ACUA Warns of Odors During Upgrades to Landfill Gas System

The ACUA says there may be a temporary increase in odors from the solid waste landfill during two days of work on the gas collection system.

The agency says they are performing necessary upgrades to its landfill gas collection system on Tuesday, March 12, and Wednesday, March 13 that may impact odors.

The gas collection header pipe, which will increase gas collection capacity, is being replaced and connected to the existing gas collection system.

To complete this work, the collection system will go offline periodically on March 12, and 13. With breezy conditions expected, residents may experience odors while the system is offline.

The ACUA's website explains that odors naturally occur as trash decomposes in the landfill. As waste breaks down, it produces various gases. Wind direction, temperature changes, and weather patterns impact the spread and intensity of the odors.

You can report odor issues by calling the ACUA at 609-272-6950.

Locals have complained about the smell from the county landfill in Absecon and parts of Galloway Township for years.

Many people say the problem has gotten worse lately. A friend from the area told me, "If the wind is blowing in the wrong direction -- it's awful -- and you'll smell it all day."

In January, frustrated Absecon residents attended a standing-room-only meeting about landfill odors held in the Absecon Municipal Complex, while more people watched online on Zoom.

At the meeting, the ACUA talked about a plan to permanently cap 16 acres of the landfill that's the closest area to Absecon, although many remain skeptical about those eventual benefits.