Ordot Landfill is a 23-acre site in Ordot, Guam, that served as the island's main disposal site for industrial and municipal waste. It sits near the communities of Ordot and Chalan Pago. The site was proposed to the National Priorities List (NPL) in December 1982 and finalized on the list in September 1983. It has not yet been deleted from the NPL.
The primary contamination concern is leachate flowing from the landfill into the Lonfit River. Investigations identified contaminants in soil, sediment, and groundwater. Two monitoring wells installed by EPA in 1992 did not detect contaminants. However, data on groundwater migration is still insufficient to determine whether contaminated groundwater migration has stabilized.
EPA deferred cleanup responsibility to its Water Program because the site was still operating and did not pose an imminent threat to public health. The Government of Guam installed a diversion ditch to redirect water away from the landfill and improved waste cover practices. The final remedy, selected in September 1988, required no active remediation of the landfill unit itself. Under a Clean Water Act Consent Decree, the Government of Guam must close the old landfill and construct a new Municipal Solid Waste Landfill. A consent decree for the sitewide area is scheduled for completion in July 2025.
Physical construction of the cleanup is complete, and the site achieved Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Use status in September 2019. That status means all cleanup goals for current and reasonably anticipated future land uses have been met and required land-use restrictions are in place. EPA assessments show human exposure is currently under control across the entire site. Full protectiveness, though, depends on completing the landfill closure and building the new facility. EPA completed its most recent five-year review in September 2007.
Community members with questions can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager.
