My name is Teresa and I am very familiar with the Generally Hauling landfill and the other abandoned landfills in the St. Louis region as I was a solid waste supervisor for the MO DNR. I was present at the time of the 2020 inspection that you referenced in your post and I was the primary inspector during the solid waste inspection at Generally that took place earlier this year, on February 3, 2025 (with a follow-up on March 3rd). I was actively presenting the issues with this site throughout this year and participated in many conversations to work on solutions between the different entities involved in the game of 'agency hot potato.' I was fired from the department last month (I go into more details on my termination here: https://teresamosa.substack.com/p/my-side-of-the-story). For an agency that claims to be "understaffed and underfunded," they certainly gave little regard when it came to firing someone proactively involved with this very site. The department is paying for a "landfill assessment" to be conducted at Generally Hauling landfill and other abandoned landfills in the St. Louis region from now through 2026...why are they paying for something that I, and other inspectors within their own agency, have told and shown them repeatedly throughout the years?
Thank you for sharing this story with your subscribers; this and the other abandoned landfills you referenced need serious attention to protect the surrounding population and environment. Since I am no longer muzzled by my position in the department, I intend to find a lasting resolution with this site and the others that I am intimately aware of. It is not right that the leachate, erosion, and other noted issues are allowed to continue unchecked when the department has known of them for decades.
Teresa! Thank you for sharing your insights & your story. The DNR really missed out on keeping a good one on their side. Keep speaking up and speaking out!
Ah, thank you *so much* for taking the time to read my comment and respond. As someone who has looked up to you for years, hearing that from you of all people is validating. Don’t worry, I will keep up the good fight; thank you for being a continued source of inspiration to me and using your platform to speak on something that hits very close to home!
I'm glad she brought up the new federal repeal that means Missouri's lakes will no longer be monitored for toxic pollutants like they have been for the past 50 years. Regular people here love their rivers and lakes and have have waged a long battle with chemical and mining corporations; this was a big hit but most Missourians are on the same side (the side of clean water!) and need support for this fight
The Meramec river floods occasionally too along with the Mississippi River lot of sandbag filling in that water, maybe the good people of Missouri will raise a fuss.
I know you’re probably aware of the dioxin contamination and times beach. Glad for you to be looking out for people and places like this.
If there is no PRP then state holds the bag. It’s an “uncontrolled” site.
As a hydrogeologist who has worked at many a closed landfill, I would definitely sample that goo because it looks bad. But I’m 100 percent sure why it’s red; a reducing condition created by carbon leaching from the landfill (or because there is no oxygen in the groundwater under the landfill) excites iron reducing microbes (who respire on iron not oxygen), which changes Fe+3 to Fe+2. Fe+2 is mobile in ground water (“clear iron”). When the groundwater affected by the reducing condition discharges to a wetland or river, the iron is used by iron oxidizing bacteria at the point of discharge , which make it Fe+3 again. Fe+3 Is not stable with oxygen around so it forms rust (red). Iron is certainly not the only thing in the water. Just saying…. That’s why it’s red. This happens all the time in natural groundwater systems too. Sometimes you even get a rainbow colored sheen that looks kinda like oil, but it’s an Fe-ligand complex and if you stick a stick in it the sheen it will breakup into angular pieces rather than swirling around like oil. Cheers.
Go Erin check out the pollution between California and Mexico. Eww Military members have contracted diseases no programs means devastation on environments and humanity
In the early ‘80’s there was a toxic waste dump on the opposite end of my township that was NINETEENTH on the nation’s Superfund list. You can look it up: Berlin-Farro. Gods know how many tones of soil were removed and taken to a toxic waste landfill elsewhere. The property was subsequently sold to unsuspecting buyers looking to build homes on a pretty country road. They’d no knowledge of what their properties formerly consisted of. And yes: there were cancer outbreaks among the new homeowners.
So many of these toxic sites are near people's homes, children's schools, soccer fields... it's awful! The more people know about these issues, the more they can try to protect themselves and make some noise.
We raised hell to get the place shut down and “cleaned up”. But never dreamed (and had no knowledge) that it would ever be sold for residential purposes!
There had been a thriving U-Pick strawberry farm across the road that was very popular with the locals. It had of course to shut down.
This is the future of our country with Trump and his administration taking away so many of the protections for our forests, our lakes, rivers, other natural resources and the protection of our animals that are sacred to many cultures.
This is not what we want for our children and grandchildren!
Don’t worry! @Dr. Rita Louise has the solution for this! You just need to BELIEVE that it will work out. Your pollution problem is a simple lack of belief! Glad I could help. You’re welcome.
Hi Erin & Suzanne! Great piece.
