills release these chemicals
first. Then wind carries these concentrated plumes downwind, where turbulent mixing and atmospheric conditions determine how quickly they spread and dilute. Lower concentrations
sound better, but that just means wider exposure. Over time, temperature, sunlight, and chemical reactions transform these gases. Acrolein breaks down quickly and creates other irritants, while benzene hangs around much longer. Local geography, buildings, and weather patternsātemperature inversions, calm nights, stormsācan either trap pollutants or move them
around. That's why residents in Tontitown might notice different smells and health effects depending on wind direction, emission strength, and what's happening in the atmosphere on any given day. This is exactly why monitoring, controlling sources, and keeping the community
informed with real-time alerts matter so much.
Eco-Vista has grown right alongside Tontitown, and in 2023, they added a massive natural gas plant that converts landfill gas (methane) into pipeline-quality natural gas. The facility burns off the remaining gas through flaresāand residents say this process is making them sick.
Hundreds have documented serious health problems they believe come directly from the landfill: children cough uncontrollably after just minutes outside, adults feel instant nausea when they step out the door, and families struggle with severe headaches, dizziness, stinging eyes, burning throats, and shortness of breath. Chemical vapors seep into homes and trigger respiratory issues so severe that people end up in the emergency room. Residents have begged the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ): "Please help. This can't be safe."
The Evidence Grows.
Before 2021, the landfill barely registered complaintsāonly 11 before 2020. Then in 2021, complaints jumped to 61, and that surge didn't stop. Over the next four years, more than 700 complaints were filed. Here's what's troubling: during that same period, the state issued far
fewer violationsājust 16 compared to 88 in the previous 15 years.
Testing Reveals Alarming Results.
In February 2024, ADEQ conducted air sampling with help from the Arkansas National Guard and again detected toxic gases. At the same time, ADEQ hired CTEH to do independent testing. By April 2024, a second round of testing found five toxic chemicalsāacrolein, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and naphthaleneāat levels exceeding EPA thresholds for investigation. The most alarming part? Acrolein measured at 0.45 ppb (roughly 50 times higher than the EPA's screening level), and benzene, a known carcinogen, measured at 0.34 ppb
(more than three times the screening level). For the first time, the Arkansas Department of Health admitted that Eco-Vista could be responsible for the pollution, confirming "a completed
pathway for inhalation exposure does exist for residents."
Regulatory Failures.
In March 2023, ADEQ inspectors found five violations for failing to cover active trash piles with required dirt or alternative cover materialāa failure that lets hazardous gases and volatile organic compounds vent directly into surrounding areas. At the same time, inspectors
documented six violations for leachate leaks, recording "toxic trash juice" seeping from waste cells while the facility's containment alarms sounded. Despite these findings, no formal
enforcement actions followed, and inspection frequency went back to normal levels.
A Call to Action.
We have seen something. We have said something. Now we're calling on ADEQ to do what's right, even if it's inconvenient or costs the powers that be money. The state has had years to find a better location for the landfill and to put safeguards in place so it can coexist safely with our community.
We all need air, water, and soil to survive. This isn't about whether the air is being pollutedāthe science proves it is. The real question is whether those with the power to act will do what's right.
Our community's survival depends on it.
