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| Bridgeton Landfill | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bridgeton Landfill |
| Location | St. Louis County, Missouri, United States |
| Opened | 1974 |
| Operator | Republic Services |
| Area | ~300 acres |
| Status | Active / regulated |
Bridgeton Landfill is a municipal solid waste landfill and industrial disposal site in Berkeley, Missouri within St. Louis County, Missouri, adjacent to the Missouri River floodplain and the Bridgeton, Missouri community. The site became prominent in the 21st century due to discovery of a subsurface smoldering fire and concerns about emissions, groundwater contamination, and proximity to Lambert–St. Louis International Airport. The landfill has been the focus of action by entities including the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and multiple private litigants.
The landfill opened in 1974 during a period of expanding municipal waste infrastructure in the United States and served St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area waste streams alongside other regional sites such as West Lake Landfill and Coldwater Creek (Missouri). Ownership and operation passed through corporations that consolidated waste services, culminating in operation by Republic Services and predecessors linked to national waste firms like Waste Management, Inc.. Community awareness increased after investigations into nearby radiologically contaminated sites triggered scrutiny of regional disposal and debris placement during the late 20th and early 21st centuries, drawing attention from federal programs such as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act oversight and the Superfund process when adjacent properties were evaluated.
The landfill sits within the Missouri River Valley north of Bridgeton, Missouri and east of Florissant, Missouri, bounded by transportation corridors including Interstate 70 (Missouri) and rail lines serving the St. Louis metropolitan area. The engineered cell occupies roughly 300 acres atop glacial till and alluvial deposits feeding into the Mississippi River watershed and near tributaries like Coldwater Creek (Missouri). Nearby features of consequence include Lambert–St. Louis International Airport, Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park, and industrial zones tied to the St. Louis–Kansas City-St. Louis corridor logistics network. Geology includes dolomite and limestone strata of the Mississippian period influence and groundwater flows linked to the regional aquifer systems assessed by the United States Geological Survey.
Waste acceptance historically included municipal solid waste, construction and demolition debris, industrial byproducts, and certain nonhazardous commercial wastes consistent with Resource Conservation and Recovery Act exclusions and state permits issued by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Operations employed daily cover, leachate collection systems, and gas management infrastructure including extraction wells connected to flares and energy recovery systems similar to projects by Republic Services elsewhere. The landfill was operated with engineered liners in later cells conforming to Subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act standards while earlier units reflected mid-1970s practices. Transportation of waste to the site used regional transfer stations and municipal collection fleets from entities such as the City of St. Louis sanitation services and private haulers.
Environmental concerns center on an underground smoldering event identified beneath the landfill, emissions of volatile organic compounds, potential migration of landfill gas including methane and carbon dioxide, and leachate constituents with heavy metals and organic contaminants. The proximity of radiologically contaminated materials at adjacent West Lake Landfill and investigations involving the United States Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission heightened scrutiny of radionuclide migration and potential cross-boundary impacts. Groundwater monitoring has sought constituents of concern identified by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and the Environmental Protection Agency (United States), including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and semi-volatile organics detected in monitoring wells. Air quality monitoring and modeling have engaged the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, EPA Region 7, and academic partners at institutions like Washington University in St. Louis.
Residents of nearby Bridgeton, Missouri and Berkeley, Missouri have reported odor, respiratory irritation, and anxiety tied to perceived risks; community groups and neighborhood associations have organized to engage agencies including the St. Louis County Council and representatives from the United States Congress. Public health assessments by state and federal health agencies have evaluated cancer incidence and exposure pathways drawing on standards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Concerns about property values, school locations within the Hazelwood School District, and access to emergency services near Lambert–St. Louis International Airport have factored into local political debate and media coverage by outlets such as the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Regulatory response involved permits, enforcement actions, and negotiation of remediation responsibilities under state statute and federal law, implicating agencies like the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Agency (United States), and St. Louis County Department of Public Health. Legal actions have been brought by residents and municipalities against operators and corporations, invoking state tort claims, environmental statutes, and administrative appeals in Missouri state court and federal court venues, including filings that referenced the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act framework. Interagency coordination has included interaction with the Federal Aviation Administration due to airport proximity, and emergency response planning with Missouri State Emergency Management Agency.
Remediation strategies have included containment, active gas extraction and flaring, groundwater monitoring networks, leachate treatment systems, and engineering controls to limit subsurface smoldering propagation. The site has been subject to ongoing monitoring plans approved by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and supervised by EPA Region 7 technical reviews; contractors and consultants with expertise in geotechnical engineering, hydrogeology, and air quality have implemented long-term data collection comparable to practices at other complex landfills overseen by organizations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Solid Waste Association of North America. Community engagement initiatives have involved public comment periods, technical briefings with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board analogues, and coordination with local elected bodies including the St. Louis County Executive.
Category:Landfills in Missouri Category:Environment of St. Louis County, Missouri