United States Environmental Protection Agency Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5502G) EPA520-F-93-017 Summer 1993 o EPA Superf und At Work Hazardous Waste Cleanup Efforts Nationwide Northside Landfill Site Profile Site Description: A municipal landfill in Spokane, Washington Site Size: 345 acres, 150 of which were used for landfill activities Primary Contaminants: Tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene Potential Range of Health Risks: Headaches, liver and kidney damage with prolonged exposure Nearby Population: 65 people in 20 residences Ecological Concerns: Contaminated ground water plume migrating northwest of the site Year Listed on NPL: 1986 EPA Region: 10 State: Washington Congressional District: 5 Success in Brief Collaborative Cleanup of Northside Landfill Cleanup of the Northside Landfill in Spokane, Washington is an example of effective collaboration with state and local governments in addressing a Superfund hazardous waste site. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) worked with the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the City of Spokane to close this municipal landfill in a timely and efficient manner. City officials recognized that the landfill had reached capacity, local wells were contaminated, and ground water needed thorough treatment. EPA and Ecology worked with Spokane's Department of Solid Waste Management to: Provide a clean source of drinking water for residents whose wells were contaminated; and Construct a state-of-the-art plastic cover to "cap" the landfill and guard against the further spread of contaminants. The city then designed a new approach to managing solid waste for the entire county. Multi-Phase Cleanup at Northside Landfill Landscaping plan developed for affected area Protective, impermeable cap keeps contaminants from migrating Contaminated ground water pumped to surface for treatment The Site Today The City of Spokane completed construction of the protective cap over the landfill in May 1993. Cur- rently a landfill gas collection sys- tem captures and burns methane gas, while a ground water pump and treatment system prevents contaminated ground water from migrating off site. In addition, the City of Spokane and the local com- munity are investing $1 million to landscape the site. ------- Superfund At Work Northside Landfill. Spokane, WA Summer 1993 The Northside Landfill site covers 345 acres in north- western Spokane, Washington. The active area of the landfill occupied 150 acres directly above a large aquifer, the primary source of drinking water for 177,000 residents of Spokane. The landfill opened in 1931 for the disposal of light com- mercial and residential gar- bage. While operating, the site was the largest landfill in the county, and received most of Spokane's refuse, including small amounts of hazardous waste. For almost 10 years, sludge from the municipal sewage treatment plant, laden A Site Snapshot with heavy metals and organic solvents, was disposed of in the landfill. Rainwater drained through the wastes and seeped Rainwater drained through the landfill and seeped into the ground water, contaminating the wells of nearby residents into ground water, contaminating the wells of nearby residents. Fortunately, fewer than 20 resi- dences were affected. Some of the residential wells contained the solvent tetra- chloroethylene in concentra- tions above safety standards. Tetrachloroethylene and trichlo- roethylene are solvents for oils, paints and varnishes, and are used in dry cleaning/ metal de- greasing, textile dyeing/ and in various pesticides. Other contaminants found in testing wells included heavy metals such as iron, manganese, and lead. Possible health risks from direct contact with the chemicals include headaches, sleepiness, and liver and kidney damage. No such health prob- lems have been reported by Spokane residents. Northside Landfill Site Timeline Site listed on NPL Extensive investigations begin City connects affected residences to municipal water supply City discovers residential well contamination; supplies bottled water City discovers ground water contamination in on-site wells Congress enacts Superfund Site operates as municipal landfill 1 1931 1980 1981 1982 1983 1986 Page 2 ------- Superfund At Work Northside Landfill, Spokane. WA Summer 1993 City and State Assist EPA with Cleanup Private Wells Directly Affected During the first 30 years of operation, commercial and resi- dential garbage was dumped into the landfill's natural canyons and burned. In 1962, the city discon- tinued open burning and began Site inspections revealed the soil was contaminated with cyanide and heavy metals covering the refuse in the canyons with excavated soil. This practice continued until 1991. During the same period, Con- ess enacted the Superfund law with a primary aim of cleaning up the nation's hazardous waste sites. Heightened awareness brought about by the develop- ment of the Superfund program caused local officials to take a closer look at this municipal dump. In 1981, city workers sampled the ground water beneath the landfill and found evidence of contamination. In 1982, additional sampling revealed that 19 pri- vately-owned wells adjacent to the site were polluted. The city quickly supplied affected resi- dents with bottled water and by 1983 had connected them to the public water supply. Despite numerous problems, the landfill continued to operate for several years until a new incinerator could be constructed to handle municipal and indus- Northside Landfill ' Spokane, Washington trial waste. While state officials focused on closing the landfill, the city designed a new approach to managing solid waste in the future. Since landfilling was no longer an option, converting waste to energy using incinera- tion made sense for the entire region (see incineration sidebar, page 5). When the landfill was ready for closure, state authorities contacted EPA's Superfund program for assistance. EPA selects cleanup plan ^ EPA Citizen Participation Award presented Landfill perimeter gas collection system installed Landscaping plan designed for site New incinerator constructed ^ Ground water cleanup begins Cap construction completed Landfill gas collection and flaring completed Ground water cleanup complete (planned) 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 2003 Page 3 ------- Superfund At Work Northside Landfill, Spokane, WA Summer 1993 In 1986, EPA placed the Northside Landfill on the Na- tional Priorities List (NPL), a roster of hazardous waste sites eligible for cleanup under the Superfund program. Plan Designed to Protect Public Later that year, under a coop- erative agreement with EPA, the city and Ecology agreed to inves- tigate the nature and extent of contamination and the risks posed to the area. The studies, completed