Figure 1 - Unamed tributary of Johnson Creek immediately downstream of the Arbor Hills Landfill
In June 2021, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) became aware that the Arbor Hills Landfill was discharging stormwater runoff into Johnson Creek. EGLE issued a violation notice (VN-011821) requiring a detailed study of the PFOS contamination and promising an Administrative Consent Order to correct the illegal discharges. Four years have passed, yet EGLE has not issued the Consent Order, and the stormwater discharge from Arbor Hills continues to exceed water quality standards for PFOS. The most recent sample taken from the Johnson Creek tributary just downstream of Arbor Hills contained 38 ng/l of Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). Michigan Water Quality Standards (Rule 57), limit PFOS concentrations in surface water to 12 ng/l.
Table 1 - PFOS results found immediately downstream of Arbor Hills
Enforcement of regulations can be very slow, and the landfill owner, GFL, has a history of not taking corrective action until compelled to. This is one of many reasons there should be NO NEW LANDFILL in Salem Township.
The Arbor Hills Landfill has approximately 365 acres that drain into Johnson Creek and is believed to be the most significant industrial area in the Johnson Creek drainage basin. The precipitation runoff becomes contaminated when it comes into contact with the PFOS contamination at Arbor Hills.
Table 2 - PFOS Test results from various locations that can be used to characterize the stormwater discharge.
GFL has completed a detailed investigation into the sources of the PFOS contamination, but it has not acted to stop the illegal discharge. Over 300 samples were taken as part of the study at the Arbor Hills landfill, and the vast majority of the samples (>70%) contained PFOS exceeding water quality standards. The study is very detailed and documents the PFOS contamination at Arbor Hills and its impacts on Johnson Creek. The study is a public document.
GFL has refused to implement a periodic third-party testing program available to the public to document its impacts on Johnson Creek. In the absence of a testing program, The Conservancy Initiative began sampling the Johnson Creek Tributary just outside of GFL’s property.
Figure 2 is a graphic from the GFL PFOS study showing the location and results of testing performed at various locations of Johnson Creek. We have updated the graphic to show the location and results of samples taken by the Conservancy Initiative. Our samples were taken directly downstream of the landfill and are the only results that exceed water quality standards on this graphic. We believe our sampling location represents the Arbor Hills Landfill discharge very well, and challenge GFL to implement a third-party sampling program if they disagree.
NO NEW LANDFILL!
Figure 2 - Map showing location and results of testing performed at various locations of Johnson Creek. Click the image for a PDF version of the map