ABSECON, New Jersey (WPVI) — Leaders in the Garden State met with community members outside the Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA) offices on Wednesday.

Their goal was to draw attention to a problem that residents of Absecon, New Jersey, have been dealing with for more than a year: toxic gases and odors emanating from the ACUA landfill on Delilah Road.

Atlantic County Commissioner Maureen Kern said the county has been in contact with utilities about mitigation for several months, but the odor has only gotten worse.

“Atlantic County Commissioners do not have direct control with the Atlantic County Utilities Authority. Gentlemen from ACUA, we need to find some answers, he’s coming out, he’s been giving updates, but they haven’t gone away,” Kern explained.

Officials say they are trying to join the NJ DEP to find a solution.

“We talked until we were blue in the face, sent a letter, and it was crickets,” Kern said.

Retirees living nearby say the smoke has tarnished their golden years. Now they are suing ACUA.

Action News spoke to the plaintiffs and his lawyers in June.

Many complained of vomiting and breathing problems. One man even said he had a mild stroke.

“I’m talking about an odor that smells like feces,” said their attorney, Pete Fontaine.

WATCH | South Jersey homeowners file lawsuit over strong odors in dumpster: ‘Induces vomiting’

Neighborhood residents want the activities at the dump to be stopped. According to his lawyers, the trial will be held in mid-2025.

Now State Senator Vince Polistina is also involved. He said Wednesday he is looking to other districts facing similar problems for solutions.

“The terrible smells emanating from landfills are unacceptable. We are committed to finding solutions for our residents because no one should have to go through what these residents are going through,” Polistina said. he said.

In response to Wednesday’s meeting, ACUA announced current projects and future plans.

ACUA Communications Manager Amy Cook-Manuel told Action News:

“ACUA has been committed to operating a responsible and transparent solid waste management system for more than 30 years. Our dedicated employees work tirelessly toward this mission every day, regardless of election cycles.

Residents can access real-time updates, learn about ongoing improvements, and report issues at any time through the hotline and dedicated online form on ACUA’s website. We have also implemented a notification system to inform building occupants of off-site activities that may temporarily increase the likelihood of odors. ACUA fully complies with all emissions regulations and continues to invest millions in gas collection infrastructure.

We are approaching completion of one of our largest infrastructure investments in 20 years, installing 33 new landfill gas collection wells and expanding our extensive collection pipes. This builds on our existing system, which already includes more than 110 gas collection wells, blowers, flares, hydrogen sulfide removal and miles of pipeline. Additionally, with support from Atlantic County, we are investing $7 million in permanent lining for the 16-acre landfill, completing this project five years ahead of schedule.

Construction is also underway on a first-of-its-kind renewable natural gas (RNG) project at a landfill in New Jersey that will capture 95% of emissions currently managed by flares. These initiatives are important and have measurable benefits for our operations and society.

“ACUA has contributed positively to Atlantic County and its 270,000 residents for decades by consistently maintaining some of New Jersey’s lowest municipal disposal costs, providing funding for local economic development, and doing the daily hard work required to keep our communities healthy and clean.”