News Releases - 2002

Construction Progressing Quickly at Centralia Landfill

Springfield, Ill. -- Construction funded by the Illinois FIRST program to address environmental problems caused by the Centralia Environmental Services Inc. landfill is ahead of schedule.

The unusually warm weather in the fall of 2001 allowed the recontouring of the surface and completion of the clay cap to be completed before winter. In the spring of 2002, work will continue by placing a foot of topsoil over the cap. The topsoil will allow for the planting of native prairie plants as vegetative cover to provide habitat for wildlife and help control erosion.

The work is being financed by Governor George H. Ryan's Illinois FIRST program. Centralia Environmental Services was one of several abandoned landfills around the state negatively impacting the environment. The landfill had exposed debris and repeated reports of illegal dumping. Significant erosion and exposed wastes allowed rainwater and ponded water to infiltrate the landfill and contaminate groundwater and nearby streams, including Webster Creek.

The 35-acre landfill operated from 1986 to 1989; it had a history of violating permit conditions and operating without proper disposal permits. Significant erosion had occurred and a 500-foot long wall of exposed trash remained.

"Throughout the process, the Illinois EPA has welcomed the cooperation of county and local governments as we work at these sites. They have been diligent in notifying us when trespassing and illegal dumping has occurred," said Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano. "In addition, we rely on them to assist us in monitoring conditions in the landfills after the work is complete.

As part of Governor George H. Ryan's Illinois FIRST legislation, the General Assembly appropriated $50 million in 1999 to clean up 33 abandoned landfills throughout the state. In 1998, Illinois EPA identified these orphaned landfill sites as critical environmental problems that needed to be addressed. The Centralia landfill is one of the 33 landfills that no longer accept waste but were never properly closed.

Prior to this appropriation, only $2 million per year was available through the state's cleanup program. "We were not able to address the considerable environmental and potential health problems caused by abandoned landfills," Cipriano said. "This appropriation has allowed us to address problems much more quickly and prevent the environmental conditions at these landfills from worsening."

Illinois EPA expects to complete the site work on CESI by mid-2002. Planning is underway for similar work on two other abandoned landfills in the same area: Prior 1,2,3,4 and Prior-Blackwell. Designs are currently being developed and construction should begin by the summer of 2002. The Illinois EPA is hosting a Public Meeting to discuss the landfills on Wednesday, January 16, at 6:00 p.m. at the Centralia City Hall Council Chambers, to provide information about the work being done at the landfills.