Punta Gorda neighbors push for stronger enforcement on landfill odor

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (WINK) — A persistent landfill odor is frustrating hundreds of residents, and many say it's been going on for years with little relief.

Neighbors are speaking out and pushing for stronger enforcement to finally fix the problem.

"We want the smell to go away," said Jeff Weigele, a concerned neighbor.

Kim Kitko, team leader of Homeowners Against Landfill Odor, said the end goal is zero odor. Neighbors say the smell is not just unpleasant—it's constant.

"It's such a pervasive issue. If you're driving on Highway 41, you often smell the landfill odor," Kitko said.

Kitko says the problem affects around 12,000 residents, plus tens of thousands of drivers who pass through the area every day. She says more than 3,000 complaints have been filed over the last decade.

"As a resident, I just want the problem to be addressed," Weigele said.

"It's a big problem. It affects a lot of people. It's fixable, and the laws exist to enforce it being fixed," Kitko said.

The SLD Landfill stretches back for dozens of miles. A consent decree aimed at fixing the issue was put in place back in 2016, yet complaints continue today.

"So we're 10 years later, still have the odors," Kitko said.

"We're out here on a beautiful morning, and we're talking about smelling hydrogen sulfide from a landfill. Shouldn't be that way," Weigele said.

The city and county are working to get a new, stronger enforcement order. Punta Gorda city council members and Charlotte County commissioners have drafted separate letters that are going to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to support a strong consent order with strong enforcement measures, Kitko said.

For many people, the goal is not to shut the landfill down but to make sure it operates without impacting the community. Residents need landfills—they just need them to be good neighbors.

"We absolutely all need landfills. We just need them to be good neighbors," Kitko said.