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Cobb County Commissioner Eric Allen says Sutton incinerator won’t restart without testing beyond EPD standards
Summary
On "Inside the District," Commissioner Eric Allen addressed community concerns about a potential restart of incinerators at the Sutton water treatment facility, saying he will not permit a restart until comprehensive environmental testing—exceeding state EPD permitting requirements—shows the operation is safe.
Commissioner Eric Allen (District 2) used the podcast "Inside the District" to address concerns in Vinings and surrounding neighborhoods about a possible restart of incinerators at the Sutton water treatment facility.
Allen said recent reductions in landfill acceptance of biosolids have forced county officials to explore alternative disposal options, including restarting incinerators at Sutton. "Because of this the county has been forced to look at alternative solutions for waste management. And one of those options on the table is restarting the incinerators at Sutton," he said, describing the countywide pressure that prompted the discussion.
Speaking directly to Vinings residents, Allen said he shares their health and environmental concerns and invoked past local fights to protect air quality. He said he will not rush any decision. "We are not going to rush into this. I will not allow us to move forward with restarting these incinerators until we have rigorous comprehensive environmental testing," Allen said. "I'm not just talking about meeting the bare minimum state standards. I'm expecting testing that exceeds the EPD permitting requirements." He added that he wants "undeniable hard data" before any restart and that he will keep constituents informed as testing and analysis proceed.
Allen did not announce any formal action, vote or deadline on the podcast; his remarks were framed as a public commitment rather than a policy decision. He also asked residents to continue sending questions and comments to his inbox.
The episode did not record any technical testing plan, timeline or an agency report that would authorize a restart. Allen referenced the state EPD permitting framework as the minimum standard he expects officials to exceed but did not cite a specific testing protocol or vendor. The podcast exchange therefore records a public assurance of caution and oversight rather than a binding administrative action.
