ST. MARTIN PARISH, La (KLFY) — Residents of a St. Martin Parish neighborhood are fighting for a landfill near their homes to be shut down.

Documents show the landfill has accumulated over 50 different violations in the last decade, and residents say it’s destroying their homes, quality of life, and health.

Thursday night residents urged the Department of Environmental Quality not to renew the landfill’s permit, which is set to expire soon.

“We do not believe he should have his permit renewed. We’re here to try to stop that,” David Pugh said.

“I think it’s unfair that the owners and proprietors of Greenpoint [Landfill] continue to live their dream, their American dream, at the cost of us losing ours,” Joseph Cormier added.

“It’s very, very, very difficult to live where I’m living at right now,” Earl Walker told News Ten.

Residents of the neighborhood surrounding the Greenpoint Landfill shared their concerns with the D.E.Q. at a public hearing Thursday.

“When the wind blows, all the dust and the trash come in my yard, and the odor. I’m not allowing my grandchildren to go out and play right now because of the odor and the dust. I don’t want them inhaling that,” Walker said.

The residents say the operator of Greenpoint Landfill has accumulated over 50 different violations at the dumpsite right in their backyard, including citations involving hazardous waste, not covering trash, bad water samples, litter, and other violations harmful to their health.

“If his record was my driving record, you would not want me driving in your neighborhood. Louisiana would not let me have a driver’s license. With this many violations, why is this man allowed to operate a dumpsite in our neighborhood?” Pugh questioned.

The meeting Thursday night was only a public hearing for the D.E.Q. to hear the concerns of the residents who live around the landfill.

The decision on whether or not the landfill will be allowed to stay open will be made in the next few weeks.