LUTZ, Fla. — Some neighbors in Lutz are airing their concerns over a proposed permit for the operation of air curtain incinerators, or ACIs, nearby.
Jen Messer feels strongly about the proposal near her home.
“Would you want to breathe that in? Would you allow your children to breathe that in?” Messer said.
A notice about the new air pollution source from the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County (EPC) said an owner would be operating a new commercial vegetative yard waste and land clearing debris disposal facility on Crystal Lake Road. The EPC also claimed that the permit application proposes installing two permanent ACIs on the property.
The statement said that this type of operation could potentially generate smoke and dust and that an ACI will blow a curtain of air to promote efficient combustion and minimize smoke.
“This is going to be burned in the backyard of a school and across the street from an open-air facility where kids play sports year-round,” Messer said.
Jennifer Reardon, who lives in a different neighborhood in Lutz, is also concerned.
“There’s a nursing home right next door to where the proposed site is, so to me, it’s just not a good fit,” Reardon said.
A representative for the permit applicant told ABC Action News the air curtain incinerator would reduce the amount of pollution versus having an open-air burn, stating the ACIs are highly regulated. He also noted that his client would not undertake this project if it would cause any type of hazardous pollutants in the air and that they would comply with regulations set by different agencies.
The EPC said it will host a virtual community meeting on August 23 at 6 p.m. Registration for the meeting will be available starting August 16.
