Don’t sacrifice Hampden to ease state’s solid waste dilemma

Recently, the Pine Tree Landfill in Hampden was chosen as one of Maine’s Toxic Ten Award Winners by the Toxic Action Center, a national environmental group.

The Pine Tree Landfill (PTL) is one of two commercial landfills in the state that accepts “special waste.” A look at the “special waste” Casella Waste Management routinely accepts into the Pine Tree Landfill in Hampden reveals a variety of substances that are toxic, hazardous to human and animal life: PERC [Penobscot Energy Recovery Co.] incinerator ash with lead, cadmium, mercury, and dioxin, PCB oil contaminated soil from an EPA site in Meddybemps, contaminated soil from an EPA site in Saco with elevated levels of lead and chromium, and demolition debris asbestos, to name a few.

On June 11, 2001 Pine Tree received a permit to receive 3,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil from the Woburn, Mass., site made famous in the book “A Civil Action.” This waste, according to the permit, contains elevated levels of chrome, arsenic and lead as well as other heavy metals and a wide assortment of chemicals including trichloroethylene. Metal hydroxide sludge, PVC Latex sludge, printing ink sludge, oil spill debris, industrial waste water sludge, and sewage treatment plant sludge are among the many other materials that go into the landfill and present the risk of contaminating local wells and streams.

In 2000, PTL took in 149,346 tons of waste, including over 52,000 tons of PERC ash. They have projected to take up to 250,000 tons of waste a year in the coming years.

This waste is going to a landfill that is surrounded by residential homes in all directions, which rely on deep bedrock wells for their water. Casella’s own engineering studies show that there are fractures in the bedrock around the landfill. The closest residence and their drinking well is 800 feet from the site-a variance DEP granted of the 1,000 foot setback solid waste regulations require.

This waste is going to a landfill that is located over three unlined sand and gravel pits, surrounded on three sides by the Souadabscook Stream and its tributaries. The present expansion will bring it to within 350 feet of the Souadabscook. In the spring, the floodplain of the stream brings it closer still. Casella’s own engineering studies show that groundwater flow runs from the landfill towards the Souadabscook. The Souadabscook is a Class A waterbody; this requires water below the site be as clean as water above it. The Souadabscook runs into the Penobscot River two miles downstream from the landfill, just below the emergency drinking water supply for the town of Hampden.

In September 1999, Hampden citizens learned of a crack in the cover of the conventional landfill 150 feet long, due to uneven settlement of asbestos and other material. According to Casella’s August 1999 application before the DEP, a crack was first noticed in 1997. In a June 9, 1999 letter from Richard Wardwell (the town’s engineer) concerning settlement readings: “the secondary compression of the waste with the increased loadings is more than 10 times the magnitude initially anticipated in the 1994 and 1996 reports…” Many of our concerns have to do with the future performance of the landfill caps and liners and the consequences if that technology fails.

From Sept. 18 to 19, 1999, there was a fire burning underground at the Hampden landfill, 50 feet deep in one area, which required fire departments from four towns and the Air National Guard to contain. The Deputy Fire Chief’s report refers to an underground fire that “could burn indefinitely.” The fire report states that fire officials believe the fire had been burning internally for up to six months. The fire continued to smolder for a number of days after the 19th.

In 2001, there were three separate fires at the landfill: on June 16, Sept. 9 and Oct. 21.

The landfill, in its operation, takes in demo debris and other solid waste which includes PVC. PVC, when burned, emits dioxin. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said that a level of dioxin contamination of one-trillionth of a gram of exposure for one person is “of concern.” (BDN March 15, 2001)

The landfill produces methane, which is flammable; tire chips are used as fill, also extremely flammable, and indeed, the landfill has had a history of fires. PVC is landfilled on a regular basis in the form of pipes, vinyl siding, flooring, tiles and other material. So when there is a fire at the landfill, there is a public safety threat to the citizens of Hampden. Dioxin particles can be inhaled in the lungs, or settle on leafy vegetables in backyard gardens and then be ingested as food.

Odor problems have been continuous for the last three years.

Most recently, PTL has reported exceeding Action leakage rates four weeks in a row – from Feb. 11-March 4 in 2002, which indicate problems in the liner system of the landfill. We are still waiting to hear the final analysis of what’s going wrong.

Hampden has lived with this landfill since 1975. In 1998 a majority of the town’s voters opposed expansion of this commercial landfill, which profits by taking as much waste as it can possibly can, including truckloads from out of state, from places like the Woburn, Mass., site. But the state has ruled that our zoning ordinances have no say on landfill expansion. The state appears willing to sacrifice Hampden to take care of its solid waste dilemma, with no end in sight. But this is not a suitable place for a landfill, surrounded by streams and neighbors.

We would like to see the state follow through on its original solid waste task force plan; to develop a state owned landfill, which would not be so eager to take out of state waste, which would not be run for the sake of taking as much waste as fast as it can, which would be sited in an environmentally sound location that does not jeopardize the health of the surrounding community. We hope this award brings attention to our plight; this has been in our back yard for more than 25 years; it’s time to find a better place.

Bill Lippincott is a member of the Hampden’s Citizen Coalition.