My name is Teresa and I am very familiar with the Generally Hauling landfill and the other abandoned landfills in the St. Louis region as I was a solid waste supervisor for the MO DNR. I was present at the time of the 2020 inspection that you referenced in your post and I was the primary inspector during the solid waste inspection at Generally that took place earlier this year, on February 3, 2025 (with a follow-up on March 3rd). I was actively presenting the issues with this site throughout this year and participated in many conversations to work on solutions between the different entities involved in the game of 'agency hot potato.' I was fired from the department last month (I go into more details on my termination here: https://teresamosa.substack.com/p/my-side-of-the-story). For an agency that claims to be "understaffed and underfunded," they certainly gave little regard when it came to firing someone proactively involved with this very site. The department is paying for a "landfill assessment" to be conducted at Generally Hauling landfill and other abandoned landfills in the St. Louis region from now through 2026...why are they paying for something that I, and other inspectors within their own agency, have told and shown them repeatedly throughout the years?
Thank you for sharing this story with your subscribers; this and the other abandoned landfills you referenced need serious attention to protect the surrounding population and environment. Since I am no longer muzzled by my position in the department, I intend to find a lasting resolution with this site and the others that I am intimately aware of. It is not right that the leachate, erosion, and other noted issues are allowed to continue unchecked when the department has known of them for decades.
Teresa! Thank you for sharing your insights & your story. The DNR really missed out on keeping a good one on their side. Keep speaking up and speaking out!
Ah, thank you *so much* for taking the time to read my comment and respond. As someone who has looked up to you for years, hearing that from you of all people is validating. Don’t worry, I will keep up the good fight; thank you for being a continued source of inspiration to me and using your platform to speak on something that hits very close to home!
I thought of @Sarah Kendzior when reading this, both on account of the geography and your reference to “agency hot potato”
I'm glad she brought up the new federal repeal that means Missouri's lakes will no longer be monitored for toxic pollutants like they have been for the past 50 years. Regular people here love their rivers and lakes and have have waged a long battle with chemical and mining corporations; this was a big hit but most Missourians are on the same side (the side of clean water!) and need support for this fight
The Meramec river floods occasionally too along with the Mississippi River lot of sandbag filling in that water, maybe the good people of Missouri will raise a fuss.
I know you’re probably aware of the dioxin contamination and times beach. Glad for you to be looking out for people and places like this.
Really red tape or paying off political debts using citizens health and welfare.
Great Overview!!!
@Jess Piper
This is what the Lorax warned about. But no one listened. Or not enough of us.
Just watched that movie again a few days ago. It’s one of my favorites.
If there is no PRP then state holds the bag. It’s an “uncontrolled” site.
As a hydrogeologist who has worked at many a closed landfill, I would definitely sample that goo because it looks bad. But I’m 100 percent sure why it’s red; a reducing condition created by carbon leaching from the landfill (or because there is no oxygen in the groundwater under the landfill) excites iron reducing microbes (who respire on iron not oxygen), which changes Fe+3 to Fe+2. Fe+2 is mobile in ground water (“clear iron”). When the groundwater affected by the reducing condition discharges to a wetland or river, the iron is used by iron oxidizing bacteria at the point of discharge , which make it Fe+3 again. Fe+3 Is not stable with oxygen around so it forms rust (red). Iron is certainly not the only thing in the water. Just saying…. That’s why it’s red. This happens all the time in natural groundwater systems too. Sometimes you even get a rainbow colored sheen that looks kinda like oil, but it’s an Fe-ligand complex and if you stick a stick in it the sheen it will breakup into angular pieces rather than swirling around like oil. Cheers.
And cheers to you for providing the helpful info.
RFK would absolutely love to take a dip in that with his grandchildren😁
Go Erin check out the pollution between California and Mexico. Eww Military members have contracted diseases no programs means devastation on environments and humanity
In the early ‘80’s there was a toxic waste dump on the opposite end of my township that was NINETEENTH on the nation’s Superfund list. You can look it up: Berlin-Farro. Gods know how many tones of soil were removed and taken to a toxic waste landfill elsewhere. The property was subsequently sold to unsuspecting buyers looking to build homes on a pretty country road. They’d no knowledge of what their properties formerly consisted of. And yes: there were cancer outbreaks among the new homeowners.
Outrageous.
So many of these toxic sites are near people's homes, children's schools, soccer fields... it's awful! The more people know about these issues, the more they can try to protect themselves and make some noise.
Erin I’m honored that you replied to my post.
We raised hell to get the place shut down and “cleaned up”. But never dreamed (and had no knowledge) that it would ever be sold for residential purposes!
There had been a thriving U-Pick strawberry farm across the road that was very popular with the locals. It had of course to shut down.
This is the future of our country with Trump and his administration taking away so many of the protections for our forests, our lakes, rivers, other natural resources and the protection of our animals that are sacred to many cultures.
This is not what we want for our children and grandchildren!
@Sarah Kendzior
It's no surprise not a so gle government agent would clean up. This country has gone to shit.
Don’t worry! @Dr. Rita Louise has the solution for this! You just need to BELIEVE that it will work out. Your pollution problem is a simple lack of belief! Glad I could help. You’re welcome.
For the record, Missouri is a toxic problem in the union.