The Conservancy Initiative has learned there was a leachate spill at the Arbor Hills Landfill on Thursday evening, August 4th, which resulted in an unknown quantity of leachate being discharged into Johnson Creek. Based on verbal reports, a leachate collection sump pump at the landfill plugged (i.e. – the pump stopped pumping), leachate overflowed into the stormwater collection system and was discharged to Johnson Creek. GFL operating personnel responding to the incident reported the leachate spill (as required) using EGLE’s Pollution Emergency Alert System (PEAS).
EGLE personnel inspected the site on Friday morning, August 5th, and observed the leachate sump was apparently plugged by mud/silt. By the time EGLE arrived, GFL personnel had constructed an earthen dike to prevent the leachate overflow from entering the storm sewers while a vacuum truck was removing the leachate. EGLE instructed GFL to obtain and analyze samples of the stormwater discharge and the leachate for PFAS chemicals.
Based on conversations with EGLE, The Conservancy Initiative expects a Violation will be issued for this incident. The Arbor Hills Landfill already has a significant violation related to discharging PFAS chemicals to Johnson Creek and failing to properly report the discharge. This violation has not been resolved and as clearly stated in the violation, discharges of stormwater runoff continue to be impacted by PFAS contamination at the site. The Conservancy Initiative has been advocating for EGLE to require regular monitoring of the stormwater discharge for PFAS chemicals. We believe the monitoring is necessary to track progress in remediating PFAS contamination and to ensure new sources do not arise. The cost of periodic PFAS monitoring to GFL is very small compared to the potential environmental benefits. This latest spill and discharge supports the need for periodic PFAS monitoring.
GFL is required to submit a formal report of the incident and their response within 5 business days. The Conservancy Initiative has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain GFL’s report of the incident as well as EGLE’s site inspection. We will update this information if we learn any new information.