Rhodes Landfill
Fact Sheet #1
May 2001
Decatur, Illinois
Background
Operation of the Rhodes Landfill began in the 1940s at the site of a
former gravel quarry along Route 48 at Bowshier Lane. This 16-acre landfill
held primarily construction/demolition debris, although foundry wastes,
general refuse and other materials were also accepted. The southern edge
of the site borders the Sangamon River. The landfill was closed by a court
order in 1992. A closure plan submitted by the owner, Mr. Charles Rhodes,
was approved by the Illinois EPA in 1994 but never implemented. The State
of Illinois plans to construct a cap on the site. Illinois EPA has sent
legal notice to the owner explaining our intentions, and the Agency retains
the right to pursue cost recovery after the work is complete.
Unlike today's landfills, there were 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 steep slopes with erosion
problems, inadequate cover 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.
Lake Tokorozawa, a stocked fishery, is located adjacent to this landfill.
Illinois EPA plans to evaluate potential impacts of the landfill on the
lake. Numerous vehicles and other debris have been stored at the landfill
site near the river. Illinois EPA intends to require that the owner remove
these prior to the beginning of construction work on the cap in spring
2002.
| 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. |
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| What is the scope of the work to be done at the site? |
- Survey the property; define the waste boundaries
- Investigate contamination in sediments and water
- Evaluate the need for stream bank stabilization
- Perform an Ecological Assessment
- Build a clay or synthetic cap on the landfill
- Manage storm water drainage
- Establish a vegetative cover
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| 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 or erode. 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. |
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| 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 the summer. The design work plan
for the construction of the cap is due mid-December, and construction
work is expected to begin in spring 2002. |
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| What information does Illinois EPA have about contamination at
the landfill? |
We have limited information so far from results of sampling leachate
and the river. Besides normal metals that one would expect to find
in soils, we saw evidence of two families of chemicals - volatile
organic compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Volatile
organic chemicals are found in cleaning solvents, paints and strippers.
PAHs occur naturally in coal, crude oil and gasoline and products
made from these. They are released during the burning of fossil fuels,
garbage or other organic substances. |
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| My children sometimes play along the Sangamon River. Should I
be concerned that they may have contacted leachate material seeping
into the river? |
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 contamination such as leachate material. So far,
Illinois EPA has no information that would cause concern about using
the river. |
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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