Waste Hauling Landfill
Fact Sheet #1
May 2001
Decatur, Illinois
Background
This 40-acre landfill site southwest of Decatur in Macon County was developed
in 1972 as a sanitary landfill. 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. (Leachate
is a liquid that results from water traveling through decomposing waste
in a landfill and usually contains a variety of contaminants.) During
engineering reviews for a new permit in the early 90s, Illinois EPA learned
that the landfill had exceeded both its permitted horizontal and vertical
waste disposal limits by 40 to 50 feet. Unable to obtain local siting
for the overfilled areas, the landfill continued to operate out-of-compliance
until Illinois EPA obtained a court order to close the landfill on May
6, 1992.
Located less than 1/4 mile south of the Sangamon River and north of Rock
Spring Road, the landfill has significant erosion, with wide erosion gullies.
Visible leachate is observed on three sides of the landfill and drains
into a stream that flows into the Sangamon River. No groundwater monitoring
has been performed at the site, where depth to groundwater is less than
twenty feet. Financial assurance for the site, in the form of a letter
of credit, has expired and has not been renewed. The case is currently
under enforcement action by Illinois EPA and the Illinois Attorney General's
Office.
| 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 current work to be done at the site? |
- Survey the property; define the waste boundaries
- Build a suitable cap
- Correct any leachate seeps
- Manage storm water drainage
- Establish a vegetation 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 and to identify other concerns. The design plan
for the construction of the cap is due in mid-December, and construction
work will begin in spring 2002. |
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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? |
Illinois EPA does not currently have any information about the chemical
composition of any leachate material. Generally, risks from exposure
to contaminants at a landfill site would be limited to trespassers
who go onto the site and may have direct contact with contamination
such as any leachate material. |
For more information, you may contact:
Carol L. Fuller
Community Relations Coord.
Illinois EPA
(217) 524-8807 |
Chris Nickell,
Project Manager
Illinois EPA, Bureau of Land, State Sites
(217) 782-0243 |
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