Toxic Liquids Found Leaking From Closed County Landfill

Work is under way to stem the leak of toxic liquids from the northwest corner of the Palos Verdes landfill and to determine whether there are similar leaks elsewhere around the perimeter of the 175-acre dump site, which was closed in 1980 after nearly 20 years of operation.

Hank Yacoub, supervising engineer of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, said the board has directed the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, which maintain the facility, to do a comprehensive assessment of the entire landfill.

“It will be focused on what are considered potential pathways for contaminants to leave the site,” said Yacoub.

Officials said the toxins, which include cancer-causing vinyl chloride, do not immediately threaten public health because they were found 80 feet below the land surface in pockets of water not used for drinking. Water from three wells a mile away from the landfill in Torrance was tested by the sanitation agency and no contaminants were found, officials said.

Could Reach Usable Water

Yacoub said that if water from the landfill is not contained, it could reach usable ground water over a long period of time. However, he said the remedial measures being taken by the Sanitation Districts are intended to prevent this.

“The situation is under control,” he said.

The tainted water was found in December during preliminary work on an 800-foot-long underground clay dam that is being constructed along the Hawthorne Boulevard perimeter of the landfill near Rolling Hills Road in Torrance.

The contaminated water is being pumped out, utilizing 11 wells, and chemicals eliminated through an evaporation process before the water is discharged into the sewer system. About 16 monitoring wells will be drilled around the landfill in the fall to determine if there are other leaks.

Other Wells Asked

The state Department of Health Services has asked the sanitation districts to put in additional monitoring wells near where the toxins were found, said Ric Notini, toxic substance program manager for the department. He said additional actions could be required if new problems arise.

The landfill, located between Hawthorne and Crenshaw boulevards, accepted between 350 and 400 million gallons of toxic liquids for about 15 years when it was operating, officials said.

The underground dam, which will be completed by June, is being built at the mouth of a natural canyon that is considered the most likely place for hazardous wastes to leak from the site.

“We’re not thrilled to have found contaminated water, but we’ve jumped on it and are trying to solve it,” said Steve Maguin, head of the solid waste management department of the Sanitation Districts. “We have a continuing commitment that this site shall create no problems.”

Golf Course Planned

The well where contaminants were first found was drilled by the Sanitation Districts along the landfill boundary to determine the depth of bedrock on which the dam is being built. The dam is part of a state-required closure plan for the county-operated landfill, which is eventually slated to become a public golf course.

In addition to vinyl chloride, the water contained benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (TCE), all volatile organic compounds.

Subsequently, another well was drilled about 500 feet from the first one to see if contamination had spread. In the first sampling on Jan. 8, vinyl chloride and dichloroethane (DCE) were found. In a second sampling on Jan. 17, only DCE was detected. While Yacoub said both chemicaLs were at very low levels, Yacoub said they would be hazardous if found in drinking water.

Maguin said Palos Verdes is the first county sanitation landfill to have a toxic chemical problem.