Johnson County Landfill
The Johnson County Landfill (JCL) is located in north-central part of the city
of Shawnee in Johnson County. The landfill is owned and operated by Deffenbaugh
Industries, Inc. The first area at the JCL to be designed, constructed, and operated per
Subtitle D regulations was Phase 3 and this area opened up for disposal
operations in November, 1995. Current landfilling occurs in Phase
5 and is expected to last until 2007-2008. Phases 1, 2, and 4 were constructed
many years prior to the 1991 Subtitle D regulation revisions.
Subtitle D also resulted in a significant increase
in the number of groundwater wells and monitoring activities at the JCL.
Subtitle D resulted in monitoring of landfill gas emissions around the
perimeter of the landfill and inside any buildings at the landfill. In addition,
the federal Clean Air Act regulations also restrict gas emissions from landfills.
The JCL is inspected by the JCED air quality staff for compliance with the Clean
Air Act. Because of the volume and quality of gas production at the landfill, the
gas will be used as an energy source, and an extensive gas collection system was
installed and operational by the end of 1998. Currently, the landfill gas is being
processed, treated, and distributed as an energy source.
KDHE and JCED have been meeting with JCL staff almost monthly since February
1993 to assure open communication between all and provide for a forum to discuss
all landfill issues. KDHE and JCED work closely on the review of all reports,
drawings, and documents required under Subtitle D and compliance issues
associated with the JCL including such areas as monitoring of groundwater well
drilling and development, hydrogeological investigations, and leachate collection
system, storm water management, and groundwater contamination remediation projects.
Operational Permit
The Johnson County Landfill (JCL) must have an operational permit from
both JCED as well as the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).
The JCED permit is issued annually and contains both general and specific
operating requirements. The first JCED permit issued to JCL was on January 29,
1982. KDHE began permitting the JCL in 1978.
Landfill Inspections
Starting in 1982, quarterly inspections by JCED staff have taken place
at the JCL. Currently, JCED and KDHE co-inspect the JCL two times
per year. Inspections are based on the KDHE solid waste regulations which
include visual inspection of landfill waste disposal operations such as
working face area, asbestos disposal, special waste disposal, tire shredding,
white goods area with freon collection, composting site, medical waste transfer
station, the construction/demolition landfill, and the random waste screening
program. A review of records is also performed. An inspection letter is prepared
by JCED specifying those areas needing attention or correction. KDHE issues a
compliance/non-compliance report.
Water Quality Monitoring
Hayes Creek flows through the JCL and is sampled quarterly at three locations: upstream
of landfill activities, center of the landfill, and downstream of the landfill. The
water which seeps through the landfill is referred to as leachate and is collected
within a leachate collection system. The leachate is sampled quarterly from
collection tanks in the landfill.
Groundwater Monitoring
Groundwater monitoring is required at the JCL based on an extensive set of
state regulations covering groundwater monitoring systems, applicability,
and design. The JCL installed 12 groundwater wells in 1988 for quarterly
sampling and lab testing analysis. Groundwater monitoring wells have
continuously been added to the monitoring well system based on landfill
expansion. A total of about 45 active monitoring wells are currently used
to monitor groundwater movement and quality at the landfill. Each new phase
that is opened requires extensive groundwater testing and monitoring.
Solid Waste Authorizations
All solid waste meeting the definition of special waste as described in
KDHE regulations including such waste as hydrocarbon contaminated soils,
and manufacturing or industrial waste must have written approval by the
JCED prior to disposal at JCL. Disposal requires forms and associated
documentation are reviewed by staff for suitability for disposal at a
municipal solid waste landfill. Acceptable waste is approved via a
written authorization. Approximately 400 authorizations are issued each
year. The authorization program was started in February 1982.
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