Beulah Landfill

Overview

Beulah Landfill operated from 1950 to 1984 in Escambia County, about 10 miles northwest of downtown Pensacola. The northern section took in municipal trash from 1950 to 1960. The southern section accepted septic tank waste starting in 1968, then added municipal trash, industrial waste, demolition debris, and sludges until the landfill closed in 1984. The EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in February 1990 and later deleted it in June 1998 after determining no Superfund cleanup action was needed to protect human health or the environment.

Investigators found six contaminants of concern during the remedial investigation. These include the pesticides aldrin and dieldrin in soil, Aroclor 1254 (a polychlorinated biphenyl mixture) in soil, arsenic in both air and soil, and pentachlorophenol (a wood preservative) in groundwater. The landfill and groundwater also contain polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and metals such as aluminum, chromium, iron, lead, nickel, and zinc. A 1990s human health risk assessment determined that contamination does not pose an unacceptable risk to people or the environment.

Escambia County closed the landfill under Florida's State Landfill Closure Program. That work included capping the waste and starting a groundwater and surface water monitoring program in 1994. Monitoring continues twice a year under a state-administered closure permit. The Northwest Florida Water Management District designated the site and surrounding area as a groundwater delineation area, meaning any new wells require District approval. Residences along Jamesville Road are connected to the municipal water supply.

The EPA selected "No Action Monitoring" as the cleanup approach in a Record of Decision issued September 16, 1993. Construction was completed that same year. The most recent Five-Year Review, completed in September 2023, confirmed the remedy continues to protect human health and the environment. Current EPA measures show human exposure is under control, groundwater migration is under control, and the site is ready for anticipated reuse, a status it achieved in September 2012. The next Five-Year Review is scheduled for completion between September and November 2028.

Part of the site has been redeveloped as Fritz Field, a model airplane park run by Northwest Florida Modelers, Inc. in partnership with Escambia County. The rest of the property remains unused. Community members can follow site progress through EPA public notices and meetings. For solid waste service questions, residents can contact Escambia County Waste Services at 850-937-2160 or visit myescambia.com. Site documents are available at the West Florida Genealogy Library at 5740 N. Ninth Avenue in Pensacola.