Mallard Lake Landfill

Mallard Lake Landfill is a solid waste landfill in DuPage County, Illinois, west of Mallard Lake.

In 1974, the district established a solid waste landfill west of the lake.[1] The landfill began operation March 4, 1975 and the last load of waste arrived March 13, 1999. The landfill occupies 230 acres (0.9 km2) and rises to 982 feet (299.3 m) MSL making it the highest point in DuPage County.[2] In 1994, the district contracted with Browning-Ferris Industries (BFI) for landfill gas extraction rights and electricity production with operations beginning November 1997. The district received royalties from the landfill gas of $71,276 in 2006 and $145,973 in 2005.[3]

On April 20, 2006, Tyanna and Jeff Cannata of West Chicago, filed a class action lawsuit[4] against the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, the owner of the Mallard Lake landfill and Browning-Ferris Industries (BFI), operator of the landfill, claiming that the landfill was the source of a carcinogenic contaminant, vinyl chloride, found in the well water in Carol Stream, Hanover Park, Bartlett, and Wayne Township.[5] The lawsuit was given class action status on behalf of 150 residents on October 11, 2006.[6]

In July 2006, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency stated that many years of groundwater testing surrounding the landfill indicated no evidence of contamination and that during recent testing, no volatile organic compound contamination was found in about 103 down gradient private wells.[7] Joe Benedict, environmental services manager for DuPage County Forest Preserve District reported that, based on the EPA results, there was no contamination. The DuPage County Health Department also tested 87 wells and found no vinyl chloride contamination.[8]

In October 2007, methane gas was found in probes installed around the boundaries of the Mallard Lake Landfill in DuPage County, Illinois.

Gallery

Mallard Lake Landfill from the North-East
Mallard Lake Landfill from the North-East

References

  1. ↑ Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. Mallard Lake. Accessed March 18, 2007.
  2. ↑ Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. Frequently Asked Questions About Environmental Services. Accessed March 18, 2007.
  3. ↑ Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. Final 2006 annual report. Accessed March 18, 2007.
  4. ↑ The Collins Law Firm PC. Cannata v. Forest Preserve, et al. - Case No. 06 CV 02196. Accessed March 18, 2007.
  5. ↑ CBS 2 Chicago. Well Water May Be Contaminated In Four Communities. April 19, 2006.
  6. ↑ The Collins Law Firm PC. Vinyl chloride investigation. Accessed March 18, 2007.
  7. ↑ Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Wayne Township Groundwater Contamination Fact Sheet 1. July 2006. Accessed March 18, 2007.
  8. ↑ Daily Herald, June 21, 2006.

External links

Coordinates: 41°57′09″N 88°08′39″W / 41.9525000°N 88.1442000°W