Tippecanoe Sanitary Landfill is an 80-acre inactive landfill in Lafayette, Indiana. The site received about 3.4 million cubic yards of solid waste over its operating life. In the 1970s, industrial sludge containing elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was disposed there, causing soil and groundwater contamination. The site also includes a wetland area. It was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990, which flags it as a priority for federal cleanup under the Superfund program.
EPA identified five contaminants of concern in groundwater at the site. They are 2-methyl-4,6-dinitrophenol (also called 4,6-dinitro-o-cresol), antimony, arsenic, benzo[a]pyrene, and manganese. Groundwater also contains organic and inorganic compounds typical of landfill leachate. No drinking water wells exist within one mile of the site, and municipal water was extended to the area before the groundwater contamination was discovered, so public water supplies are not affected.
The final remedy was selected in a 1997 Record of Decision. Remedial construction began in June 2000 and was completed by September 2001. The cleanup includes a landfill cover, fencing, leachate extraction and treatment, landfill gas extraction and treatment, deed restrictions limiting groundwater use, and zoning restrictions to prevent residential development. Two Explanations of Significant Differences (ESDs) later modified the remedy. The first, issued in September 2001, adjusted the pumping and treatment component. The second, issued in August 2016, removed one remedy component and modified institutional controls. State agencies and potentially responsible parties have contributed to cleanup actions alongside EPA.
EPA has determined that human exposure is currently under control across the entire site. Groundwater migration is stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. The site achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status in 2009, meaning all cleanup goals have been met for current and reasonably anticipated future land uses. The most recent five-year review was completed on September 29, 2025, and confirmed that the remedy continues to protect human health and the environment. A partial deletion from the NPL is estimated between August and October 2028.
Community members who want to learn more or ask questions can contact the EPA's Remedial Project Manager. Public records related to the site are available for viewing at the Tippecanoe County Public Library at 627 South Street in Lafayette, Indiana.
