Solid Waste

Project: Review of Hydrogeologic Study for Proposed Demolition Debris and Asbestos Disposal Facility

Client: Boston Felt Company, Rochester, New Hampshire

Scope of Work: Examination of proposed POTW license limits and interpretation of impact on Boston Felt Company's pretreated discharge.

This project involved a peer review of a 1984 hydrogeologic study involving a site in Union, Maine, in light of changes in the State’s solid waste management rules. Inadequacies in geologic and hydrologic data were identified, and field work was conducted to collect the necessary information. This work included monitoring of water levels, groundwater sampling, and hydraulic-conductivity testing in existing monitoring wells.

Project: Assistance in Relicensing and maintaining Regulatory Compliance at an Existing Secure Landfill

Client: Town of Hartland, Maine

Scope of Work: Providing landfill-related services as needed by the Town

Acheron provided environmental, engineering and geologic services as necessary to maintain regulatory compliance at an existing secure landfill operated by the Town of Hartland. These services included the following:

1. quarterly inspection of the site;

2. required sampling and analysis of groundwater, surface water and leachate;

3. hydrogeologic investigations;

4. preparation of An Application for Permit Renewal for a Solid Waste Disposal Facility Under Main'e Solid Waste Management Regulations (submitted to DEP in October 1992)

Project: Monitoring at a Secure Landfill

Client: Town of Hartland, Maine

Scope of Work: Sampling and analysis of groundwater and leachate collected from a secure landfill

The Town of Hartland operates a secure, lined landfill as a repository for sludge generated by the local POTW. This sludge contains several regulated constituents and is handled as a special waste. The landfill includes a leachate-collection system and several groundwater monitoring wells.

The main purpose of this project was to ensure that collected leachate is suitable for transfer to and subsequent treatment at the POTW. Acheron’s responsibilities were to sample and anlayze the leachate and groundwater collected from the monitoring wells, to review the analytical data obtained, and to perform trend analysis for these data. In addition, Acheron designed a pipeline that transports collected leachate directly from the landfill to the POTW.

Project: Operations and Maintanance Manual (O & M)

Client: Town of Hartland, Maine

Scope of Work: Production of an Operations Manual for the Town of Hartland's Secure Sludge Landfill as the final step in the landfill's relicensing process

To assist in the proper operations and maintenance of the Town of Hartland’s Secure Sludge Landfill during the second licensing period, Acheron worked with the Town of Hartland to produce and revise an Operations and Maintenance Manual for use by the landfill coordinator. The document was prepared in accordance with the provisions set forth in the State of Maine Solid Waste Management Regulations, Chapter 401, Section 6. The revised O&M Manual was submitted for DEP approval in April 1997. In addition to its discussion of landfill maintenance, the O&M Manual presented an overview of the landfill’s history including its requests for variances and waivers from solid waste regulations and the work plans developed to improve the overall effectiveness of landfill operations. This project culminated in the production of an expansive document to provide the landfill operator with one all-encompassing resource for landfill operations in both the short and long term. Acheron’s engineers worked with its technical writing staff to produce an accurate and readable document and then sought input from both the Town and the DEP to complete the final version of the O&M Manual.

Project: Operational and Closing Sequence Plan (OCSP)

Client: Town of Hartland

Scope of Work: Production of document establishing and describing the operational and closing schedule for Years 1 through 9 of the Town of Hartland's Secure Sludge Landfill

The Operational and Closing Sequence Plan for Phase II, Stage 1 of the Town of Hartland Secure Sludge Landfill was produced by Acheron and submitted to the DEP in December 0f 1996. To produce the OCSP, Acheron reviewed the operations of the landfill from initial sludge lift to the completion of Phase II, Stage 1 construction. Operations were then scheduled through the next nine years.

Project: Gas Management Assessment Work Plan

Client: Town of Hartland, Maine

Scope of Work: Development of plan to access whether gas is being generated at the Town of Hartland Secure Sludge Landfill and, if so, to qualitatively and quantitatively study the types and amounts of gas being produced

As a step toward relicensing the Town of Hartland’s Secure Sludge Landfill, Acheron developed for the Town a Gas Management Assessment Work Plan. The Plan was presented to the DEP in December 1996 and received DEP approval in February 1997. The Work Plan outlines methods to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate gas generation that could potentially run concurrently over a four-month period. The qualitative portion involved an on site study to determine the types, and relative abundance of gas actually being produced at the landfill. The quantitative laboratory scale study was designed to quantify the amount of gas generation at the landfill. The two studies were developed to identify the following gases: methane (as LEL), carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and hydrogen sulfide. The approved Work Plan outlined the procedures of the study and elaborated upon the study’s goals. In its conclusion, the Work Plan asserted that if gas was being generated within the Secure Sludge Landfill, options to mitigate gas production would be presented.

Project: Bedrock and Overburden Hydrogeologic assessment under RCRA Section 30008(h) of Landfills Associated with a Chlor-alkalai Plant

Client: LCP Chemicals and Plastics, Orrington, Maine

Scope of Work: Development of a comprehensive study plan to assess migration of hazardous constituents from the site; oversight of field operations, data analysis and generation of an analytical report

Acheron completed and submitted a thoroughly detailed study plan to assess hydrogeologic conditions at the Orrington site. The hydrogeologic study was designed to assess the location, concentration, characteristics, and migratory potential of chemical contamination at the company’s Orrington facility.

Field work, which began in March 1989, involved an intensive drilling effort that included installation of monitoring wells, soil and groundwater sampling, and borehole geophysics. Work was performed under Level D and C personal-protection conditions, with occasional upgrades to Level B.

