Mid-Atlantic Superfund

Site Status

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and 19 settling parties signed a Consent Agreement in May 2006 to conduct the investigation and evaluation of cleanup options following EPA's Superfund Alternative Site (SAS) process.
  
  
• The SAS process is identical to the Superfund program except the Site will not be finalized on EPA's National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL is a list of hazardous waste sites that may pose long-term human health or environmental risks requiring investigation under the Superfund Program.
  
  
• EPA proposed the Site for the NPL in January 1999 and re-proposed the Site in April, 2003.
  
  
• EPA, the Settling Parties, and the Maryland Department of the Environment completed a Non-Time Critical Removal Action in June 2009 to remove hazardous debris from the surface of the landfills.
  
  
• A Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS) are nearly complete to evaluate the extent of contamination and develop alternatives to clean up the Site.
  
  
• The Site Team will continue coordinating with the public for their input regarding the future use of the area during the investigation of the five inactive landfill areas which began in July 2008.
  
  
• EPA held a public meeting in May 2011 to discuss cleanup activities at the site. Future public meetings will be held to update the community on site progress.
  
  
• The next public meeting will be held in the early spring to discuss EPA's proposed cleanup plan.

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Background

• The 68th Street Dump Site includes five landfill areas in a 239-acre site located near the town of Rosedale in Baltimore County, Maryland.
  
  
• The western edge of the site is adjacent to the border between the City of Baltimore and Baltimore County.
  
  
• In September 1953, Mr. Robb Tyler was issued a permit by the Maryland State Health Department allowing him to operate a sanitary landfill on the site property.
  
  
• Operations included the landfilling of industrial and commercial refuse and uncooled incinerator ash from the city of Baltimore, as well as the use of pits for the dumping of waste oils and petroleum products.
  
  
• Throughout operation of the original landfill, inspection reports indicate numerous troubles associated with the disposal of wastes at this site including uncontrolled fires, inadequate covering of refuse, nuisance odors, improper disposal of drums and other salvageable materials, and the migration of oil and/or refuse into the adjacent surface waters of Herring Run and Moore’s Run.
  
  
• In July 1955, a state health department official recommended that this landfill be closed.
  
  
• In 1956, Mr. Tyler leased a portion of land from Industrial Enterprises, Inc. and expanded the landfill and disposal operations. Inspection reports prepared during the active period of this landfill indicate that operations included the disposal of refuse in the floodplain, the dumping of waste oil into a pit excavated near Herring Run, and the salvaging of metal containers and cardboard. In addition, historical reports and recent visits to the site have documented the presence of various types of refuse on the ground surface, including tires, numerous 55-gallon drums, and other industrial wastes.
  
  
• In August 1979, state inspectors discovered approximately 23 drums buried in the western portion of this landfill. Samples of the materials in the drums revealed the presence of potentially hazardous concentrations of heavy metals.
  
  
• An additional dumping area, the island area landfill, was formed during Mr. Tyler’s landfilling and disposal operations. The island landfill is located in the Herring Run channel between the Industrial Enterprises landfill and the Baltimore County Pumping Station. Operations at this landfill included the spreading of uncooled incinerator ash and the landfilling of 55-gallon drums. Contamination from previous landfilling activities is also located in the north central portion of the site near Redhouse Run.
  
  
• A drum removal action was completed in 1981-1982 affecting a one acre area near the end of Quad Avenue.
  
  
• Ten drums were removed from the Redhouse Run Landfill during a 1984 removal action, and more than 40 drums were removed from the Island Landfill in 1985.

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