Fulbright Landfill

Overview

Fulbright Landfill operated in Springfield, Missouri from 1962 to 1968, accepting waste that left soil and groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals, and cyanide. A neighboring 114-acre site called Sac River Landfill accepted similar wastes from 1968 to 1974. The EPA placed Fulbright Landfill on the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983 after finding hazardous substances in surface water and groundwater. The NPL is the federal list of the most serious uncontrolled hazardous waste sites in the country.

Cleanup focused on one main operable unit covering both landfills. Workers removed drums from sinkholes, sampled and disposed of drum contents off-site, and set up ongoing groundwater and surface water monitoring. Soil caps were placed over impacted areas. The physical construction of the remedy was finished in June 1992, and operation and maintenance has continued under EPA oversight since then. Three environmental covenants cover the Fulbright landfill, the Sac River landfill, and a Chemical Disposal Pit. These covenants ban new groundwater wells, restrict excavation and construction without EPA approval, and require that soil caps be maintained. The Chemical Disposal Pit covenant also requires fencing and signage.

A 2020 EPA review found the remedy is protective of human health and the environment in the short term. Soil, soil gas, and off-site groundwater contaminant levels are below levels of concern for recreational and industrial uses. Long-term protectiveness requires additional groundwater monitoring at the southern end of the site to evaluate VOC contamination, along with an additional ecological risk assessment for potential impacts to insectivorous birds. EPA has determined that human exposure is under control, but has not yet concluded whether contaminated groundwater migration is stabilized, so monitoring continues.

The site reached a ready-for-anticipated-reuse milestone in April 2016. In May 2020, the city of Springfield opened the Fulbright Spring Greenway, a walking and biking trail that runs across the landfill surface. Additional soil sampling confirmed no exposure risk to trail users. The city conducts annual groundwater monitoring at multiple wells and periodically samples seeps and surface soils. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL. The most recent five-year review was completed in September 2025.

Community members can review site documents at Library Station, located at 2535 N. Kansas Expressway in Springfield, reachable at (417) 865-1340. Public records include more than 370 administrative documents covering remedial investigation and cleanup activities. For direct questions, the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator and Remedial Project Manager are available.