Orringinton residents and people in surrounding towns should keep their windows closed while a trash facility burns, officials warned.
Lithium-ion batteries may have started the still-burning fire at Eagle Point Energy Center around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, the company said in a statement Wednesday. The facility, formerly known as Penobscot Energy Recovery Co., is expected to burn for days.
The full extent of the fire’s environmental impact is unclear at this time, but people in surrounding towns should keep their windows closed. The threats to human health are likely significant, said Dana Colihan, co-executive director of Slingshot, a nonprofit environmental health and justice organization.
“It’s tragic what’s happening,” Colihan said. “We have concerns about air pollution from trash incinerators generally, let alone when the plant itself is on fire.”
People should stay inside and avoid the smoke, as well as close windows and not run air conditioners, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection said.
Center Drive School, an elementary school in Orrington, held recess indoors on Wednesday, as did Bucksport and the elementary schools in Regional School Unit 22 in Hampden. Brewer and Bangor schools held recess outdoors Wednesday because winds were not blowing toward their schools, but both school departments said they will monitor the wind patterns and could switch to indoor recess if needed.
Letting people know about the fire and the subsequent health concerns is important at this time, and something local governments should be focused on, she said. Using air purifiers is also a good idea.
There is significant smoke from the fire, which is why the Orrington Fire & Rescue Department recommended people shut their windows. Wind models show the smoke isn’t likely to affect Brewer on Wednesday, but the police department said it will keep residents informed if that changes.
It’s unclear what is burning in the trash, but there is a threat of dioxins, which is an environmental contaminant linked to numerous health issues from skin rash to cancer, Colihan said.
“Our health is precious and I think you know, air pollution is no joke,” Colihan said. “Taking all of the steps that we can to protect our own health and the health of our loved ones is an utmost priority. I would encourage people to follow the recommendations at this point.”
The Maine DEP is working with the Orrington fire department. The department does not know of “any specific human health or air quality impacts at this time.”
The Maine DEP will be monitoring air quality, with assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to the state agency.
Results from the air monitoring efforts likely will not be available until Thursday, the Brewer Police Department said Wednesday following a multi-agency meeting about the ongoing fire.
Roughly 8,000 tons of trash filled the incinerator at the time the fire broke out. It had not been operational since May 2023. Crews have been unable to safely get inside the building to extinguish the blaze and remove a 40-foot-tall trash pile.