under EPA oversight in 1988, determined that the site warranted immediate attention. Thus, to reduce the source of ground water contamination as well as protect local drinking water supplies, EPA, Ecology, Spokane officials, and community residents worked together to design a cleanup plan that satis- fied all involved. The plan was completed in September 1989 and involved: Closing and "capping" the landfill; Pumping and treating contami- nated ground water; Providing an alternate source of drinking water to residents with contaminated wells; Controlling potentially danger- ous landfill gases; and Monitoring the ground water for the next 30 years. Cooperation Leads to Well-Managed Cleanup In January 1991, city cleanup crews began operating a landfill gas collection and treatment system on the boundaries of the site. During construction of the cap, the system was extended to include 20 gas collection units throughout the landfill to capture methane gas, produced by the decomposition of organic mate- rial. High-temperature flares burn the methane and gas contami- nants, destroying most of the chemicals that cause odors in the The cap prevents rainwater from entering the landfill and spreading contaminants air emissions. City workers monitor adjacent areas to make sure that all landfill gas is captured and does not migrate off site. The ground water pump and treatment system began with pilot tests in April 1992 and currently treats 1,000 gallons of water a minute. Water is sent to the municipal sewage plant for further treatment and disposal. An impermeable protective cap was completed in May 1993, six months ahead of schedule. The cap is installed over 150 acres of buried waste and prevents rain- water from entering the landfill and spreading contaminants. In addition, the city constructed a 15-acre supplemental area for continued on page 5 The Spokane Recycling Trash-to-Energy Facility generated 150 million kilowatts of electricity in its first full year of operation. Page 4 ------- Superfund At Work Northside Landfill, Spokane, WA Summer 1993 Waste-To- Energy: A New Kind of Waste Management The need for a completely new approach to solid waste management arose in Spokane in the early 1980s when four landfills, including Northside, were placed on EPA's NPL. A city-county regional partner- ship was formed which adopted four priorities: waste reduction, recycling, energy recovery and minimal residual landfilling. In September 1991, the city and Spokane County com- pleted construction of a new incinerator which replaced the Northside landfill and many other small county landfills. This waste-to-energy plant accepts commercial and house- hold hazardous waste and Residents and businesses contribute household and hazardous waste Recyclable items are removed, minimizing volume Recycle Refuse burned at temperatures above 2000° F Exhaust gases pass through sophisticated air pollution controls Incineration- generated steam is converted to electricity Electricity sold to regional ^utility company for customer regular garbage, burning 800 tons a day. Heat from combus- tion converts steam into elec- tricity, which is sold to Puget Power, a regional utility. In 1992, the first full year of opera- tion, the incinerator processed 293,000 tons of garbage and produced 150 million kilowatts of electricity. The waste-to-energy plant is equipped with the latest avail- able air cleaning equipment, including nitrogen oxide re- moval, acid gas scrubbers, and fabric filters which trap particu- late matter. Performance records indicate the plant is performing at a higher stan- dard than its permit requires. City and State Assist EPA with Cleanup continued from page 4 storage of non-combustible debris that cannot be incinerated. As a safety precaution, a synthetic liner was installed to ensure contain- ment. The city will continue to collect Ğd treat landfill gases and pump d treat contaminated ground "The city was way ahead of the curve. They did a great job." water over the next ten years; the site will be monitored for 30 years to ensure the effectiveness of cleanup activities. In evaluating the cleanup, Neil Thompson, the EPA site manager, commented on the determination and ingenuity of city officials in meeting their obligations to dose the landfill by remarking, "the city was way ahead of the curve. They did a great job." PageS ------- Superfund At Work Northside Landfill, Spokane, WA Summer 1993 Keeping the Public Informed Is Key to Superfund Program Throughout the cleanup, EPA, results prompted EPA to place Ecology, and city officials distrib- uted bulletins and fact sheets to inform area residents of plans and progress at the site. Beginning in 1989, Spokane residents were invited to a series of public meetings to clarify poten- tial problems posed by the Northside Landfill. Citizens were asked to comment on the proposed cleanup plan as well. In 1990, one of the residents living near the landfill was given EPA's Citizen Participation Award for her efforts to organize neighbors living north of the landfill to request additional water quality testing. Sampling Citizen Participation Award Northside Landfill on the NPL, and the site has been effectively remediated. As an EPA Commu- nity Relations Coordinator stated, "She helped Superfund clean up the landfill by promoting communications among residents and various government agencies." In June 1991, the city and area residents de- signed a plan for landscap- ing the site following completion of the landfill cover. The entire site will be seeded for grass, and the natural vegetation of 40 acres of undisturbed woods along the perimeter of the property will be enhanced. If you wish to be added to or deleted from our mailing list or to comment on this bulletin's content, length or format, please call (703) 603-8984 or send a letter to Superfund At Work (5502G), 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460. Success at Northside Landfill EPA, Ecology, and the City of Spokane worked together at the Northside Landfill to clean up and protect drinking water supplies. The City of Spokane .took the lead in designing innovative solutions to regional solid waste management. Area residents partici- pated in determining the best approach to address site contamination and return the land to a condi- tion suitable for future use. The cooperation of all parties was essential to provide city and county residents with clean drinking water. For additional 'copies of this or other Superfund At Work updates, contact the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161, telephone (703) 487-4650. EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency 5502G Washington, D.C. 20460 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 Bulk Rate Mail Postage and Fees Paid EPA Permit No. G-35 @ Printed on recycled paper ------- |