BATON ROUGE - A member of the Baton Rouge Metro Council is asking residents affected by a controversial landfill to speak out during a Thursday night meeting.

Councilwoman Chauna Banks wants anyone within a five-mile radius of the Ronaldson Field Landfill suffering from health issues, like birth defects or respiratory problems, to speak out. The meeting is set for 6 p.m. at the Alsen Recreational Center. 

Banks hopes the effort will stop the dump site from getting its 10-year operation license renewed by the state.

Residents in the surrounding communities have complained about the landfill for years, saying it smells and all of the debris is a health hazard. Community members say it’s been this way since the August 2016 flood when piles of debris were brought to Ronaldson Field Landfill.

Banks has filed a complaint with the Department of Environmental Quality saying the landfill's permit shouldn't be renewed. Operators say the dump isn't causing any problems. They claim only construction and demolition debris can be disposed at the landfill, not any hazardous waste.

DEQ held a public hearing last month on the issue where the public gave mixed reactions. The company operating Ronaldson Field Landfill said there are no plans to change the way the landfill is run. But, the dump's renewal is still up for discussion.