South Dayton Dump and Landfill is an 80-acre former disposal site in Moraine, Ohio, where industrial, commercial, and municipal waste were deposited from 1940 through 1996. The site was proposed for the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2004. The NPL is a federal registry of contaminated sites that require long-term cleanup. Investigations began as early as 1985 and formal remedial investigation work started in 2006.
Soil and groundwater at the site contain heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including trichloroethylene and vinyl chloride, benzene, 1,4-dioxane, semi-volatile organic compounds like naphthalene, PCBs, and dioxins and furans. These contaminants potentially threaten the adjacent Great Miami River. A 2012 vapor intrusion investigation found that gases from landfill materials and contaminated groundwater seep into nearby buildings. As a result, EPA required vapor abatement systems at several buildings along Dryden Road and at the Valley Asphalt facility to draw vapors out of the soil and vent them safely outside.
Cleanup is organized into four operable units. Operable Units 1 and 2 cover the former disposal areas and surrounding contaminated zones, including off-site soil, sediment, and groundwater. Units 3 and 4 address vapor intrusion along Dryden Road and at the asphalt facility, with removal actions by responsible parties that began in 2013. The potentially responsible parties (PRPs) are actively conducting investigations of soil, waste, soil gas, groundwater, sediment, and surface water. The remedial investigation for Operable Unit 1 is expected to wrap up by the end of 2028, and Unit 2 by the end of 2029. After that, EPA will evaluate cleanup alternatives and select a final remedy. No cleanup decision documents have been issued yet for any of the operable units.
Health risk assessments show insufficient data to determine whether people currently face unacceptable exposure risks. Groundwater migration status also shows insufficient data, so it is not yet clear whether contaminated groundwater movement is stabilized. Physical construction of a cleanup remedy has not begun. As of December 2024, seven businesses operate on the site, employing 57 people and generating about $6.4 million in annual sales.
Community members who want to learn more or ask questions can contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. Questions can also be directed to the Ohio EPA. Public records related to the site are also available at the Kettering-Moraine Public Library at 3496 Far Hills Avenue in Kettering, reachable at (937) 463-2665.
