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Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Browning Ferris Incorporated Solley Road Landfill in Glen Burnie, Maryland

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On July 31, 2012, EPA issued a Corrective Action Permit implementing selected remedies to protect human health and the environment and clean up contaminated media.

Cleanup Status

This facility is one of EPA Region III's high priority Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action sites and EPA has determined that both the Human Exposure and Groundwater Environmental Indicators have been met.

BFI implemented, and continues to operate and monitor the numerous remedies which include a ground water recovery and treatment system, an active landfill gas extraction system, leachate collection and a state-of-the-art landfill cap. Monitoring of the groundwater continues to occur to ensure protectiveness and progress. All of the above are required by the July 31, 2012 permit in addition to Institutional Controls restricting the use of both the Facility and groundwater.

A formal meeting was held on September 13, 2011 between concerned citizens, EPA and Maryland's Department of Environment  (MDE) proposing the final remedy for the Facility. In summary, the citizens were pleased with the remediation efforts and the regulatory oversight.

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Site Description

Interactive Map of Browning Ferris Incorporated Solley Road Landfill, Glen Burnie, Maryland


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The BFI Solley Road facility is located at 7890 Solly Road on approximately 150 acres in a rural area 3 miles south of Baltimore, Maryland. The Facility includes two closed landfills: the East Fill encompasses approximately 18 acres and received industrial hazardous waste; the West Fill also encompasses 18 acres and received solid waste (household trash). From 1963 to 1979 Browning Ferris accepted industrial and municipal wastes at the East and West Fills.

The Facility ceased receiving any waste in 1982 and the East and West Fills were closed in accordance with solid waste management regulations.

In the year 1999, Allied Wastes Industries purchased BFI. Allied merged with Republic Services, Inc. BFI is a subsidiary of Republic and is the current owner of the Facility.

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Contaminants at this Facility

The main contaminants impacting groundwater are volatile organic compounds such as benzene (a component of gasoline) and trichloroethylene (a solvent).

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Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility

    Institutional Controls for the site include:

    • The Facility shall not be used for residential purposes unless it is demonstrated to EPA that such use will not pose a threat to human health or the environment and EPA provides prior written approval for such use.
    • The Facility shall not be used in any way that will adversely affect or interfere with the integrity and protectiveness of the ground water recovery and treatment system; the landfill caps; the leachate collection and removal system, and/or the gas extraction system, including all associated pipes and wells, unless it is demonstrated to EPA that such use will not pose a threat to human health or the environment and EPA provides prior written approval for such disturbance.
    • The groundwater from the Facility shall not be used for any purpose other than to conduct the operation and maintenance and monitoring activities required by MDE and to implement EPA's selected remedy, unless it is demonstrated to EPA that such use will not pose a threat to human health or the environment or adversely affect or interfere with the selected remedy and EPA provides written approval for such use.

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    Land Reuse Information at this Facility

    The facility is unused.

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    Site Responsibility at this Facility

    RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of the EPA Region 3 with assistance from Maryland Department of Environmental Protection.

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