Big Hill (BEMS) Sanitary Landfill
Big Hill & Old Forge Roads
Southampton Township, Burlington County
PI #: 019974
BLOCK: 2702 LOTS: 3, 4, 5, 7 &
8
Community Relations Coordinator: Heather Swartz (609) 984-7135
SITE DESCRIPTION/RESOLUTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS:
As
of 28 June 2004
This site was operated as a sanitary landfill between the late 1960s
and 1982. Municipal wastes, septic sludges and some hazardous wastes were
deposited in the landfill during this time. The waste fill occupies 40
acres of the 113-acre property. Two sides of the landfill closely border
the LeisureTowne housing development, a large retirement community. Burlington
Environmental Management Services Incorporated (BEMS, Inc.), which operated
the landfill between the mid-1970s and 1982, installed a cap over the
western half of the site in 1983 but it failed to perform properly. Precipitation
continued to infiltrate the landfill, generating large quantities of leachate
that contaminated the ground water and surface waters and caused foul
odors. In addition, storm water runoff from the landfill occasionally
caused nearby properties to flood, and methane gas generated by the decomposing
waste migrated through the soil and into private yards. NJDEP directed
BEMS, Inc. to investigate and remediate the site in 1985, but shortly
thereafter the company declared bankruptcy. In 1987, NJDEP's Remedial
Response Element began a Remedial Investigation/Remedial Action Selection
(RI/RAS) to delineate the contamination at the site and evaluate cleanup
alternatives. During the course of the RI/RAS, NJDEP implemented several
Interim Remedial Measures (IRMs) to address the problems experienced by
residents living adjacent to the landfill. The IRMs included installing
a methane collection system and a flare to address off-site soil vapors,
constructing an on-site storm water retention basin, improving surface
water drainage and dredging sediments contaminated with landfill leachate
from Canterbury Pond in LeisureTowne.
In 1991, NJDEP signed a Decision Document that required capping of the
landfill with a solid waste cap and installation of a sitewide methane
gas collection/treatment system and leachate collection system. NJDEP
completed construction of these remedial measures in 1999 and operation
and maintenance (O&M) of the landfill cap and the methane and leachate
controls are underway. The RI/RAS revealed that ground water at the landfill
is contaminated with organic and inorganic compounds at levels above New
Jersey's ground water quality criteria. Landfill-related contaminants
were also detected in several nearby surface water bodies but at levels
that do not present an immediate threat to human health or the environment.
Based on these findings, NJDEP issued a Decision Document in 1995 that
required remediation of the ground water. The ground water remedial action
will include re-dredging of Canterbury Pond and additional ground water
monitoring. The Remedial Design for the ground water cleanup is underway
and expected to be completed in late 2003.
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