Bath Landfill
Fact Sheet #1
May 2001
Decatur, Illinois
Background
Located on the south side of the Sangamon River near Route 48 in Decatur,
this 11.7-acre landfill received municipal solid waste and demolition
debris beginning in 1918. The landfill ceased accepting waste in 1991
due to a Consent Order from the Illinois Attorney General. The Consent
Order required placement of two feet of cover on the landfill. However,
Illinois EPA has no documentation that the work was completed, and after
a visual inspection of the site, is concerned about the quality of the
cover material.
Unlike today's landfills, the original permit had no requirements under
the regulations at that time for construction quality assurance for the
bottom liner, financial assurance, leachate or gas management, cover specifications
or groundwater monitoring. The landfill has some erosion problems, uncovered
refuse, and leaching into the Sangamon River. Leachate is a liquid that
results from water traveling through decomposing waste in a landfill and
usually contains a variety of contaminants. This may escape into surrounding
surface water or ground water, depending on conditions at a given landfill.
The Illinois EPA intends to cap the landfill. We have sent a legal notice
to the owner, Bath, Inc., explaining our intentions and that we reserve
legal rights to pursue cost recovery after completion of the work.
| How will this project be funded? |
In 1998, Illinois EPA compiled a list of landfill
sites that are considered to be environmental threats and in need
of clean up. Illinois EPA requested funds from the state legislature
to do the necessary work on the worst of these sites. Governor Ryan
and Illinois lawmakers included $50 million in the 1999 Illinois FIRST
program for addressing problems posed by 33 of the state's worst landfills.
Illinois FIRST provides $10 million per year for five years. |
| What is the scope of the work to be done at the site? |
- Survey the property; define the waste boundaries
- Investigate contamination in soils and groundwater
- Evaluate the need for stream bank stabilization
- Build a clay cap
- Manage storm water drainage
- Establish a vegetative cover
|
| What is the goal of the current work? |
The goal is to define what construction work needs
to be done to safely cap the landfill so that it is stable and won't
continue to produce leachate. At the end of this summer's investigation,
we should know what specific steps are necessary to properly reshape,
prepare for the cap, apply soil layers and establish vegetation. |
| What is the time line for accomplishing the above work? |
This summer, the contractor for the State of Illinois
will work with the Illinois EPA project manager to assess the slopes,
the adequacy of the cap material, the lateral extent of waste and
the condition of the riverbank. They will take environmental samples
(soil, sediment, leachate and surface water). Results from the investigation
will be submitted in a report by the end of summer. The design work
plan for construction of the cap is due in mid-December, and construction
work is expected to begin in spring 2002. |
| My children sometimes play along the Sangamon River. Should I
be concerned that they may have contacted leachate material seeping
into the river? |
Illinois EPA does not currently have any information
about the chemical composition of leachate material. More will be
known at the end of this summer. Generally, risks from exposure to
contaminants at a landfill site would be greatest for trespassers
who go onto the site and may have direct contact with material such
as leachate. |
For more information, you may contact:
Carol L. Fuller
Community Relations Coord.
Illinois EPA
(217) 524-8807 |
John Richardson,
Project Manager
Illinois EPA, Bureau of Land, State Sites
(217) 782-0243 |
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