The citizens of Lewiston deserve to know of a deal under consideration between Casella Waste Systems Inc. and the city of Lewiston before any decisions are made by the city council.

Casella is offering to lease our city landfill plus certain land and buildings. The agreement looks financially attractive, but a number of Maine towns have been disillusioned with Casella and its subsidiaries.

One of the disturbing elements is the covenant concerning construction and demolition debris that will be processed daily at the facility. According to Lewiston’s Solid Waste Task Force, debris amounting to about 42 truckloads, six days a week for 30 years would come into the dump, some from out of state. Limited only by weight, Casella would regulate the variety of debris. Obviously, it will select the waste with the highest profit per ton – those that are the hardest to dispose of.

That waste comes from roads, bridges, residential and commercial buildings being constructed, renovated, repaired or demolished. The material may contain heavy metals, chromium, lead, formaldehyde or other contaminants that could threaten the health and safety of our community. Some of those toxins leach into the soil and water in the surrounding areas.

There will be noise pollution, harmful gases and odors from the processing, as well as the heavy truck traffic, all creating health problems.

The Lewiston City Council needs to hear the opinions of the public on the issue.

Betty Fake, Lewiston