The Importance of Selecting the Proper Parameters in a Monitoring Program, 1990 Environmental Conference Proceedings

Stone Container Corporation has been disposing of paper mill waste at its Mill Creek Landfill site in Coshocton County, Ohio, since 1967. Prior to use by Stone Container, the site was strip-mined for coal. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) has alleged that leachate generated within the fill is impacting the waters of the State.

Stone Container and ERM-Midwest, Inc. have performed several hydrogeologic investigations at the site and have been monitoring the leachate, groundwater, and surface water beneath, and in the vicinity of, the landfill since August 1987. Based upon the analysis of all samples for the constituents specified by Ohio EPA, Stone Container and ERM-Midwest concluded that leachate was being generated within the fill but that the leachate had not impacted underlying groundwater or surface water.

Some of the constituents analyzed in the groundwater and surface water samples were considered to be "elevated" by Ohio EPA. Unfortunately, most of the constituents present in the Stone Container waste stream are also known to be present in groundwater associated with coal and strip mine spoil material. Ohio EPA still contends that the leachate is impacting waters of the State. However, Stone Container and ERM-Midwest contend that these constituents are related to past strip mine activities and not the landfill operation.

In an attempt to resolve the impasse, Stone Container identified phenol as a constituent related to its paper making process at the Coshocton Mill. Phenol was expected to be present in the Mill Creek Landfill leachate and is not attributable to strip-mining activity. Subsequent analysis of monitoring samples showed that phenol is in the leachate within the fill but not in any of the groundwater or surface water samples.

This information has been submitted to the Ohio EPA as conclusive evidence that the landfill has not impacted the waters of the State.