A plan for cleaning up toxic waste at the Tremont City Barrel Fill in Springfield, Ohio, has been finalized.
The plan will protect the region’s water supply, according to Springfield officials, reported Springfield News-Sun.
A consent decree has been reached that lays out work for the cleanup and is projected to cost more than $20 million. According to Springfield officials, the plan will move forward and the process had been delayed since 2019. This is because the U.S. EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice had talks with seven companies responsible for the waste at the site over the signing of a consent decree, and only after the signing could the process move along.
“Having this consent decree in place is an essential and significant stage in our community’s effort to resolve the Barrel Fill issue and safeguard our water,” said Springfield City Commissioner David Estrop, reported Springfield News-Sun. “While there is more work ahead of us, I commend the People for Safe Water, community leaders and the key players in the consent decree for their efforts in bringing us to this vital next step. We did it!”
The chemical waste has not contaminated the source of local drinking water but if not removed there is a possibility it could seep into the water supply.
According to officials, industrial waste barrels full of toxic chemicals were dumped in an 8.5-acre portion of the closed landfill at 3108 Snyder Domer Road in German Township. Additionally, approximately 51,500 drums and about 300,000 gallons of industrial liquid waste were disposed of in waste cells between 1976 and 1979 at the site, reported Springfield News-Sun. This impacted a nearby aquifer that provides drinking water to thousands of area residents.
As a result of the finalization of the plan, not only will the cleanup process move forward, but so will the development of more detailed plans to remove liquid toxic waste and rebury solid toxic waste in a double-lined pit. Springfield News-Sun reports that the location would then be capped and nearby groundwater would be monitored to detect any leaks.
