ISSUES
Chemicals are everywhere in our lives. The extent of the impacts on our health, plant and animal life and the environment are increasingly coming into focus. With the recent news of the pervasiveness of microplastics, PFAs and “forever” chemicals, our response must be immediate. There are 1000’s of toxic chemicals and their impacts may show up immediately or over a long time. Nobody really knows what the full impact of these chemicals will be. Nobody knows what new chemicals are produced when they are mixed together and disposed of in areas such as landfills and sewage. That is why we must take action now to find solutions to our waste and sewage disposal systems……they do not work to protect us or our environment.
We must close the landfill and allow this area to heal. We will not tolerate any more waste facilities in our Cedar River Canyon area, including WTE.
See our "Human and Environmental Health Consequences of Exposure to Toxic* Waste” presentation to understand the issues.
The issues listed below outline the sources of contamination from industries and practices we are told are “safe”.
Click on pictures to enlarge
Waterways
We cannot allow our waterways to be contaminated by toxic chemicals from industries located along the Cedar River Canyon.
Landfills
The Cedar Hills Regional Landfill (CHRLF) has been in operation since 1965. Plans are to extend its life to 2048 by building new cells and stacking the garbage higher. It is located on 920 acres and is already one of the largest landfills on the West Coast.
Our food is grown in what?!?!
Sewage sludge! Or to make it seem safer - biosolids. King County’s label is LOOP. This is the solid residue from waste water treatment plants and it is NOT safe!
Ewww…the smell!
Garbage stinks! Leachate stinks! Compost stinks! Landfill gas stinks! The odors emanating from the landfill, compost, leachate ponds and flares all contain toxic chemicals. The toxic air pollutants (Taps) are what cause the stench.
Queen City Farms Superfund Site
The Queen City Farms (QCF) Superfund site is located on 324 acres of land within the Cedar-Sammamish Watershed of Washington State, approximately 2.5 miles north of Maple Valley and 5.5 miles south of Issaquah.
Cumulative Adverse Impacts
Toxic air from landfills may be causing cumulative health impacts for surrounding communities. Chemicals in the leachate that finds its way into sewage sludge as “biosolids” can also causing cumulative health impacts.
Landfill Hazards
CHRLF could be considered a “disaster waiting to happen.” The location of Cedar Hills Landfill meets the WAC 173-351-130 (7) definition of an "Unstable Area" since it is shown as "Highly Susceptible to Liquefaction" on maps produced by the WA DNR.
Other hazards - earthquakes, gas & power lines, coal mines, & disease vectors.
Who is affected?
See statistics of the area.