State and local regulators will hold a community meeting Wednesday evening to update residents on efforts to eliminate odors coming from the Lordstown Construction Recovery Landfill.

The meeting will be held at the Lordstown Administration Center at 5 p.m. Wednesday, December 9th.

The Ohio EPA, Trumbull County Health Department and Mahoning-Trumbull Air Pollution Control Agency have received several complaints from residents living near the landfill over the past year.

Ohio EPA Public Information officer Dina Pierce tells 21 News that the landfill accepts construction debris, which could include discarded drywall, also known as sheet rock.

Pierce says that water can cause the sheet rock to deteriorate, releasing hydrogen sulfide gas, which can be detected even in small amounts by some people with sensitive senses of smell.

The EPA says hydrogen sulfide is a poisonous, irritating, flammable, and colorless gas, with a characteristic rotten-egg-like odor detectable by humans at low concentrations and a sweet odor at higher concentrations.

Exposure to the gas can cause bronchial constriction and eye irritation at lower levels, and symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, headache, irritability, poor memory and dizziness at higher levels.

Extremely high levels of exposure can result in respiratory failure and even death.

They have been working with the facility to correct the problem with frequent monitoring and inspections.