South Kansas City neighbors concerned about waste

Trucks originating at one facility in Kansas City drawing scrutiny from neighbors

Trucks originating at one facility in Kansas City drawing scrutiny from neighbors

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Trucks originating at one facility in Kansas City drawing scrutiny from neighbors

A KMBC 9 Investigation is leading to cleaner and safer highways.

The owner of a Grandview trash hauler says video KMBC 9 News recently revealed caused his company to overhaul its semitrailer tarp system after KMBC documented soft debris flying from the back of two of its semis.

“The attention to this not only helps Kansas City, but it may help nationally with this issue,” Raptor Recycling and Transfer Owner Kit Starr said. “We'll have our issues solved.”

But the owners of two other Kansas City waste hauling facilities, GFL and Mark II Waste Transfer, have said very little about items flying from trucks originating at those locations.

Trucks originating from the Mark II transfer facility are drawing the attention of neighbors near south Kansas City.

Just a few weeks ago, KMBC 9 Investigates captured video of a truck that started its trip to the Johnson County landfill from Mark II. KMBC counted at least 103 items going airborne from the back of a semitrailer.

McKenzie Clark-Thomas watched the video and couldn't believe what KMBC revealed about the debris falling directly onto the highway.“When it's littered with trash all over, it's not a good curb appeal,” she said.

Jennifer Markham also saw KMBC’s video. She lives in the same neighborhood as Clark-Thomas.

“As I drive on those highways, I see the trash,” Markham said.

Two more trips KMBC documented from that same hauler originating from Mark II, Atomic Transport, also had flying debris.

Clark-Thomas and Markham immediately saw a connection from KMBC's video after not hearing directly from the owner of Mark II since last year about a landfill proposal across the street from their neighborhood.

“It's crazy to think that this is going to be our streets,” Clark-Thomas said. “I feel like all of our concerns, all of our city's concerns fall on deaf ears.”

Markham echoed that sentiment.

“To think that with this landfill right next door to me, where is that trash going to go? Our yard, our lake, our community. Yeah, it’s very concerning,” Markham said.

Mark II Waste Transfer is owned by Jennifer Monheiser.Monheiser has lobbied Missouri lawmakers for months to allow her to develop Kansas City's next landfill on land she says she owns or controls in South Kansas City.

It's the same landfill Clark-Thomas, and her daughter Macie recently testified against in Jefferson City.

They told senators in a recent hearing the peace and health they enjoy in their Raymore neighborhood would be gone if trucks rumbled down MO-150 Highway or other nearby streets to dump trash inside a 430-acre landfill site close to their home.

“It's terrifying to think that this landfill that they're going to run in our backyard is going to be here,” Clark-Thomas said.

Neighbors have said Monheiser has remained silent about their direct landfill questions for months.

Through a spokesman, Monheiser has released a list of frequently asked questions that her team has also provided to lawmakers.

However, she didn't answer KMBC's direct questions last month in Jefferson City after multiple attempts to set up a scheduled interview about the landfill proposal.

As for that debris, KMBC documented coming from semis originating at Mark II, KMBC has emailed Monheiser or her spokesman seven times since late April seeking clarification.

The spokesman only pointed to a third-party hauler, Atomic Transport.

A man who answered the phone number listed on Atomic’s website said loads coming from Mark II are tarped electronically and said he would forward information to the area manager.

Several follow-up calls and emails to Mark II and Atomic representatives seeking answers on what KMBC uncovered have not been returned.

Meanwhile, Clark-Thomas and her neighbors, who don't want a landfill, say they never want to see the semitrailers hauling waste near their homes.

“The fact that they’re being silent, what are they hiding? That's a concern for all of us. Are they doing what's best for our community?" she said.

If you have any tips about trash and debris along Kansas City highways, including any other tips about trips from waste transfer facilities, email investigative reporter Matt Flener at [email protected].