News Releases from Region 07
EPA and Champ Landfill of Maryland Heights, Mo., Reach Settlement to Improve Landfill’s Compliance with Clean Air Act
Environmental News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Lenexa, Kan., Aug. 11, 2016) - In a settlement announced today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), IESI MO Champ Landfill, LLC, has agreed to implement numerous measures at its Maryland Heights Landfill. The measures are designed to minimize odors and air emissions from the landfill and ensure ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
An EPA inspection of Champ Landfill, conducted on May 18, 2016, was part of an initiative by EPA to identify noncompliance and reduce air emissions from sources in the greater St. Louis area. The inspection identified deficiencies related to Champ Landfill’s surface emission monitoring and surface integrity monitoring, required by the CAA’s New Source Performance Standards (NSPS). These standards impose controls on emissions of landfill gas, as well as monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements to ensure that landfill gas emissions are minimized.
Landfills use gas collection systems, a network of wells and piping, to collect landfill gas created by the decomposition of solid waste, which consists primarily of methane and carbon dioxide. Under the terms of this settlement, Champ Landfill has agreed to conduct a comprehensive third-party audit of its gas collection system and to implement all of the auditor’s recommended corrective actions in less than one year. Champ will also install 21 additional landfill gas extraction wells. These modifications to the gas collection system are expected to significantly improve its ability to collect gases generated by the landfill, resulting in lower emissions of landfill gas and odors to the surrounding community. Overall, Champ Landfill will spend up to an estimated $1.6 million to implement the improvements at the landfill, including the additional wells, implementing the independent third-party audit recommendations, and other expenditures.
“This agreement shows how constructive negotiations between a company and EPA can produce positive results leading to air quality improvements that benefit communities,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Mark Hague. “The immediate actions taken required by this agreement will improve the landfill’s operations and minimize air emissions and odors. This is an important step in EPA’s efforts to ensure sources of air pollution in the area are in compliance.”
As part of the settlement, Champ Landfill has also agreed to spend nearly $1.3 million to purchase four compressed natural gas (CNG) trash collection trucks to replace existing diesel-fueled vehicles as a voluntary Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP). These CNG trash collection vehicles are expected to result in a significant reduction of particulate matter emissions, compared to conventional diesel-fueled trucks currently being used.
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