The Algoma Municipal Landfill sits about two miles west of Algoma in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin. It operated from 1969 to 1983, accepting mostly household trash along with roughly 210 drums of finishing materials. Those drums contained polyvinyl acetate, lacquer thinner, methanol, silicate, pigments, and paint primer. The site was added to the federal Superfund list in 1987 and covers 13 acres.
Fourteen contaminants of concern have been identified across groundwater, soil, and surface water. Groundwater holds the most substances, including 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethane, benzene, chloroethane, arsenic, barium, cadmium, iron, and manganese. Soil contains arsenic and beryllium. Surface water contains butyl benzyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, potassium, and sodium. The main health risk comes from people ingesting or touching contaminated groundwater. Wetlands south of the site could be affected by groundwater that surfaces nearby, though no hazardous materials have entered the wetlands so far.
Six companies and the city of Algoma carried out the cleanup under EPA oversight. Remedial action ran from April 1993 through August 1994. The work included placing an engineered landfill cap, installing a landfill gas venting system, erecting a fence, and setting up groundwater and landfill gas monitoring. A 1990 Record of Decision guided the cleanup, and a 2015 Explanation of Significant Differences later modified some cleanup standards. Long-term protection depends on keeping the landfill cap maintained, limiting future uses to commercial and industrial purposes, and preventing groundwater use at the site.
EPA completed its sixth five-year review in April 2024 and found the cleanup continues to protect people and the environment. Human exposure is under control, groundwater migration is stable, and no contamination is discharging to surface water at unacceptable levels. Physical construction is complete, and the site has been considered ready for its anticipated reuse since 2014. The next five-year review is scheduled for 2029. The site has not yet been deleted from the National Priorities List.
Community members can review site records at the Algoma Public Library at 406 Fremont Street in Algoma, Wisconsin. Questions about the site can be directed to the EPA remedial project manager or community involvement coordinator.
