Fire at County Waste-to-Energy Facility

Frequently Asked Questions

• Will the plant resume operations after the fire is contained?

  Our priority and focus is on the safety of our residents and the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue firefighters who continue the operation at the site to fully extinguish the remaining smoldering; once that is complete, we will be able to assess the full extent of the damage to the plant and determine next steps. Miami-Dade County Solid Waste Management continues to provide waste services and has successfully redirected waste deliveries to other sites within the County's disposal system. The concerns about the future of the plant, particularly from the Doral community, will be taken closely into consideration as we strategize long-term disposal options. Any decision to move the plant to a new location will also require the approval of the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners. Now more than ever, we ask our entire community to focus on waste reduction, reuse, recycling and composting as opportunities to effectively manage our waste.

• What is Miami-Dade doing about impacts to the air quality and health of the residents in the surrounding area?

  Miami-Dade County continues to work in close partnership with the City of Doral, the US Environmental Protection Agency, health experts from Jackson Health System and other local and state agencies and stakeholders to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the residents living, working and attending school in the surrounding area while we respond to the fire, and air quality monitoring has been a priority since the beginning. Air quality testing is ongoing and the results are regularly reported in our briefings with the City of Doral and Miami-Dade County Public Schools officials and made available to the public on the website miamidade.gov/wastefire. We are in constant communication with local health officials and have not seen an uptick in reports of respiratory or other health issues in the time period following the facility fire. The health and safety of our residents remains a chief priority.

• What was the cause of the fire?

  The cause is currently being investigated by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and the Miami-Dade Police Department alongside engineering experts from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

• Is the air posing a possibility of harm to the residents around the area of the plant?

  We have been in constant communication with our health experts at Jackson Health System to review the air quality data. The air around the plant contains low levels of particulate matter (dust) and no elevations of toxic chemicals; thus, the air will not harm residents.

• Has Jackson West Hospital or other health care facilities seen an increase of visits for asthma attacks?

  Jackson Health has seen no increase in visits related to the fire at any of our locations.

• Why did the EPA transition out for another company to take over testing?

  It is standard protocol for the EPA to shift air monitoring to an independent environmental response contractor. EPA reviewed CTEH's air monitoring and sampling plan and methodology and is receiving the ongoing air monitoring data being collected.

• Once the fire is stopped, how long will it take for the air to go back to baseline levels?

  Wind direction, wind speed, and outdoor temperature are factors that can affect levels of smoke in the air. Once the fire is stopped, CTEH will conduct additional air monitoring to evaluate changing conditions.

• Does the Resources Recovery Facility process tires?

  The Resources Recovery Facility (RRF) is the only location in Miami-Dade that can safely process large quantities of waste tires, accepting more than 17,000 tons (approximately 1,700,000 passenger tires) of waste tires for processing per year. The shredding process takes place in a separate part of the facility not impacted by the fire; it does not involve any kind of incineration and can continue to take place in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. The whole tires are shredded and then trucked to landfills for disposal. If left unattended, stockpiles of waste tires pose serious health, safety, and environmental risks. Unattended stockpiles of waste tires can become fire hazards and collect stagnant water which is an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. There is an immediate need to process tires that are accumulating at our landfills and Trash and Recycling Centers before they become an environmental issue. As a result, tire processing at the RRF will recommence on Mar. 8. No other type of waste processing is taking place at the facility.

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