YORK COUNTY SANITARY LANDFILL
3969 Plank Road Stewartstown, PA 17363-7716
Directions to the York County
Sanitary Landfill
3969 Plank Road
Stewartstown, PA 17363-7716
Take I-83 south to Exit 4 (old exit 1--Shrewsbury).
Make a right off the exit (onto Rt. 851W) and proceed approximately 3/10th's of a mile to the first road on your right: (Mount Airy Road).
Make a right onto Mount Airy Road and proceed approximately 1 ˝ to 2 miles to the stop sign.
At the stop sign, make a right turn onto Plank Road and proceed approximately 2 to 3 miles to the York County Sanitary Landfill.
The landfill entrance is on the left side of the road. All visitors to the landfill must register in the office with the site foreman.
Note: The landfill ceased operations in December 1997 and was capped and closed in 1998. The Authority retains environmental responsibility for the site and continues to maintain and monitor it.
Questions about the landfill should be directed to the Management Center office.
|
The York County Sanitary Landfill is located in Hopewell Township and is owned by the York County Solid Waste Authority. The landfill ceased operations in December 1997 and was capped and closed in 1998. The Authority retains environmental responsibility for the site and continues to maintain and monitor it.
The landfill was permitted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (now the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection-PADEP) to accept municipal solid waste in 1974. The landfill operated from November 1974 to December 31, 1997.
The entire landfill site consists of 306 acres. Approximately 135 acres consisting of the unlined portions of the landfill were closed in 1987 as a result of the discovery of groundwater contamination (low-level volatile organic compounds). The unlined portion of the landfill was placed on the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) National Priorities List for clean up.
The Authority implemented a groundwater recovery and treatment system consisting of groundwater recovery wells and treatment towers to capture and treat groundwater before it is discharged to surface waters. The Authority will continue these remediation activities until such time as they are no longer needed (as per USEPA/PADEP determination). The remediation efforts have been successful in containing and treating contaminated groundwater.
In 1994, the USEPA issued a "Record of Decision" (ROD) with respect to the remedial action implemented by the Authority at the landfill. The ROD confirmed the remedial action taken by the Authority was appropriate and effective in protecting the health of the community and the environment. The ROD further directed the Authority to continue the current "pump and treat" system of remedial action.
Because the pump and treat system has proven to be successful in reducing the "footprint" of contamination, the Authority in 1998 requested the USEPA remove the landfill from the National Priorities List. In February, 2005 the USEPA removed the York County Sanitary Landfill from the National Priorities List, stating that the contamination at the landfill has been successfully addressed. This decision does not alter the operation of the pump and treat system, nor does it change monitoring or reporting requirements.
The other formerly active portions of the landfill comprising approximately 40 acres include cells A1, A2, and A3. Cells A1 and A2 were used for disposal of municipal solid waste. Cell A1 is a single-lined cell and reached capacity in mid-1988. Cell A2 is a double-lined cell and reached capacity in 1990. Both were closed and capped in 1992.
With the start-up of the York County Resource Recovery Center in 1989, the landfill accepted only resource recovery center process residue (ash). The ash was managed in Cell A3, a double-lined monofill cell. In accordance with an agreement between the Authority and the host municipality (Hopewell Township), the landfill ceased accepting ash as of December 31, 1997. Cell A3 was closed and capped in 1998. The remaining site acreage was never permitted for disposal use by the PADEP.
Passive methane gas venting is provided in both the unlined and lined cells. Ground cover, swales and sedimentation basins provide control of storm water runoff. In the lined cells, leachate (moisture that has percolated through the waste or ash) is collected in a lined pond, pretreated by mechanical aeration and then treated at a licensed public wastewater treatment facility before being discharged.
Although the landfill is no longer in operation, the Authority continues its on-site maintenance programs, and provides monitoring and oversight of post-closure activities at the landfill.
The Authority and Hopewell Township have an agreement in place that has enabled beneficial reuse of the landfill. Construction began in 2006 to build a recreation complex on approximately 200 acres of the landfill site. Construction was completed in 2007 and the facility was opened to the public. The recreation complex features multi-use fields, walking trails, a wildlife habitat area, tot and youth playgrounds, a picnic pavilion, information kiosks and two bird/wildlife viewing platforms. More than 122 species of birds have been documented at the site. The Authority provided the funds to build the facility and Hopewell Township is the facility operator. The complex is available for use by all York County residents. To reserve facilities and fields, call Hopewell Township at: 717-993-2027.
|
|
