Community Relations - Fact Sheets

Centralia Landfills

Fact Sheet #1
September 2000

Centralia, Illinois

Background

The Centralia Landfills Site consists of three adjacent landfills: Prior 1,2,3,4 Landfill (29 acres); Prior/Blackwell Landfill (7.75 acres); and Centralia Environmental Services Inc., (CESI) Landfill (35 acres). The landfills are located in Marion County approximately two miles south of Centralia on Perrine Avenue just south of Webster Creek. The Burlington Northern Railroad bisects the landfill areas. South and west of the landfill are several residences. Two intermittent streams cross the site. One crosses the northeast section and flows north for about 1500 feet and drains into Webster Creek. The other flows west at the south of the site.

1. The Prior 1,2,3,4 Landfill, consisting of 29 acres, was permitted 1975. Areas 1,2,3, and 4 have been inactive since 1987. There is some soil cover, but erosion problems and ponding water indicate improper drainage. In addition, the areas are not certified closed by the Agency.
2. The Prior-Blackwell landfill consists of about 7.75 acres north of the Prior 1,2,3,4 Landfill. The Prior-Blackwell landfill was permitted in 1981. The site was closed in 1986 and the Agency certified the final cover in June 1987, but no certification application from the owner was received by the Agency, so the landfill is not certified closed.
3. CESI began operations in 1986. The 35-acre site was subdivided into eight disposal areas and two borrow areas. The site was permitted for municipal waste and special non-hazardous waste. Areas I, II and III (9 acres) were filled with waste and have a clay liner and a soil cover. Due to site operating deficiencies, the permit to operate Area IV was denied. As a result, an extremely steep excavation face (about 30 to 50 feet high by 500 feet long) remains where the waste was cut into to form the new cell. Operations at the site stopped in 1989. Although some soil cover was placed on the landfill, it is not certified closed.

The Centralia Landfill Site is one of the thirty-three (33) abandoned landfills that no longer accept waste but were never properly closed. During 1998, Illinois EPA identified these orphaned landfill sites as critical environmental problems that need to be addressed. Governor George H. Ryan and Illinois lawmakers responded in spring 1999 by including $50 million in the Illinois FIRST program for addressing problems posed by these abandoned landfills.

The 33 landfills, located in 21 counties across Illinois, threaten public health, adjacent properties, and present a public nuisance – they look and smell bad. The erosion of the landfills’ cover eventually expose refuse that contaminate surface water and groundwater. The Illinois FIRST funding provides $10 million over each of the next five fiscal years to clean up these abandoned landfills.

Note:

Public use of this site should be eliminated. Heavy equipment and major construction work scheduled for the site are inherently dangerous. The Illinois EPA is aware of evidence of four-wheeling, motorcycle riding and other types of trespassing that have occurred at the site in the past. There is also evidence of illegal dumping at the site.

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