DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — An old landfill that's been closed since 1960, could soon cost Daytona Beach $10 million to clean up because of contamination leaking near Clyde Morris Boulevard and Bellevue Avenue.
The city of Daytona Beach told WFTV on Wednesday that it's committed to cleaning up the landfill but, the city said it doesn't want to place the entire burden on taxpayers.
The 1.7-acre property at the corner of Clyde Morris Boulevard and the Bellvue Avenue Extension would be a prime location for redevelopment if it weren't for the fact that the former Daytona Beach landfill site is contaminated, said officials.
One of the concerns, officials said, is petroleum-based contamination and the preliminary estimated cost of clean up would be $10 million.
"They need to find out who dumped it and let them be responsible for paying for it," said Dennis Sherman, a Daytona Beach resident.
That's not too far from what city staff members said they are proposing. On Wednesday, commissioners discussed hiring an insurance archeologist to research the property to find out who may have dumped there in decades past and determine if their insurers might help the defray the cost of the clean up, officials said.
The landfill doesn't pose any health danger to residents like Dennis Sherman, who lives about a a half-mile from the former landfill. No contamination has been found in the drinking water, officials said.
"I think somebody has to clean it up and straighten it out," said Sherman.
The state's Department of Environmental Protection is asking the city for a time-line on the clean up . Officials said that first the city must decide if it will try to remove all the contaminates, contain the contamination in concrete, or even burn off the contamination.
"If they clean that up, and a business comes in, they'll be making money," said a neighbor.
Officials said this will be a long-term project.
WFTV
