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Site Type: Long Term/National Priorities List (NPL)  |
SACO MUNICIPAL LANDFILL |
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| Saco, Maine |
York County
| Street Address: | FOSS RD |
| Zip Code: | 04072 |
Congressional
District(s): |
01 |
| EPA ID #: | MED980504393 |
| Site ID #: | 0101010 |
| Site Aliases: |
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| Site Responsibility: | Federal, Municipal, State |
| NPL LISTING HISTORY |
| Proposed Date | 06/24/1988 |
| Final Date | 02/21/1990 |
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Site Description
The Saco Municipal Landfill covers approximately 90 acres and has been owned and operated by the City of Saco since 1960. The site consists of four distinct disposal areas. Area 1 is a closed and capped municipal dump that was used for open burning of household and industrial waste. Area 2 is an inactive industrial dump that accepted bulk and demolition debris. Area 3 is a relatively small area of about 1 acre in which wastes such as tires and leather and rubber scraps from local industries were dumped. This uncovered area is located on the outside of the service road that circles Area 4. Area 4 is a recently closed landfill that accepted household waste and tannery sludge containing chromium and other heavy metals, as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The sludge was placed in unlined trenches, often directly in contact with groundwater. Area 2 has a leachate collection system, but there is no evidence of liners or leachate systems in other disposal areas. There are approximately 32,000 people living within a 3-mile radius of the site. Approximately 130 people live within 1 mile of the site. Water and sediment in Sandy Brook, which flows through the site, and groundwater beneath the site have shown elevated levels of iron and arsenic. Approximately 700 people obtain drinking water from wells located within 3 miles of the landfill. In 1975, the Biddeford and Saco Water Company extended water lines along Jenkins Road and Route 112.
Threats and Contaminants
Wastes produced by local industries may be the source of contamination in the groundwater, surface water, sediments, and soil in the Saco Landfill site. Industries in the area produce leather goods, plastics, vinyl stripping, machine parts,textiles, foam products, and finishes. Typical wastes from these industries include heavy metals, chromium, solvents, dyes, polymers, and phthalates. The groundwater contains elevated levels of VOCs and heavy metals including iron, manganese, and arsenic. Sandy Brook has been shown to be contaminated with elevated levels of heavy metals and primarily iron and arsenic.
Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in two stages: initial actions and a long-term remedial phase focusing on cleanup of the entire site.
Response Action Status
| Initial Action | The City of Saco, in conjunction with the Maine Department of Environmental
Protection (MEDEP) and the EPA, removed and disposed of the wastes from Area 3 in mid-1991. These wastes were not hazardous and included leather and rubber scraps from local industry. MEDEP oversaw the removal actions to ensure that no hazardous substances were discovered or disposed of. From 1992 to 1994, EPA performed a study of the groundwater at the Saco Landfill as part of the EPA START Program and produced two reports. EPA initiated an early action to cap the landfill in September 1996. The landfill cap was completed in late 1998. Institutional controls were finalized in 2000 to restrict site use. |
| Entire Site: | The potentially responsible parties for contamination at the site began a investigation into the nature and extent of the contamination in the fall of 1995. EPA signed an agreement with the potentially responsible parties for design and construction of the cap in August 1997. The agreement also requires long term monitoring, operation and maintenance, and institutional controls. EPA signed a Record of Decision for the site in September 2000. The ROD selected monitored natural attenuation as the long-term cleanup approach. |
Environmental Progress
An area of elevated arsenic contaminated sediments was excavated and placed under the cap. The landfill cap has been completed. The landfill cap will significantly reduce the generation of leachate and begin the process of groundwater restoration.
Current Site Status
In 1998 the cap at the landfill was completed under a Non-Time Critical Removal Action (NTCRA). Long term monitoring is underway. Institutional controls to restrict the use of the site were finalized in 2000 as part of the development of the Record of Decision (ROD). EPA is currently working with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MEDEP) and City of Saco to oversee a long-term monitoring program to evaluate the natural attenuation. A five year review of the cleanup was performed in 2005. Monitoring, maintenance, and inspection activities continue at the Site.
Site Photos
Links to Other Site Information
Newsletters & Press Releases:
Federal Register Notices:
Administrative Records:
Reports and Studies:
Decision Documents:
Other Links:
Site Repositories
City Hall, 300 Main Street, Saco, ME 04072
EPA New England Records Center, One Congress Street, Boston, MA 02114 (617) 918-1440
Contacts
| EPA Remedial Project Manager: | Ed Hathaway |
| Site Responsibilities: | Site Remediation Work |
| Address: | |
| Phone #: | (617) 918-1372 |
| E-Mail Address: | hathaway.ed@epa.gov |
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| EPA Remedial Project Manager #2: | Leslie McVickar |
| Site Responsibilities: | Enforcement Issues only |
| Address: | |
| Phone #: | (617) 918-1374 |
| E-Mail Address: | mcvickar.leslie@epa.gov |
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| EPA Community Involvement Coordinator: | Pamela Harting-Barrat |
| Address: | |
| Phone #: | (617) 918-1318 |
| E-Mail Address: | harting-barrat.pamela@epa.gov |
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