Episode Details

Galena’s residents are in a battle against a foul, persistent stench from their local landfill—described as a mix of dirty garage and rotten egg smells, triggering headaches, nausea, and vomiting. Once known as Hell’s Half Acre, this construction and demolition site has grown worse in recent years, especially after receiving tornado debris from Joplin in 2011 that may have bypassed proper screening. A fire ignited in March has worsened air quality, with hydrogen sulfide levels repeatedly exceeding safety limits. Despite being told to implement a firefighting plan, Jordan Disposal hasn’t fully excavated to extinguish the subsurface blaze. Residents, backed by the group Neighbors for Clean Air, are pushing for accountability—with two filing a class-action lawsuit covering over 1,300 homes within a mile and a half, and multiple complaints filed with state and federal agencies. Compounding the issue, the area’s legacy of lead and zinc mining has left toxic soil and groundwater, making this more than just a smell problem—it’s a public health and environmental crisis demanding urgent answers.

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