Man living near landfill fire facing health struggles

MOODY, Ala. (WBRC) - Air quality is a huge question about the fire at a landfill in St. Clair County.

Michael Hallman has lived in Moody his entire life and says the fire is adding to his preexisting health issues. It’s interrupting his daily activities and even has him considering moving.

Hallman’s house is about three miles away from the fire and he says he started noticing changes to his health like having trouble breathing and skin rashes. He’s a quadriplegic who enjoys spending time outdoors. But as the fire continues, he says he is fearful of how it’s impacting his health.

“I break out easily,” says Hallman. “I started noticing that I was breaking out more frequently when I would be outside. And that’s scary. Even now I’m congested. It’s not something I normally would be. Yesterday we all were sick. When I called the EMA yesterday, they said they had more calls yesterday about people being nauseated than they ever had.”

Hallman suffers from respiratory issues, and he’s been talking to his doctor about how the fire may cause health problems.

“Am I going to spend more time in the house with the air purifier? I know I’ll have to wear my mask a lot more. My energy level is down. I’ve been sleeping a lot more. Now that even makes sense because as your oxygen levels drop that does make you have less energy and sleep more. So, it’s a major problem.”

Experts recommend monitoring the air and water quality near your home regularly. To find out more visit: https://gaspgroup.org/.

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