Solid Waste Management Program

Construction Schedule at Bridgeton Sanitary Landfill

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| Reinforced Concrete Pipes | Subsurface Smoldering Event | West Lake Landfill | Overview

Updated May 11, 2013

The community has grown up around the landfill. Bridgeton Sanitary Landfill sits in a uniquely urban environment adjacent to an international airport and surrounded by the interstate highway system and includes both residential subdivisions and commercial properties. The department has been working with Republic Services to implement alternatives that take into consideration what is less disruptive to residences and businesses surrounding the landfill.  As Republic Services implements these alternatives, they have provided the following construction schedule.

NEW! Odor Alert May 11, 2013 - Republic Services is performing some maintenance on a gas extraction well and odors are expected to increase from approximately 9:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Reinforced Concrete Pipes (leachate collection wells). The department has created a Reinforced Concrete Pipes Web page to provide additional information on this topic.

Odors Reported by the Public May 7, 2013– The department has received calls this morning from the public concerning increased odors south of the landfill property. Weather conditions, low winds and high barometric pressure, has resulted in little air movement in the area. In speaking with Republic Services, there is also some work being completed on a leachate collection well today. 

Republic's Completed Construction

Gas Extraction Wells

May 1, 2013 - Republic Services performed some maintenance on a gas extraction well and odors were expected to increase from approximately 9:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.

April 25, 2013 - Republic Services performed some maintenance on a perimeter gas extraction well and odors were expected to increase from approximately 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.

By April 9, 2013–Republic Services installed a total of 40 gas extraction wells. Bridgeton/Republic are operating the wells to decrease the amount of landfill gas and associated odors escaping to the atmosphere.

March 23, 2013 -- Odors were elevated while Republic Services drilled Gas Extraction Well, GEW64A. 

March 21, 2013 -- During the drilling of Gas Extraction Well 88, elevated odors have resulted as a pocket of landfill gas and steam was encountered.  The department’s AreaRae equipment continues to collect data related to odors. 

March 15, 2013 – During drilling of gas extraction well, or GEW 71B, elevated odors have resulted as a pocket of landfill gas and steam was encountered during the drilling operation.  The department’s AreaRae equipment continues to collect data related to odors. 

March 11, 2013 – During the drilling of gas extraction well, or GEW 58, elevated odors resulted when a pocket of landfill gas and steam was encountered during the drilling operation. The department’s AreaRae air monitoring equipment is continuing to collect data related to odors.  

Feb. 15, 2013 - During installation of a gas extraction well, significant odors were created resulting in several odor concerns. As a result, the department collected air samples that evening. Analysis is provided on the Air Sampling page.

Interceptor Plan

Bridgton/Republic began the interceptor plan beginning the week of Jan. 21, 2013 and completed the plan the first week in March to minimize movement of subsurface heat and further address odors, enhanced interceptor gas wells are being installed. The interceptor plan creates a low pressure area vacuum curtain or “wall” that will allow landfill gas to be controlled, so it can be safely destructed in the current landfill gas collection and control system to reduce heat from the subsurface smoldering event. View the department's Solid Waste Management Program’s approval letter for the interceptor plan. In response to the department’s request, Bridgeton/Republic has expanded the interceptor and temperature monitoring probe plan.

Temperature Monitoring Probes

April 8-9, 2013 – Republic Services anticipates some increase in odors as they abandon the site planned for temperature monitoring probe #15.  Republic Services was unable to complete installation of this temperature monitoring probe as the thermocouples could not be set due to pressure in this area of the waste mass. 

April 9, 2013 – Republic Services reported five additional temperature monitoring probes are completed and are monitoring temperatures in the waste mass within the neck between the south and north quarries.  As noted above, temperature monitoring probe #15 was not installed.

Leachate Line and Leachate Collection Wells

Jan. 14, 2013 - Bridgeton/Republic reported a leachate line had broken resulting in an immediate increase in odors and associated complaints. Parts to repair the broken section of line took nearly one and one half weeks to obtain and for the complete repair to occur. This broken line resulted in an immediate increase in odors and associated complaints. The line has been repaired.

Feb. 2, 2013 - A leachate release was discovered resulting from a pipe becoming disconnected from the landfill’s leachate collection system. Leachate samples were collected by department staff and by Republic’s contractor for analysis to determine if further action is necessary.

Ongoing - Bridgeton/Republic began shipping a portion of the leachate generated at the facility to an off-site service provider for management due to a compliance order from the Metropolitan Sewer District. On Jan. 24, 2013, their off-site service provider notified Bridgeton/Republic the leachate shipments had been determined to exceed the limit for benzene. Bridgeton/Republic is enhancing pretreatment of the leachate to eventually meet Metropolitan Sewer District discharge standards. Until such time, off-site disposal of leachate has resulted in an increase in heavy truck traffic around the landfill property.

Soil, Flexible Membrane Liner and Synthetic Cap System

Ongoing - Bridgeton/Republic continues to add soil and black flexible membrane liner to the cap on an as needed basis to assist in limiting odors and to ensure effective stormwater drainage. On March 25, 2013, Bridgeton/Republic submitted to the department a plan to install a synthetic cap system over the entire South Quarry to address odors. Once the review, comment and approval process is completed, the plan will be provided on the department's website. Odors are expected to increase during this construction activity and are expected to diminish after completion. When an exact date for construction on the synthetic cap system is known, the date will be provided here.

Operation, Monitoring and Maintenance Plan

Ongoing - Bridgeton/Republic is finalizing an operation, monitoring and maintenance plan for Bridgeton to ensure all engineering controls such as gas extraction wells, leachate drains, pumps, temporary liner, flares and the landfill cap will continue to control leachate, gas and odors generated by the reaction/fire. The plan will remain in place until the reaction/fire has run its course and the entire impacted area may have a final cap put into place.

Note: The operation, monitoring and maintenance plan submitted by Bridgeton/Republic will be made available on this webpage, when it is in final form.

The Department is and will continue to require additional work, whether for maintenance or in an emergency, in order to ensure Republic's return to compliance with Missouri environmental laws as soon as possible.  Department approval of plans submitted by Republic for ongoing management of the subsurface smoldering event does not excuse Republic's violations of Missouri environmental laws.