Rasmussen's Dump

Overview

Rasmussen's Dump is a former unlicensed landfill in Brighton, Michigan, that accepted domestic and industrial waste during the 1960s and early 1970s. It was added to the National Priorities List in September 1983. Sand and gravel mining after closure disturbed the landfill, spreading contaminated fill and drums. That disturbance helped push contaminants into the soil and groundwater.

EPA has identified 28 contaminants of concern at the site. The main concerns in groundwater are volatile organic compounds, including trichloroethene, benzene, toluene, and vinyl chloride, along with metals such as lead and cadmium. Soil and solid waste contain polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, and benzo[a]pyrene.

Short-term cleanup between 1984 and 1990 removed drums, waste, and contaminated soil. Michigan fenced the site to limit public contact with contamination. Long-term work has included capping the landfill, installing groundwater extraction and treatment systems, and adding an ozone sparging system to break down contaminants in place. Construction of these measures ran from March 1995 through November 1996. The site reached ready-for-anticipated-reuse status in July 2017, and operation and maintenance of the groundwater system remain ongoing under EPA oversight. Institutional controls, including zoning restrictions that block residential development, are in place to limit exposure.

Current EPA assessments state that human exposure to contamination is under control and groundwater migration is stabilized. Sources differ slightly on when the most recent five-year review was completed, citing both March 2020 and dates in 2024 and 2025. All sources agree the review found the remedy is currently protective of human health and the environment. Several follow-up actions are still needed, including finalizing restrictive covenants, sampling for 1,4-dioxane and vinyl chloride, repairing air sparge wells with pressure problems, and updating the Operations and Maintenance Plan. The site has not yet been deleted from the National Priorities List.

Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.