Pine Bend Sanitary Landfill covers 255 acres in Inver Grove Heights, Dakota County, Minnesota. It holds the largest open landfill in the state and has operated as a municipal solid waste facility since 1971. EPA added it to the National Priorities List (NPL) in June 1986 after leachate migrating from the landfill contaminated nearby soil and groundwater, including private drinking water wells. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in June 1998 after remedial construction was completed.
All 26 contaminants of concern are found in groundwater. They include chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, dichloromethane, and vinyl chloride, along with other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like benzene, toluene, chloroform, and 1,1,1-trichloroethane. Arsenic has also been detected in groundwater. The primary ongoing concern is VOC contamination in groundwater from leachate continuing to move from the landfill.
The cleanup was organized into two operable units. Operable Unit 1 addressed drinking water by connecting affected residents to the municipal water supply, providing permanent replacement water sources, and sealing and abandoning private wells. Operable Unit 2 addressed groundwater, with the 1995 Record of Decision selecting no further action for that unit. An Explanation of Significant Differences for the groundwater unit was issued in March 2026 to document changes to the remedy. The landfill itself was capped, and a new solid waste permit was put in place. The site also has a low permeability cover, surface water and leachate collection systems, and an active gas collection system that converts methane to energy on site.
EPA has determined that human exposure is currently under control across the entire site, with no unacceptable exposure pathways. Contaminated groundwater migration is stabilized, and there is no unacceptable discharge to surface water. EPA will continue monitoring to confirm the contamination stays within the original area. Institutional controls, including zoning restrictions, prevent uses like residential development that could expose people to remaining contamination. One business currently operates on site. The site has not yet achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status, meaning not all cleanup goals for current and future land uses have been fully met. EPA completed its most recent five-year review in February 2025, confirming that the remedy continues to protect public health and the environment.
Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. Public records related to the site are available at Inver Glen Library, located at 8098 Blaine Ave in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.
