Pat Quinn, Governor
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Pat Quinn, Governor |
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Community Relations - Fact SheetsBath LandfillFact Sheet #2
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Decatur, Illinois
Located on the south side of the Sangamon River, just west of Route 48 in Decatur, this 15.5-acre landfill began operating in 1918 and received mostly municipal solid waste and demolition debris. The landfill ceased accepting waste in 1991 due to a Consent Order issued by a Macon County Court. There is insufficient cover on the landfill, and there are other environmental problems at the site.
The landfill has erosion problems, uncovered refuse, and is 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 to prevent further leachate production.
Investigations performed during 2001 by Illinois EPA included defining
the waste boundaries, performing a land survey, evaluating stream bank
stability and testing for contamination in the soils and groundwater.
| Does Illinois EPA have a final work plan for the site remedy? | Yes. Illinois EPA approved the final design plan in May 2002. The contract for the site work was approved in August 2002. |
| What specific work will be done to provide the remedy? |
The work that must be performed to stabilize the landfill includes:
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| How will the stream bank be stabilized on the north slope? | Illinois EPA's contractor will stabilize the stream bank at the toe of the north slope with a combination of regrading, installation of concrete interlocking "jacks", a heavy landscape fabric, soil and vegetation. |
| When will the work start, and approximately how long will it take? | Illinois EPA expects construction work to begin in mid-August 2002. Most of the construction will occur this summer, and Illinois EPA expects to be planting the native grasses by the fall. |
| How much will the entire project cost? | The cost estimate for the entire project is approximately $2.4 million. |
| What is the source of the dirt for the cap? | The primary source of cover soil will be an adjacent private property. Other local sources may also be used. |
| How will truck traffic be routed into and out of the site? | Illinois EPA expects to bring most of the soil to the site directly from the borrow source without traveling on public roadways. Other materials will be brought onto the site from the east along Fairview Avenue (Route 48). |
| Once work is complete, who controls the property? | The property will still be owned by Bath, Inc. (Borchers and the Heirs). |
| If the cover starts to erode, will the owner be responsible? | Illinois EPA is committed to oversight of maintenance for two years. However, the owner will be responsible to repair any erosion or other damage to the landfill cap. |
| Can Illinois EPA prevent the site owner (who defaulted on the site work) from benefiting from the improvements or damaging the work that has been done with state money? | The Illinois Attorney General's Office (IAGO) and the County States Attorney have the authority to pursue cases against any person(s) who damage work done by Illinois EPA and, therefore, threaten to pollute the environment or threaten human health. The State of Illinois reserves the right to pursue cost recovery for the work that will be conducted at the landfill. |
| Has Illinois EPA sampled the Sangamon River (water and/or sediments) to learn whether pollutants are migrating from the landfill to the river? | Yes. There is evidence of leaching into the river. An ecological risk assessment showed a potential threat to ecological resources. River sediment samples and one soil sample along the river contained chemicals known as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at levels greater than the most strict sediment quality objectives (this includes consideration of sensitive aquatic populations). Impacted soil along the riverbank will be removed. |
| Will Illinois EPA monitor for leachate going into the river? | The Illinois EPA routinely monitors the stretch of the Sangamon River near the Bath, Inc. Landfill (both upstream and downstream) through the Intensive Basin Survey Program. This program periodically tests river water and sediments for 55 chemicals and makes a count of the representative aquatic organisms. The sampling is conducted in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources as part of the Clean Water Act. |
| Do chemicals in the landfill threaten the ground water? | Samples down gradient from the site contained levels of some common metals and one polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compound that slightly exceed the most strict groundwater quality objectives (this includes human health-based considerations). The planned remedy will minimize further contamination of the groundwater. No private wells are located downgradient of the landfill. |
| Can the public make use of the site in the future for recreational purposes? | The site is private property. However, since the landfill is not properly closed, certain uses not related to the landfill permit could result in legal action. Also, public or private activities such as four-wheeling, motorcycle riding and hiking could damage the cap, causing it to erode. Such damage could allow more water to run through the landfill and produce leachate, which could once again threaten the Sangamon River. In addition, potentially flammable gases will continue to emit from vents for several years. |
| 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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