Skinner Landfill covers 78 acres in West Chester, Ohio, about 40 miles north of Cincinnati. It operated as a landfill from the late 1950s until July 1990, accepting municipal, industrial, construction, and commercial waste. The site was added to the National Priorities List (NPL), the federal government's roster of priority contaminated sites, on September 8, 1983.
EPA identified over 80 contaminants of concern at the site. These were found in debris, soil, sediment, groundwater, and leachate. The list includes volatile organic compounds such as benzene and trichloroethene, heavy metals including lead, cadmium, and arsenic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides such as heptachlor and endrin ketone, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). EPA determined these substances posed unacceptable risks to people and the environment.
EPA selected a final cleanup plan in June 1993. The plan called for capping the landfill and lagoon, moving contaminated soil under the cap, and capturing contaminated groundwater for treatment at a public treatment facility. A slurry wall, soil vapor extraction, and off-gas treatment were also part of the work. Responsible companies agreed to design the cleanup in 1994 under a consent order, and a federal consent decree followed in 2001. Construction was completed on September 27, 2001. EPA removed additional material from the site in June 2008. The site achieved readiness for anticipated reuse on January 31, 2008.
EPA assessments show human exposure is currently under control across the entire site. Contaminated groundwater migration has been stabilized, and no unacceptable discharge to surface water is occurring. All cleanup goals for current and reasonably anticipated future land uses have been met, and required land-use controls are in place. EPA completed its sixth five-year review on March 22, 2024, and found the cleanup continues to protect people and the environment. The next five-year review is scheduled for 2029. The site remains on the NPL and continues under federal oversight and monitoring.
Community members can review site records at two local repositories: MidPointe West Chester Library at 9363 Centre Pointe Drive and West Chester Township at 9113 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, both in West Chester, Ohio.
