Residents press Loudon County commission over landfill mud, leachate and camera plans; commission approves minutes, meeting dates and invoices

Members of the public told the Loudon County Solid Waste Commission on a recent meeting that mud and uncontained trash from the county landfill are continuing to affect nearby roads and neighborhoods, and they urged stronger enforcement of cleanup measures, clearer notification for service disruptions and faster public access to inspection reports.

The concerns — raised during a public‑comment period that lasted more than an hour — focused on visible sediment and trash tracking from the landfill, a leachate problem flagged in inspections, and the need for a written standard operating procedure for the wheel‑wash system that Republic Services operates under contract. Commissioners also discussed commissioning 24/7 cameras for the site and asked procurement staff to draft a request for proposals they could review before it goes out.

Why it matters: Residents said recurring mud and uncovered loads are causing safety and quality‑of‑life problems on adjacent public roads, and they want the county and Republic Services to provide clearer, faster communications (including advance alerts when the landfill reduces hours) and better evidence that corrective actions have been completed and verified by regulators.

Public comments and requests

Lisa Benton, a Loudon County resident, said she organizes regular litter pickups and has recorded trash falling from a collection truck: "I have a video... of a trash truck... trash flying out of the trash truck," she told the commission, and asked Republic to check crews and routes and to ensure westbound routes are being serviced as reliably as eastbound…