PASCO SANITARY LANDFILL WASHINGTON EPA ID# WAD991281874

EPA Region 10 Franklin County Pasco 4th Congressional District Other Names: Larry Dietrich Resource Recovery Corp.

Last Update: October, 2009

Site Description

The Pasco Sanitary Landfill (PSL) property is 280 acres in size, located about 1.5 miles northeast of Pasco, Washington. PSL operated as an open burning dump from 1958 to 1971. Sanitary landfilling began in a 40-acre unlined area in 1972, operating until it was placed under interim cover in 1992. Another portion of the property received hazardous wastes between 1972 and 1975; this portion now resides in five separate cells. Two of these cells collectively contained approximately 40,000 drums containing paints, resins, herbicide and pesticide manufacturing wastes, caustic chemicals, and other wastes. Three of these cells accepted bulk liquid waste and sludges in unlined lagoons, where the wastes were dried and later covered with a RCRA-compliant cover system. Groundwater beneath and downgradient of the property is contaminated primarily with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These include chlorinated solvents such as tetrachloroethene (Perc), trichloroethene (TCE), their degradation by-products, and other non-chlorinated organic compounds, such as Benzene, Toluene and Xylenes. Other organic compounds and inorganic constituents also have been detected. Groundwater within 3 miles of the site is used by over 1,000 people for drinking and irrigation of 10,000 acres of cropland.

Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through state and potentially responsible parties' actions.

NPL Listing History	Dates
Proposed Date:	06/24/1988
Removed Date:
Withdrawal Date:
Final Date:	02/21/1990
Deleted Date:

Threats and Contaminants

Media Affected: Groundwater
On-site groundwater contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including trichloroethylene (TCE), toluene, and xylenes. People who ingest or come into direct contact with contaminated groundwater may be at risk.


Cleanup Progress

Based on data available from investigative work, community water supplies were extended to residents whose groundwater had been or potentially could be affected by releases from the landfill. Preliminary interim actions to address source area soil and groundwater contamination by VOCs were initiated in 1996/1997. The interim actions included soil vapor extraction operating in combination with an in-well air stripping technology [NoVOCs (tm)]. The Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS) phase was completed in 1999. Based on the RI/FS findings, additional interim actions were initiated at both the industrial waste areas and the municipal solid waste landfill. The PRPs conducted this work under agreed orders and unilateral orders with the state of Washington. Interim actions included: (1) expansion of the NoVOCs (tm) groundwater treatment system and soil vapor extraction system (2) installation of final landfill covers over the former municipal waste landfill and four industrial waste landfills (3) removal of one drum cell containing approximately 5,000 drums of herbicide manufacturing waste (4) institutional controls on groundwater withdrawal in the plume area.

A 6-year performance monitoring period was established to assess the effectiveness of the interim actions. In 2007, the state of Washington identified the need for additional site characterization, monitoring, and remedial system performance data to address critical data gaps. An initial phase of supplemental investigation and data collection was conducted in 2008; additional testing and evaluation of the modified soil vapor extraction system is planned for early 2010. Routine groundwater monitoring and remedial system operations are ongoing. To date, the interim soil vapor extraction system has removed over 270,000 pounds of vapor-phase VOCs from soils near the industrial waste area. After the currently planned phase of supplemental data collection and remedial system modifications is completed, the PRPs will conduct a focused feasibility study. The focused feasibility study will screen and evaluate potential cleanup remedies in advance of developing a draft cleanup action plan (DCAP) for the site. The state anticipates development of the DCAP by late 2011.


Regional Contacts

SITE MANAGER(S):	Chuck Gruenenfelder (state)
E-MAIL ADDRESS:	chgr461@ecy.wa.gov
PHONE NUMBER:	509-329-3439 Rod Lobos (EPA contact) lobos.rod@epa.gov 509-376-3749
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT COORDINATOR:	Washington Department of Ecology
E-MAIL ADDRESS
PHONE NUMBER:

Information pertaining to this site is housed at the following location(s):
Washington Department of Ecology (Administrative Record)
Eastern Region
North 4601 Monroe Street, Suite 202
Spokane, WA 99205-1295