WINNSBORO, S.C. — A report of the dumping of toxic materials has concerned neighbors and led to an investigation from the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), which is still ongoing in Winnsboro.
The criminal investigation started back in November, into alleged hazardous materials buried on a vacant property on Palmer Street where the alleged dumping occurred in 2018.
Then in Feburary DHEC excavated items from the property but residents living next door say the smell still lingers.
"The smell comes and goes mainly when its rains, it's very horrible," says Winnsboro resident, Ivildra English, who lives directly behind the property.
"It's definitely not as strong as it was the day of the digging and trying to figure out what was going on, but as far as now, the smell is not as worse as it was but it's still lingering," adds another Winnsboro resident, Trista Davis.
DHEC has been testing the chemicals since the excavation in Feburary, and in the last 48 hours, they sent an update on what they found.
In the report it says they found a substance called herbicide used to kill weeds, saying it provided no threat to the public.
Adding quote, "DHEC hasn't identified any evidence of impact to groundwater or drinking water from the materials within the containers, nor any opportunity for the public to have been exposed to contaminated soil."
That's left resident English feeling more comfortable with answers but still concerned.
"It do give me a sigh of relief but my concern is years from now what if I go to the doctor and they say well you inhaled some chemical," English adds
So how did those chemicals get there?
Back in Feburary, News19 obtained an affidavit from the property owner and their attorney, they claim they were told by a man who worked for the town for 18 years that he was told to move items by supervisors of the town of Winnsboro from their sanitation department right next door to the property and to bury barrels marked hazardous waste underground.
We spoke with Winnboro's Mayor who took office after the alleged dumping in 2018 and says the town is fully cooperating.
DHEC says they have the authority to take action against people or entities that improperly manage or dispose of hazardous waste, adding the investigation into the responsible party that buried these materials is ongoing, and they will provide more as the investigation continues.
They add there is no timeline for when the investigation will be complete.