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NPL Site Narrative for Columbus Old Municipal Landfill #1
COLUMBUS OLD MUNICIPAL LANDFILL #1
Columbus, Indiana
Federal Register Notice: June 10, 1986Conditions at proposal (September 18, 1985): The Columbus Old Municipal Landfill #1 covers 10 to 12 acres on the East Fork of the White River in Columbus, Bartholomew County, Indiana. From the early 1950s through the late 1960s, the city operated the landfill, accepting municipal waste and about 3.5 million gallons of industrial wastes. It had no permits. According to a waste generator, Cummins Engine Co., the industrial wastes included solvents, acids, bases, paints, PCBs, and heavy metals. After closing the old landfill, Columbus opened a new landfill.
The old landfill is unlined and in permeable soils. It is covered with a permeable layer of sand and gravel on which grass has grown. Wastes were deposited on the surface, and the site forms a low barrier between the surrounding farmlands and the river. Ground water is contaminated with lead and chromium, according to tests conducted by EPA in August 1985. The geology and location of the site are such that area surface water is threatened.
About 31,000 people depend on wells within 3 miles of the site as a source of drinking water. The White River, 100 feet from the site, is a prime fishing stream.
The land is privately owned and is now leased to an individual who operates waste oil storage tanks on the site.
Status (June 10, 1986): EPA is considering various alternatives for the site.
For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.