BEACON HEIGHTS LANDFILL
Beacon Falls, Connecticut
What is it?
It occurred (12/30/1982-09/08/1983)
The landfill was used for the disposal of industrial and municipal waste, including oils, chemical liquids, sludge's, solvents, rubber, and plastics. Landfill operations included open burning, along with burial of non-combustibles.
The groundwater underlying the site was found to be contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including trichloroethylene. It lead to solvents being detected in private wells. The water exceeded drinking water standards set by the State of Connecticut. People were once at risk by coming into direct contact with or drinking contaminated surface water or groundwater, breathing potentially contaminated air, or by accidentally ingesting soil on the site.
Cleaned Up
This site is being addressed in two long-term phases focusing on control of contamination sources and cleanup of contaminated water at the site. The source control included: consolidating wastes; building a multilayer protective landfill cap; installing gas vents; and, installing a (leachate-dirty water) and seep collection system. A fence surrounds the landfill area. Institutional controls are currently being pursued to prevent the use of contaminated groundwater and to protect the remedial actions that have been established.
Who funded it?
The B.F. Goodrich Company, Uniroyal Chemical Company, Inc., The Upjohn Company, and Reynolds Aluminum Building Products Company, to pay the penalty within 30 days after it was filed in court.32 of the more than 70 companies identified by the EPA as potentially responsible parties agreed to pay for a substantial portion of the site cleanup. Also Chemtura Corp, is continuing to fund to keep the landfill clean.
In Connecticut, the E.P.A. sued corporations including B.F. Goodrich, Upjohn, Dow Corning and Uniroyal to recover the cost of cleaning up the two landfills. The corporations in turn sued the landfills' operator, Harold Murtha, who then sued 20 towns and cities that were also his customers.