xvEPA
Office of Public Affairs (P-19J)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5
77 W Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604
FIRST CLASS
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
EPA Wants to Change Cleanup Plan for Himco Dump Site
This fact sheet is printed on paper made of recycled fibers.
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Region 5
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, Illinois 60604
Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan, Minnesota,
Ohio, Wisconsin
&EPA
What Can You Do?
Comments provided by residents
and other interested people are
valuable in helping EPA decide
the best course of action. The
Agency encourages you to share
your views about the proposed
plan modifications. There are
two ways to express your opin-
ion during the public comment
period. It runs April 11, 2003 to
May 12, 2003.
You may send comments to
Gwen Massenburg, Remedial
Project Manager or Stuart Hill,
EPA Community Involvement
Coordinator for the site.
Comments must be post-
marked by May 12, 2003. The
mailing addresses are:
Gwen Massenburg (SR-6J)
EPA Region 5
OERR
77 West Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: (312) 886-0983
Stuart Hill (P-l 9J)
EPA Region 5
Office of Public Affairs
77 West Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: (312)886-0689
A public meeting will be held
at the City Council Chambers,
2nc' floor, Municipal Building,
229 S. Second St., Elkhart, on
April 23, 2003 from 7:00 to
9:00 p.m. You may submit oral
Information continues on backpage.
EPA Proposes Revised Cleanup
Plan for Himco Dump Superfund Site
Himco Dump Superfund Site
Elkhart, Ind.
April 2003
Modifying landfill cap, city water key parts of new plan
EPA Region 5 wants to change the original cleanup plan for the Himco
Dump. The landfill is a Superfund site in Elkhart, Ind. EPA's partner in the
cleanup is the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM).
The original plan was described in the 1993 Record of Decision for the
Himco Dump. It called for a cap with a liner to prevent the rain from carry-
ing the landfill waste material into the ground water. The plan also included
ground-water monitoring and a gas collection system to prevent landfill
gases from building up under the cap. The new proposed plan eliminates
the liner from the landfill cover, but it keeps the ground-water monitoring
and gas collection systems. The new plan also asks for private wells to be
sealed, new connections to the city water system, and excavating contami-
nated soil south of the landfill.
The reason for the proposed change in the cleanup plan is because EPA
determined the original cap and liner approach for the landfill would be
ineffective. During the rainy parts of the year, the landfill waste is in con-
tact with the ground water, a which is term used for underground water
supplies. A liner over the waste does not prevent the contact. The new plan
is more cost-effective as well. The 1993 plan would cost more than $18
million to construct today, while the revised plan costs $14 million. The
full text of the proposed plan is available for public review, along with all
other documents regarding the landfill, at the official repository located at
the Elkhart Public Library, Pierre Moran Branch, 2400 Benham Ave.,
Elkhart, Ind. 46517. The case file, referred to as the administrative record,
can also be reviewed at Region 5's main office at 77 West Jackson Blvd.
in Chicago.
The proposed plan is just the first step in an open process EPA must take
before any new cleanup plan is approved. EPA will hold a public hearing
before making a final decision. Everyone will have a chance to provide
feedback about the proposal through written and oral comments. EPA may
modify the proposed plan as a result of public input. The 30-day comment
period begins April 11, 2003 and extends through May 12, 2003. The
public hearing will be held April 23rd at 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Landfill seen as pollution source back in 1971
Himco Dump is a 60-acre landfill located at County Road 10 and Nappanee
Street Extension in Elkhart County. The site was owned by Charles Himes
and operated by Himco Waste Away Service Inc. between 1960 and 1976.
The dump has attracted the notice of officials since the early 1970s, after
the hazardous waste buried there began polluting the air and nearby resi-
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ELKHAHT MUNICIPAL
AIRPORT
HIMCO DUMP SITE ELKHART COUNTY, INDIANA
INDIANA
dents started to complain about the color, taste and odor
problems from their wells.
Experts estimated that two-thirds of the landfill waste
was calcium sulfate from Miles Laboratories. Other
waste included household and commercial refuse,
construction and demolition debris, as well as indus-
trial and medical wastes. The Indiana State Board of
Health closed the landfill in 1976. In the 1980s, a sam-
pling program showed hazardous waste was detected in
the ground water south of the landfill. The chemicals
included dangerous metals such as mercury and lead.
They also included carbon-based compounds such as
phenol, pyrene and benzene, and high levels of sodium.
In 1990, the dump was placed on the National Priorities
List, officially making it a Superfund site. Also that year,
EPA told residents south of the landfill to stop drinking
well water due to its high sodium content. A year later,
Elkhart extended water lines to the residents.
