'Nothing dangerous' was found in fire at Orrington waste incinerator, official says

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has found nothing dangerous at the site of the ongoing Orrington landfill fire, an official said Thursday.

The EPA conducted particulate and dust collections Wednesday and Thursday near the Eagle Point Energy Center, formerly known as Penobscot Energy Recovery Co., Orrington City Manager Chris Backman said.

Residents are concerned about the health impacts of the smoke that has hung over the greater Oringington area since a fire was reported at the facility around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The fire is still burning and will likely take several days to extinguish, Orrington Fire Chief Scott Stewart said.

“Nothing dangerous” was found at the facility or at monitoring stations in surrounding areas, Backman said. The EPA is completing its testing and appears to be going home based on those results, he said. He said he sees this as a positive sign.

The EPA found no significant amounts of mercury or radiation, a press release said. No “concerning concentrations” were found when monitoring hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.

However, people with health sensitivities should stay home and Backman said he supports cities and schools canceling outdoor activities because there are still “many unknowns.”

The fire, which lasted several days, destroyed the roof and facade of the approximately 200-by-400-foot warehouse that stores approximately 6,000 tons of trash. A year ago there were about 10,000 tons of trash there, Backman said.

The roof had to be replaced even before the fire. That work is scheduled for November, Backman said. The building's remaining facade will be demolished and replaced later, he said.

The plant's owners said they believe the cause was a lithium-ion battery. However, Stewart and the former plant manager said Wednesday that they doubted that was the cause.