Challenge

The Highway 321 landfill had been in operation in the 1970’s through the early 1980’s and had been closed and “capped”; however, the capping system used at this landfill had failed twice allowing waste to be washed up to ¼ mile from the site creating large erosional features in the landfill that exposed waste. It was our responsibility to develop a capping system that would remain stable for the long-term and would be acceptable in the RCRA Superfund regulatory framework that this site was operating under.

Solution

The solution for this property took many different forms including:
• Consolidation of waste from various unlined areas across the property;
• Developing a groundwater recovery and treatment system to prevent off-site migration of impacted
groundwater;
• Developing a landfill gas collection system to prevent off-site migration of landfill gas;
• Designing a landfill cap that would meet long-term stability requirements;
• Overseeing construction of the cap system; and
• Assisting with site redevelopment efforts.

Smith Gardner, Inc. treated groundwater from the recovery system for use in an irrigation system for the landfill cap. This allowed for the establishment of a healthy stand of grass, which was key to maintaining the long-term stability of the system. Reusing impacted groundwater at the site was also important for site redevelopment.

Results

The Highway 321 Landfill is the 2012 recipient of the U.S. EPA’s Excellence in Site Reuse Award. The site is currently used as the University of South Carolina Golf Practice Facility. Additional site redevelopment has included the Par Tee Golf Driving Range, the Palmetto Miniature Golf Course, a recycling convenience center and the Bray Park Ballfields. The solutions developed for this property have been successful in remediating landfill gas and groundwater impacts, as well as providing a long-term capping system for the waste areas at the site.