EPA Delists Hyde Park Landfill After Decades of Cleanup
In a significant environmental milestone, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has officially removed the Hyde Park Landfill in Niagara Falls, New York, from the Superfund National Priorities List. This decision follows a comprehensive cleanup effort that spanned several decades, addressing one of North America’s most hazardous waste sites.
Hyde Park Landfill: A Legacy of Contamination
From 1953 to 1975, the 15-acre Hyde Park Landfill served as a disposal site for approximately 80,000 tons of chemical waste. That’s including dioxin and also volatile organic compounds. Hooker Chemical and Occidental Chemical were certainly responsible for the waste deposited at the site. The landfill’s proximity to the Niagara River and its location atop fractured bedrock raised concerns about potential contamination of nearby water sources.
Comprehensive Cleanup Efforts
The EPA placed the Hyde Park Landfill on the Superfund list in 1983. That started initiating a series of remediation activities. Key actions included:
- capping the landfill to prevent water infiltration
- constructing systems to collect and also treat contaminated leachate
- and removing polluted sediments from Bloody Run Creek and as well the Niagara Gorge Face.
In addition, groundwater is continuously pumped towards the landfill’s center. As well, it’s treated to prevent the spread of contaminants. These efforts culminated in the completion of major cleanup activities by September 2003.
Ongoing Monitoring and Safeguards
Despite the site’s removal from the Superfund list, the EPA also emphasizes that monitoring and maintenance will continue indefinitely. Quarterly groundwater sampling ensures that contamination levels remain within safe limits. Moreover, an  environmental easement established in 2010 restricts land use. Essentially to prevent activities that could compromise the landfill cap. The EPA remains committed to addressing any future changes in site conditions that may warrant additional action.
Community and Environmental Impact
Finally, the successful remediation of the Hyde Park Landfill more importantly marks the fourth site in Niagara County to be delisted from the Superfund program. More notably, it’ll joining Love Canal, the 102nd Street Landfill. As well, the Niagara County Refuse site. This achievement also reflects the collaborative efforts of federal and state agencies. In addition, the responsible parties for mitigating environmental hazards and also protecting public health.
Source: EPA Superfund Site Profile: Hooker (Hyde Park)
(New York, N.Y. – Nov. 4, 2013)
Information on the Hyde Park Landfill site can be found at the EPA’s website. This project is at http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/hookerhydepark/.
