A controversial hazardous waste landfill may stay open longer than some residents want. On Wednesday, those residents pleaded to the Illinois Pollution Control Board to pull Peoria Disposal Company's 10-year permit.

Many people thought the Peoria Disposal Company would close this facility in 2009. That's after the Peoria County Board rejected its expansion plan. Now, hazardous waste could still be coming here until 2018.

That's because these trucks will be able to bring hazardous waste to get it treated here.

PDC attorney Brian Meginnes said, "I would anticipate that stabilization facility will at least operate for the life of the permit. That's a multi-million dollar treatment facility there. It will probably last for another 10 or 20 years."

Tom Edwards opposes the hazardous waste landfill and said, "All those chemicals are volatile. No we don't want it treated here. We want it closed."

The Illinois Pollution Control Board is hearing Edwards' appeal to pull the 10-year state permit. Edwards like many residents believe the landfill is leaking and could get into the water supply. Bill Cook spoke at Wednesday's hearing opposing the landfill's permit.

"The water supply in Peoria then is pretty much gone. And, you might as well buy the tumbleweed concession for downtown Peoria because no business is going to come to our county," Cook says.

PDC says the permit shows it's in compliance. In the meantime, the company has other plans to stay in operation after it's landfill reaches capacity in 2009.

"We can treat the waste there and dispose it at another landfill. Some of the characteristics of this waste, we can make it non-hazardous and take it somewhere else," Meginnes says.

June 19th is the deadline for a decision on the appeal to PDC's 10-year permit. Meanwhile, PDC 's expansion plan remains in the appellate court in Ottawa.

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