HEALTH CONSULTATION
NORTH SANITARY (AKA. VALLEYCREST) LANDFILL
DAYTON, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, OHIO
CONCLUSIONS
The results of recent soil gas probe monitoring at the North Sanitary Landfill site indicate explosive levels of methane gas in close proximity to utility lines and occupied homes and businesses. These elevated levels of methane gas at the periphery of the North Sanitary Landfill site pose a urgent public health hazard to area residents and workers in adjacent commercial properties should methane accumulate in buildings.
The Explosive Gas Monitoring system installed at the NSL site appears to be adequate based on current conditions. All current and historical data regarding gas levels at the NSL site reflect cool, wet climatic conditions that are not optimal for the production of methane. Daily monitoring of gas probes will become more critical as temperatures rise and rainfall levels decrease in August and September when the hot, dry conditions optimal for methane production occur.
The Landfill Gas Abatement Plan proposed by the VLSG and its contractor appears to be adequate as a short-term fix. The efficency of the planned system with regard to collecting landfill gases and preventing their migration off-site remains to be seen. A possible problem with the passive vent system proposed by the PRP group is the low gas head inferred for the landfill by the VLSG contractor. Gas pressures may not be sufficient to fully vent the landfill gases through a passive system.
Residents, especially those living along Pompano Court, are uncertain of what the combustible gas indicators are and what procedure they should follow if a CGI alarm is set off.
Implement the abatement plan and monitor the effectiveness of the system carefully.
Contact residents with combustible gas indicators installed in their homes, especially those on Pompano Court, to make sure residents understand what the indicators are and what procedures they should follow should the alarm be triggered.
SAS will work with SWDO-OEPA, US EPA, and the Montgomery County Combined Health District to develop a fact sheet to educate residents about the health hazards presented by landfill gas at the North Sanitary Landfill site.
This North Sanitary (aka Valleycrest) Landfill Site Health Consultation was prepared by the Ohio Department of Health under a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). It is in accordance with approved methodology and procedures existing at the time the public health assessment was begun.
Gail D. Godfrey
Technical Project Officer, SPS, SSAB, DHAC
The Division of Health Assessment and Consultation, ATSDR, has reviewed this public health consultation and concurs with the findings.
William Greim,
Chief, SPS, SSAB, DHAC, ATSDR
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