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Rhodes Landfill

Rhodes Landfill

Fact Sheet #2
December 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 holds 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. In 1994, the Illinois EPA approved a closure/post closure plan submitted by the owner, Mr. Charles R. Rhodes, but it has not been implemented.

Environmental problems at the landfill include steep slopes with erosion problems and inadequate cover. Leachate seeps have been observed on the south and west slopes of the property. (Leachate is a liquid that results from water traveling through decomposing waste in a landfill and usually contains a variety of contaminants.) Some portions of the riverbank at the southern slope of the landfill are undergoing erosion. Recent sampling found low concentrations of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in one of three sediment sample taken from the east side of Lake Tokorozawa. 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. An ecological risk assessment indicates that the landfill might pose a threat to local ecological resourses.

What work has Illinois EPA done at this site?

The site has been investigated to define what construction work needs to be done to install a landfill cap that will minimize the production of leachate and reduce erosion. The work included:

  • Surveying the property to define the waste boundaries;
  • Investigating contamination in sediments and water;
  • Evaluating the need for stream bank stabilization; and
  • Performing an Ecological Risk Assessment
 
What work remains to be done?

The new work includes:

  • Building a clay cap and placing topsoil in areas where the cover is inadequate;
  • Constructing a storm water drainage system;
  • Establishing a vegetative cover to prevent further erosion;
  • Removing abandoned vehicles and other debris; and
  • Performing stream bank stabilization measures
 
When will this work be completed? The design work plan for the construction of the cap should be completed in February 2002, and construction work is expected to begin in spring 2002. The construction project should take approximately 90 days. The Illinois EPA expects to be finished with the cap and to begin seeding the topsoil with a blend of native grasses by fall 2002
 
What is the cap made of? Illinois EPA anticipates that there will be at least two feet of compacted clay and two feet of topsoil on the cap. By installing the layers in a specific sequence and establishing a good ground-cover layer, the landfill will be able to efficiently shed water, so leachate production and erosion will be much reduced.
 
Who is paying for the work and how much will the corrective action cost?

Design plans for the project are not yet complete, so a cost estimate is not available at this time. The owner of the landfill is obligated by law to properly close the landfill in accordance with the approved plan. Any additional work will be paid for using Illinois FIRST funds.

In 1998, Illinois EPA compiled a list of landfills that are considered to be environmental threats and in need of remedial work. 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 to address problems posed by 33 of the state's worst landfills. Illinois FIRST provides $10 million per year for five years.

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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