You may be eligible if you owned or occupied property within four miles of the Central Kentucky Landfill. A class action lets many people with similar claims litigate together instead of filing separate lawsuits. Residents sued Waste Services of the Bluegrass in 2019 over pervasive noxious odors from the site, as the Kentucky Lantern reports in its coverage of the appeal ruling.
On Aug. 7, 2026, Judge Will Moynahan affirmed a July 2025 order certifying the case as a class action. Certification moves the case forward as a group case but awards no money yet.
Official resources:
- Read the official notice from Justia — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
- Read the official notice from Thecooldown — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
Table of Contents
- Who qualifies under the four-mile rule?
- What site does this case cover?
- What did neighbors and inspectors report?
- What should potential members do next?
Who qualifies under the four-mile rule?
The certified class covers all persons who owned or occupied real property wholly or partly within four miles of any part of the landfill, as stated in the Court of Appeals opinion. Real property means land plus buildings on it. Both owners and occupants can fall inside that definition.
The boundary runs from any part of the landfill site, not only the active waste area. A home partly inside the line still counts. The test is location plus ownership or occupancy. Check these points: If both fit, you match the class description used for this case.
- you owned or occupied real property near the site
- that property lay wholly or partly within four miles of any landfill part
What site does this case cover?
The opinion describes a 102-acre solid-waste site near Sadieville. It included a 14-acre construction-debris unit closed around 2016 and a 32.8-acre municipal-waste unit that operated until 2022.
The municipal-waste unit took household-type waste. The construction-debris unit held a different waste stream. Both sat within the same northern Scott County facility named in the lawsuit.
What did neighbors and inspectors report?
State officials received almost-daily noxious complaints while the landfill operated, as the Kentucky Lantern details in its review of state records. Residents described sulfuric or chemical odors. They reported eye irritation and nausea indoors and outdoors.
Inspectors visited the site at least 104 times from 2017 to 2022. They recorded odor above regulatory thresholds 42 times. The landfill stopped accepting waste in 2022 under an agreed order.
What should potential members do next?
Class certification only lets residents litigate as a group, according to reporting from The Cool Down in its explainer on the ruling. It decides no liability and grants no compensation. No payout or claim form exists at this stage.
Watch for court-approved notice about membership, deadlines, and opt-out rights. Talk to a Kentucky-licensed attorney about your address history and appeal risk. Further appeal could still change the group case.