Residents in Pitcairn say unknown odor is "so powerful it can burn your eyes"
PITCAIRN, Pa. (KDKA) — Imagine an odor so powerful that it causes your eyes to water and makes it hard to breathe.
That is what some residents in Pitcairn say they are dealing with. They say they have watery eyes and feel sick.
"At times, it can be so powerful it can burn your eyes," said Peggy Waltz, a homeowner in Pitcairn.
"It makes me dizzy, I get real bad stomach aches," homeowner Brittany Williams said.
Waltz and Williams live on Wood Street in Pitcairn and said the atmosphere is so malodor that emergency crews have been dispatched to determine where it is coming from.
"We hear the fire whistles at night," Waltz said. "And my daughter will say, 'Oh, it's an odor investigation again.' The next thing we know, the fire trucks are driving up the street."
The nature of the smell is unknown, but residents said they think they know the source.
"I suspect it's the dump," Waltz said.
Waste Management operates a massive landfill right next to Pitcairn, with trucks coming in and out constantly. KDKA-TV contacted Waste Management but did not hear back.
As Walt told KDKA-TV, the unknown odor has become a problem when it comes to family visits.
"The smell is to the point where they don't want to even want to visit," she said.
"My son has a lot of health problems. If that is some type of gas that can potentially be dangerous for him, we need something done," Williams said.
The Department of Environmental Protection released a statement, saying:
"DEP responded Sunday evening to a complaint of a gas odor in the vicinity of the Monroeville Landfill. An inspector detected odors outside the landfill's perimeter. DEP's inspection at the working face of the landfill found that its daily cover appeared to be adequate. The operator of the landfill's gas plant, which is monitored 24/7, reported the plant was running normally. DEP's investigation is ongoing and it has asked the landfill to further investigate and do additional testing to address this issue as required by its permit."
