Region 5 Superfund (SF)

U.S. EPA REGION 5
MACOMB COUNTY
UTICA

Congressional District # 10

G&H LANDFILL

EPA ID# MID980410823
Last Updated: September, 2006

Site Description

The G & H Industrial Landfill site consists of a 60-acre landfill and approximately 10 to 20 acres of adjacent property. The landfill was used as a waste oil recovery facility from 1955 to 1967 and as an industrial and municipal landfill from 1955 to 1974. Waste oil containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was dumped into unlined ponds onsite. In addition, waste solvents and paint sludges were disposed of along with municipal refuse.

The site is bordered by the Clinton River and a state recreational area to the south and west, and by residential areas to the north and east. About 50,000 people live within three miles of the site, most of those directly adjacent to the site are now attached to the municipal water supply. The groundwater is flowing towards the river; thus, the contaminant plume does not directly threaten the residential areas to the north and east.

 

Site Responsibility

This site is being addressed through federal and Potentially Responsible Party actions.

Threats and Contaminants

A groundwater contaminant plume containing benzene, toluene, xylene, and trichloroethene exists beneath the site; PCB-laden oil is contained within the landfill.

Cleanup Progress

The G & H Landfill site was listed on the National Priorities List in 1983. Shortly thereafter in 1984, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) in consultation with the State of Michigan, began a three-phase Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS). U.S. EPA issued a cleanup decision in 1990, following completion of the RI/FS. Between 1982 and 1987, U.S. EPA performed several removal actions, including installing a site fence and removing small quantities (< 1000 gallons) of PCB-laden oil to stabilize site conditions.

In 1993, U.S. EPA reached a cleanup agreement (Consent Decree) with 14 Detroit area companies under which the 14 companies began to construct the cleanup remedy in September 1996. In 1993 through 1994, the 14 companies arranged to have approximately 30 residences and four small businesses adjacent to the site attached to the municipal water supply as a precaution. The cleanup consists of a containment remedy, which includes construction of a landfill cover (cap), an impermeable underground slurry wall, and a groundwater extraction and treatment system to physically and hydraulically contain the contaminants onsite. Groundwater extracted from within the site is treated to remove the organic compounds. Construction was completed in September 1999. The groundwater extraction system will be operated for at least 30 years. The 14 companies taking responsibility for the site have also agreed to create and maintain new wetland areas to replace wetlands that were degraded by the contaminants, or that were destroyed in developing the cleanup remedy. The wetlands restoration work was completed in September 1999. The site is now in the Operations and Maintenance phase.  A second Five-Year Review of the site was completed in September 2006 and determined that the remedy remained protective of human health and the environment.

Property Reuse

U.S. EPA has engaged a consultant team to provide specialized reuse planning skills. In the spring of 2006, the team met with officials from Shelby Township, U.S. EPA Region 5, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), and PRP representatives. The team is conducting community research, mapping, and analysis to inform the reuse planning process. The outcome will support a community-based evaluation of the site and surroundings to identify site reuse challenges and opportunities, develop a conceptual site reuse framework and project report, and identify potential resources and partnerships to plan the site’s future use.

Contacts

Remedial Project Manager, U.S. EPA
william ryan (ryan.williamj@epa.gov)
(312) 353-4374

Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA
bob paulson
(312) 886-0272

Aliases

G & H LDFL
G & H IND LDFL

 

Site Profile Information

This profile provides you with information on EPA's cleanup progress at this Superfund site.