Landfills = Cancer? Bethlehem wants to know.

North Country Environmental Services (I love the "environmental" in there, the irony is delicious) manages landfills in the north country, including in the town of Bethlehem. Today, October 7, from 6 to 10 p.m., NH's Department of Environmental Services will hold a community forum to inform the town of Bethlehem about findings from a recent investigation concerning health problems that may be a result of the NCES run landfill there.

Surprised that a landfill could cause cancer? That the possibility is so real that a whole town is having the matter investigated? Turns out, New Hampshir-ites have a greater chance of getting breast or prostate cancer due to the high amounts of radon the Granite State emits. Take that adverse effect and add to it landfill drainage and waste leaking into underground water systems, contaminating vegetation and air quality ... that's a recipe for a multitude of health problems- let alone cancer.

So, DES sent out their press release on this matter late yesterday. It gives no insight into what the findings actually are, but if I were to put any money on the situation, I would say they found plenty to alert the community.

This story certainly relates to something I've been thinking about for a long time now- really, actively thinking about. Landfills. There are plenty of them around our great state, already covered in grass with those big white candy cane shaped PVC pipes popping up sporadically. Hell, my old high school is built adjacent to Bow's old dumping grounds. I think my next major assignment, after I've finally finished the ones already in my lap, is to map out every single landfill in this state, show where it's projected to grow to and where new sites are proposed when the giant holes we have open are finally full to capacity.

It seems like a daunting task, but let's be honest- it's information we need now.

Keep your ear to the ground on this issue, guys. I think a lot is going to come out of it. I bet the papers have plenty to say about this meeting tomorrow morning.

Happy Tuesday.
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