I heard Casella Waste Systems Inc. wants to take over and expand Lewiston’s landfill, so I would like to share Hampden’s experience with Casella.

In 1998, Casella applied for a major expansion of waste over the unlined portion of the Hampden landfill. Their engineers predicted the weight of this expansion might force contaminated landfill leachate into groundwater. There is now a major problem of contaminated groundwater spreading beyond the landfill.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is making Casella pump landfill leachate to mitigate, but it’s too late. If Casella plans on putting massive amounts of waste over unlined sections of Lewiston’s landfill, the city better watch out.

Casella also estimated it would dispose of approximately 143,000 tons per year in its expansion, providing capacity in Hampden for about 23 years. But the waste volume more than tripled, and Casella would have run out of space in 2007 – less than 10 years! – if the DEP hadn’t granted a final expansion, to end in 2010.

Casella has a history of putting as much waste as possible, as fast as possible, into Hampden.

Expect the same in Lewiston.

Casella’s relationship with Hampden deteriorated to where even local businesses that would have seemingly benefited from the landfill, such as trucking companies, opposed Casella’s last expansion plan. They joined the majority of citizens in finding no public benefit to a landfill expansion. Groundwater contamination, methane leaks and constant odor problems are what Hampden has had to deal with.

Is that what Lewiston wants?

William Lippincott, Hampden