Project: Relicensing of Municipal Landfill

Client: Town of Monson, Maine

Scope of Work: Evaluation of solid-waste disposal options; relicensing of an approximately 4-acre municipal landfill

Acheron evaluated solid-waste disposal options for the Town of Monson. We studies such options as relicensing the existing landfill, establishing a transfer station and private or public roadside pickup.

Project: Preliminary Hydrogeologic Evaluation of a Potential Stump Dump/Demolition-Debris Facility

Client: Town of Naples, Maine

Scope of Work: Investigation of the existing soils and groundwater conditions at a site selected by the Town. Development of recommendations regarding the site’s suitability for use as a stump dump/demolition debris facility

Preliminary investigation of the selected site was performed via data review and test-pit investigation. Acheron identified and recommended solutions to several potential problems associated with the site. Methodologies and a list of tasks for further evaluation were outlined in case the Town decided to pursue this site for use as a demolition-debris disposal facility.

Project: Development of Landfill Closure Plan for a Central Maine Municipality

Client: Town of St. Albans, Maine

Scope of Work: Development of a landfill closure plan under Maine Solid Waste Management Regulations

The landfill closure plan developed for the Town of St. Albans included an initial evaluation of the aerial extent of waste disposal. Subsequently, calculation of fill volumes required for final grading and reclamation was completed, and a long-term postclosure groundwater monitoring plan was outlined. As required under Chapter 401 of the Solid Waste Management Rules, the closure plan included provision for drainage control, rodent extermination, leachate and gas control and postclosure inspection and maintenance.

Project: Evaluation and Assessment of a Sanitary Landfill Site

Client: Town of Sidney, Maine

Scope of Work: Development of a closure plan and annual evaluation of operating conditions and life expectancy for a municipal landfill

In 1986, Acheron developed a closure plan for the Town sanitary landfill site in Sidney, Maine. Crucial to the development of this plan was the quantification of the remaining useful life of the facility. A three-phase filling program was designed to direct landfill operations prior to closure. Annual reviews of the landfill site were conducted in 1987 and 1988, and a new topographical map of the area was established. Survey data were utilized to calculate the current landfill filling rate and develop an updated projected life expectancy for the facility.

Project: Preliminary Geologic Evaluation of Land for Suitability for Solid-Waste Handling

Client: Solid Waste Corporation, Norway/South Paris, Maine

Scope of Work: Investigation of the hydrogeologic suitability of three (3) parcels in the Norway/South Paris area for development as demolition debris disposal facilities

The Norway/South Paris Solid Waste Corporation identified three (3) potential areas for use as a solid-waste disposal site. The Corporation requested that Acheron prioritize each site with respect to its hydrogeologic suitability for the proposed use. Field work included a site reconnaissance and baseline test pit evaluation of the surficial geologic material. One site was identified as suitable for further study.

Project: Relicensing of Rockwood, Maine Municipal Landfill

Client: Somerset County Commissioners

Scope of Work: Relicensing of an approximately 3-acre municipal landfill

For this project, Acheron performed a topographic survey, installed six (6) groundwater monitoring wells, completed one round of ground- and surface-water sampling and analysis, and submitted a relicensing application to the DEP. We have attended numerous meetings with the DEP and the Commissioners to negotiate relicensing requirements and are continuing to provide information, including an Operatons and Maintenance Manual to the DEP as required.

Project: Quarterly Groundwater and Surface Water Quality Monitoring Program at Active Municipal Landfill

Client: Somerset County Commissioners

Scope of Work: Sample groundwater and surface water for wide range of field and laboratory analytical parameters; comprehensive statistical analysis of analytical data; well viability testing

Acheron designed and initiated a quarterly monitoring program as contracted by Somerset County for the purpose of obtaining and maintaining facility licensure status as outlined in Maine DEP Solid Waste Management Regulations (CMR 400-409).

This sampling program involved installation of two (2) up-gradient and four (4) down-gradient monitoring wells and initiating the program with two (2) quarters of baseline monitoring of the groundwater and surface water as sampled from an adjacent unnamed stream.

Analytical data for the purpose of detection monitoring have been collected quarterly since March 1992. These data, including field parameters and non-parametric prediction limit analysis to discern patterns and trends in the nature, variation, and distribution of water quality issues across the Rockwood site. These data are updated, analyzed, and stored in database management/statistical software.

The ongoing success of this project demonstrates Acheron’s ability to work with the DEP on behalf of our client as we secured landfill licensing for the Rockwood facility. The installation of monitoring wells, sampling of groundwater and surface water, hydraulic analysis of well performance, and handling of multi-parameter samples, bottles, and chains-of-custody in keeping with seamless sampling protocols are skills directly applicable to the proposed tasks. Finally, Acheron is familiar with and adept at the statistical analysis of pertinent water quality data on a quarterly basis.

Project: Hydrogeologic Investigation of the Impact of Landfilling of Stoddard Solvent

Client: W.A. Miller Company, Oquossoc, Maine

Scope of Work: Evaluation of environmental impact and development of excavation plan for contaminated soils

This project involved assessment of the environmental impact resulting from disposal of bulked Stoddard solvent in a surface depression on company property. Following installation and sampling of monitoring wells and sampling and analysis of soils, Acheron developed an appropriate soils excavation plan that would ensure complete removal of the detectably contaminated material from the site. The DEP Land Bureau approved the plan and it was implemented in spring 1988. The latest round of soil sampling at the site showed no detectable hydrocarbons in representative samples.