Bennett Landfill Fire Information
This webpage will provide information on EPA and SCDHEC response and investigation work at the Bennett Landfill Fire Site. Questions about this webpage or the project in general can be forwarded to EPA OSC Matthew J. Huyser at huyser.matthew@epa.gov
News, updates, and latest information
Interactive Map with data and new aerial photos
TIME CRITICAL REMOVAL ACTION
An Action Memorandum, developed to document the rationale and authorize expenditure of funds for a time-critical removal action at the Bennett Landfill Fire Site, was signed on April 30, 2015. Response actions began on Tuesday, May 26, 2015 with crews mobilizing to the Site. This Action Memo authorizes EPA funded actions addressing the ongoing fire as the primary objective. Response actions will include installation of cover, compaction and encapsulation. A fire break trench may be necessary to isolate the burning area from unburned material. A secondary objective will be to address erosion and potential migration issues in the asbestos cell located near the burning area.
The cleanup is being funded by the EPA. The EPA will continue to coordinate site activities with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), the counties of Union and Chester, and the town of Lockhart to ensure that activities are conducted in a safe and effective manner.
For more information about the Site, please visit the local information repository which has been established at the Lockhart Town Hall located at 118 Mill St., Lockhart, SC 29364 or contact Kerisa Coleman, Community Involvement Coordinator at (404) 562-8831.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
On November 2, 2014, the Bennett Industrial Landfill was found to be on fire by local fire department officials. The Emergency Management Agencies (EMA) of Union and Chester Counties responded as well as The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC). Due to the close proximity of the landfill to the town of Lockhart, South Carolina, SCDHEC requested assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) Stilman responded along with U.S. EPA’s Superfund Technical Assistance, Response and Training (START) contractor and began air monitoring activities. The Site was known to contain an asbestos disposal cell and bags of Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) were found throughout the landfill outside the designated asbestos disposal area, including within proximity of the fire.
OSC Stilman mobilized U.S. EPA’s Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS) contractor to arrive on November 4, 2014, and assist with firefighting operations by providing heavy equipment to open the burn area for water application. The fire was presumably extinguished by November 7th and only a small area continued to smolder while response crews demobilized.
REMOVAL SITE EVALUATION
Due to persistent and increasing smoke concentrations emanating from the smoldering fire at the Site, SCDHEC requested that the U.S. EPA conduct a formal Removal Site Evaluation (RSE) at the Site. From January 13, 2015, OSC Huyser has been conducting air monitoring, sampling, surveying, and other investigative activities at the Site and in the surrounding community. This includes the deployment of 4 particulate monitors in the surrounding area, augmenting 3 monitors deployed by SCDHEC. These monitors are recording continuous measurements of respirable particulates in the community and most of them are broadcasting those measurements to a remote monitoring system where they are actively monitored in Columbia, SC by SCDHEC and in Atlanta, GA by U.S. EPA.
Results of these samples and other measurements will be presented to residents at a public meeting on April 23, 2015.
