Spiegelberg Landfill

Overview

Spiegelberg Landfill sits in Green Oak Township, Michigan. It accepted domestic, industrial, and septic waste from 1966 to 1977. Sand, gravel, and peat mining still occur at the site today. EPA added it to the National Priorities List on September 8, 1983, after finding hazardous contamination in soil and groundwater.

More than 100 contaminants have been identified at the site. Heavy metals in sludge and solid waste include arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, and nickel. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, and toluene were found in sludge, solid waste, and groundwater. Chlorinated solvents, pesticides including chlordane and lindane, and other organic compounds like naphthalene and styrene are also present. Groundwater contamination includes select VOCs, lead, and benzene.

Cleanup was organized into two operable units. The first addressed source control, covering contaminated sludge and solid waste. Excavation and offsite disposal or incineration of contaminated material was completed in March 1992. The second operable unit targeted groundwater remediation using air stripping, carbon adsorption, bioremediation, precipitation treatment, and reinjection of treated water. Groundwater remedial action finished in September 1996. Overall construction was completed on June 29, 1995. EPA conducted multiple five-year reviews, with the most recent completed on January 28, 2005. That review confirmed the remedy remains protective of public health and the environment.

Human exposure is currently under control across the entire site. No unacceptable exposure pathways exist, and contaminated groundwater is stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. EPA will continue monitoring to confirm that affected groundwater stays within its original area of contamination. The site achieved readiness for its anticipated reuse on June 12, 2008, and was deleted from the National Priorities List on June 13, 2011. Institutional controls remain in place, including zoning restrictions that prohibit residential use and other activities inconsistent with the cleanup level achieved.

Community members can review site records at Hamburg Library at 7225 Stone Street in Hamburg, Michigan, or Brighton City Library at 200 North 1st Street in Brighton, Michigan. Five key documents and 417 administrative records are available through EPA's CERCLA document database. For questions, contact EPA Community Involvement Coordinator Cheryl Allen or Remedial Project Manager Greg Gehrig.