By Kyle Coppola
Heart of Florida Landfill Responds to Odor Complaints in Sumter County
Following months of resident complaints about a persistent foul odor in parts of Sumter County, the Heart of Florida Landfill is responding, asserting that it is operating within all environmental guidelines and may not be the primary source of the issue.
Heather Wilmoth, District Manager of the Heart of Florida Landfill, issued a statement addressing the concerns, emphasizing the landfill’s commitment to transparency and community engagement.
“At Heart of Florida Landfill, we take community concerns seriously and are committed to responding promptly and respectfully to any issues raised by residents,” Heather said. “We believe in open, transparent communication and strive to be a responsible and engaged neighbor.”
Heather noted that the landfill has been proactive in reducing its environmental footprint, including investing millions of dollars since 2021 in a landfill gas collection system, seven years ahead of regulatory mandates, to help mitigate odors and emissions.
“Based on our continuous data collection and analysis, we have not identified any operational issues that would account for the recent widespread odor complaints,” Heather said. “While landfills can produce odors under certain conditions, we do not believe we are the primary source of the odor complaints from the community.”
She added that there are other facilities located near the landfill that may be contributing to the issue.
The landfill, which undergoes regular inspections by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), has invited residents to tour the facility to better understand its operations. Several community members have already participated in these tours.
Meanwhile, the City of Bushnell is also investigating the matter. City Manager Michael Eastburn stated that officials are working to determine the source of the odor and are encouraging residents to contact the FDEP, which oversees environmental compliance in the region.
“We understand how important this issue is to our residents and surrounding communities, and we are committed to identifying and addressing the cause as quickly as possible,” Michael said. “We appreciate your patience and continued involvement as we work toward a resolution.”
Residents from various parts of central and southern Sumter County have been reporting the odor since at least December 2024, prompting calls for answers and action from local leaders and environmental agencies.
For concerns or to report an odor, residents can contact the FDEP’s Central District office at 407-897-4100 or by email at DEP_CD@FloridaDEP.gov.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
