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Site Type: Site Awaiting NPL Decision (SAND) 
LEOMINSTER MUNI LANDFILL
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map of site |
| LEOMINSTER, Massachusetts |
| WORCESTER County |
| Street Address: | MECHANIC ST
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| Zip Code: | 01453 |
Congressional
District(s): |
04 |
| EPA ID #: | MAD980523294 |
| Site ID #: | 0100714 |
| Site Alias: | |
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Description
The Leominster Municipal Landfill (landfill) property consists of approximately 25 acres and is located on Mechanic Street in Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. The property is identified on Leominster Tax Assessor’s Maps 445 and 572. The property is located within a commercial and residential area; and is bordered to the north and east by the Nashua River; to the south by Mechanic Street and residences; and to the west by a sewage treatment plant.
The property is owned and operated by the Leominster Department of Public Works (DPW). Property use prior to 1890 is unknown; however, the area of the current landfill was occupied by wetlands. In 1900, the City of Leominster purchased the property for use as a municipal landfill. No liner exists under the landfill. Previous studies conducted at the landfill provide conflicting information concerning operational history of the landfill. One report states that the property was used as an open dump, landfill, and sludge disposal area since as early as 1890; however, another report states that landfill operations did not begin until between 1930 and 1940. Also, another report stated that industrial wastes were disposed of at the landfill. The landfill is no longer in operation and has been capped, but according to the local Board of Health, the cap does not meet State of Massachusetts requirements for permeability and cover.
Several Notices of Violation (NOVs) were issued to the City of Leominster by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Quality and Engineering [(MA DEQE) now the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP)] for backfilling a wetland area with solid waste. Several previous investigations were conducted at the landfill from 1984 through 1997 including: a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA) Preliminary Assessment (PA) completed by the NUS Field Investigation Team (NUS/FIT) in January 1984 ; an EPA Screening Site Investigation (SSI) completed by NUS/FIT in March 1991; and an EPA Site Inspection Prioritization (SIP) completed by the Roy F. Weston, Inc., Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) in March 1997. During the course of these investigations, groundwater, sediment, surface water, and soil samples were collected. Selected samples collected during these sampling events were analyzed for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), pesticides/polychlorinated biphenyls (pest/PCBs), metals, and cyanide. VOCs, SVOCs, pesticides, and metals were detected above reference criteria in these samples.
Groundwater beneath the property ranges from 13 to 30 feet below the surface and flows to the northeast towards the Nashua River. An estimated 16,002 people are serviced by public and private drinking water wells within 4-radial miles of the property. Three public wells, serving an estimated 13,244 people, are located within 4-radial miles of the property. The nearest private well is located more than 0.25 miles from the property, but its location could not be determined. Based on analytical results from groundwater samples collected in June 1990, groundwater beneath the property has been impacted by a release of VOCs, SVOCs, and metals which are attributable to on-site sources; however, no public or private drinking water wells have been impacted by the release.
The surface water pathway from the property consists of an unnamed stream, the North Nashua River, and the Nashua River. The surface water pathway contains fisheries, approximately 11.7 miles of wetland frontage, habitats for 19 State designated endangered or threatened species, and two State Natural areas. No surface water intakes are located downstream of the property. Based on 1997 sediment analytical results, a release of SVOCs, pesticides, and metals from on-site sources to a Clean Water Act (CWA) water body, fisheries, and wetlands has been documented; however, no actual drinking water targets have been impacted.
There are no workers present at the property. The nearest resident is located approximately 225 feet south of the landfill on Mechanic Street. No schools or day-care facilities are located within 200 feet of the property. An estimated 7,532 people live within 1-radial mile of the property and an estimated 45,692 live within 4-radial miles. Based on soil analytical results, several SVOCs and metals were detected above reference criteria; however, no impacts to nearby residential populations or terrestrial sensitive environments are known.
No observed release of hazardous substances to the ambient air from on-site sources is known or suspected to have occurred, and no impacts to nearby residential populations or sensitive environments are known or suspected.
The landfill property is currently listed as being in Phase I (Initial Site Investigation) of the five phase Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP) cleanup program. However, the property was assigned a status of No Further Action (NFA) by MA DEP in 1996, which means that MA DEP determined that no further action was needed for the property.
SAND Fact Sheet Last Updated on: 12 March 2001
Current Status
Photos
Links to Other Information
Public Record Locations
EPA New England Records Center, One Congress Street, Boston, MA 02114 (617) 918-1440
Contacts
| Nancy Smith |
| Site Assessment Manager |
| Address: | One Congress Street, Suite 1100 (HBS)
Boston, MA 02114-2023 |
| Phone #: | 617-918-1436 |
| E-Mail Address: | smith.nancya@epa.gov |
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