NCD980602163_19830401_Warren County PCB Landfill_SERB C_Re Leachate Collection and Treatment System report-OCR

April 1, 1983
REF: 4AW-l~R
William W. Phillips
Assis tant to the Secre tary
North Carolina Department of
Crime .Control and Public Safety
P. 0. Box 22687
Raleigh, North Carolina 27nl.l
~ar Bill:
I am forwarding to you for your-files a copy of the Report prepared by
RPA Reg.ion IV Environmentol Chemist Rod Davis , who evaluat,~d the Leachate
Collection and Treatment System at the PCH Landfill in Warren County, NC
dur-ing our-March 7-8, 1983 field trip. /\lso enclosed are copies of the
laboratory data sheets showing the an~1lytical rrc!sults of th<.~ sampl.ing
conducted during the first thrP.e leach.:1te pumpin~1 episod<os.
The data for all three of these pumping tests s how that tht.:.? treatm:mt
system was effectively r-emoving PCB's from the l<>achate ancl thus the
system appears to be working as designed.
We would like to resample th(~ system in th,) nriar fulu re , aftec-several
thousand gallons of leachate have passec'I throuqh thn r;y:,Lt~m, in orde r-to
again verify the effectiveness of PCR rerroval fr.on th(~ l<:'•c1chate stream.
we appreciated the ass i s tance rendered hy personnel fnlffi the NC OHR Solirl
and Hazardous Waste Bcanch anct the NC rm· \✓aste Water. Tn~atment Plant
operators during this evaluation anc'I we look forward to working with them
again. If you have any questions concE:irning this ceport, please do not
hesitate to contact rn,~ at (404)A81-?.643.
Sincerely,
/ -y //' ~ // / ,~f~L~:>({~L-
A. R. Hanke
Pr-oject Officer
f-)rergency & Remedial Resixmse Branch
Enclosures
..
I .
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SUBJECT
t1AR 28 \983
UNITED STA TES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
ATHENS. GEORClA 30613
North Carolina PCB Landfill Collection and Treatment System Evaluation Trip
Report and Data Transmittal
FROM Hazardous Waste Section
Engineering Support Branch
TO Al Hanke. Superfund Project Officer
Remedial Action Section. ERRB. AWl-ID /11·
THRU: M. D. Lair. Chief ES lf!/(v ~-----
Hazardous Waste Section, P~
Michael R. Carter, Chief ~)) .'.
Engineering Support Branch, ESD
I accompanied Mr. Al Hanke, Superfund Project Off leer for the PCB Landfill
located in Warren County, North Carolina to tht! site on March 7 and B. 1983.
The purpose of the visit was to evaluate tile effectiveness of the leachate
withdrawal and treatment system that waf:i being operat1id hy the North Carolina
Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Branch. Enviroruoental Health Services
Section. North Carolina Department of Huu~n Resources.
(The landfill was des lgned with a leachate collec tioll system as a safety measure)>
to prevent the buildup of hydrostatic pressure within the landfill. A second
leachate collection system was installed below tlw clay-liner and plastic liner ·
which separates the landfill from the natural earth. If any leachate were to
leak through the landfill liners, it would accumulate in the lower sump.
Both sumps are
which connect
connected to a
accessed by inserting PVC pipes into the 6-inch PVC conduits
the sumps with the outside of the landfill. These pipes are
gasoline operated pump which is used to evacuate the sumps.
During this investigation, liquid was found in the upper leachate sump. while
the bottom sump was dry.
In order to determine the PCB removal efficiency of the treatment system, and to
determine the daily expected flow rate, i.i pumping pat~crn w~s developed. The 3
initial pumping occurred during the morning of March 7, 198J and proceeded for
approximately 1.5 hours before the sump became dry. The flow rate was less than
5 gallons per minute and the total pumpagc was estimated co be 300 gallons.
Since the sand and charcoal filters had never bee11 saturated with water, it was
decided that the sand filter should be valved shut to let the leachate l;aturate
the system. After the pull!ping ceased. the vulvc.• on the charcoal filter w:1s
closed and the valve on the sand filter \~.:IS 01wm•d. The sand filtered leachate
was then allowed to saturate the charcoal filte r. After tht:! charcoal filter was
saturated, the valVE: was opened and the treated leach..ite was allowed to flow
into a clay-lined l~lding basin.
f PA f,,,m 1370-6 (Rov, 3•761