In May 1992, EPA conducted an emergency removal
action to remove 71 large drums containing hazardous
waste buried in the landfill. In 1993, EPA issued the
first proposed cleanup plan for the landfill. The 1993
plan called for a cap consisting of 18 inches of seeded
soil, 6 inches of sand, a plastic liner, 2 feet of clay, and
enough fill to ensure the final cap would drain rain-
water beyond the landfill boundaries. Officials began
testing a spot south of the dump known as the construc-
tion debris area. The debris area is about 4 acres in size
and contains seven occupied homes and one empty
commercial building. Soil and ground-water samples
were collected in this area. Lead was discovered in the
soil of the debris area in an amount greater than EPA
standards allow. Further study of the sample results
found the risk for non-cancerous illnesses in children
in the area was unacceptably high. Another study on
the eastern side of the landfill found that both adults
and children possibly faced excessive cancer risks
from an organic chemical called 1,2 dichloropropane.
This chemical was found in the ground water at levels
higher than EPA standards allow. EPA said residents
living near the landfill faced unacceptable health risks
by breathing landfill gas, accidental consumption of
soil, drinking ground water, or by coming into direct
contact with landfill soil.
New cleanup plan recognizes original
cap ineffective
EPA determined the 1993 plan would be ineffective
because the landfill waste was already in contact with
the ground water, and the liner would not prevent fur-
ther ground-water contamination. The City of Elkhart
has also recently obtained a grant to pursue plans to
try to redevelop the landfill site. Officials say the 1993
cap and liner would make potential redevelopment
difficult due to the high cost of protecting the unneces-
sary liner.
Details of the new 30-year proposed plan include:
60-acre landfill site
Add 30 inches of compacted soil on top of the
landfill, with the top 6 inches seeded with a native
plant species. The soil will be properly graded to
prevent erosion.
Limit land use to commercial and recreational pur-
poses only. Require a feasibility study before any
redevelopment.
Install an active landfill gas collection system that
will treat and vent fumes. An enclosed ground-flare
system will be installed if gases exceed Indiana
standards.
Quarterly monitoring of the soil-gas system during
the first year, then semiannual monitoring for four
years. Based on the gas levels, at the end of the
five-year period, the new schedule of monitoring
will be developed.
Complete inspections on a quarterly basis the first
two years, then twice a year.
Construction debris area
Excavate all lead-contaminated soil and fill with
clean soil.
Remove all construction debris and fill with clean
soil.
Abandon the 10 private wells in the debris area and
make sure all residents are connected to city water.
File deed restrictions to prevent any future well
installation or use of ground water.
Residential area east and southeast of landfill
Connect 3 5 homes to city water. Twenty of the
homes are in the select area. Fifteen homes are
located in a buffer zone.
Abandon all private wells once city water is con-
nected and functional. File deed restrictions to pre-
vent any future well installation or use of ground
water.
Complete an extensive ground-water study.
Install monitoring wells in the buffer zone. Experts
will sample the ground water regularly to see if
pollution exceeds certain "trigger" levels for each
chemical. If it exceeds the "trigger" for four con-
secutive samples, then city water will be extended to
other residents living beyond the buffer zone.
Long-term monitoring
Ground-water monitoring for at least 10 years for
all monitoring wells, quarterly for the first two years
and then semiannually.
Limit future ground-water use, stop new private
well use in the landfill's vicinity and allow no drill-
ing or digging on the landfill cover.
Persons that want to redevelop the dump site must
study construction impacts on the landfill cover, soil
gas and ground water before redevelopment will be
approved.
Install a fence around the landfill site.
Conduct extensive five-year reviews of all parts of
the cleanup process. If ground-water contamination
increases to beyond the "trigger" levels, then a 30-
year ground-water treatment system may have to be
installed at an additional cost of $17 million.
Information Repository
An information repository is a file for public review
containing documents related to the project and the
Superfund program. The repository is located at:
Elkhart Public Library
Pierre Moran Branch
2400 Benham Ave.
Elkhart, Ind. 46517
NOTE: This fact sheet is meant to be a plain-language
summary of the proposed plan. If you wish to read
about the legal and technical details, the proposed plan
is available at the Elkhart Public Library.
The Next Step
EPA will evaluate public comments received during
the public comment period before deciding whether or
not to amend the cleanup plan for the site. The final
cleanup plan will be described in a final decision docu-
ment that will be available for public review.
After a final plan is chosen, the plan will be designed
and implemented.
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