Hazardous Waste Cleanup: RACER Van Buren Township Landfill, Van Buren Township, MI
On this page:
- Latest News
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
- Site Responsibility
Congress amended the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) in November 1984, expanding the Act's cleanup provisions and prompting EPA and its state partners to develop the RCRA Corrective Action Program. The program oversees the investigation and cleanup of nearly 4,000 hazardous waste sites across the country, including many with risks comparable to Superfund sites.
RACER currently owns the Site located at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Ecorse Road, Van Buren Township, Michigan. The Site occupies approximately 68 acres of vacant, undeveloped and wooded land in a mixed-use area with commercial, residential and industrial properties. Investigations have been ongoing since a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment was submitted to EPA on February 13, 2007. The two parties entered into a voluntary agreement to investigate and remediate the property in 2011.
Latest News
Cleanup Status
The primary contaminants of concern in groundwater are metals including iron and manganese both on-site and off-site, and zinc and copper in soil for ecological risks. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have also historically been detected on-site at concentrations that have fluctuated slightly above the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), although are sometimes below MCL. These VOCs were not detected above data quality objectives in groundwater in more recent sampling events. Groundwater flows in various directions due to topography and the historic site use as a landfill. As a result, iron has migrated off-site to the north exceeding all residential and non-residential screening criteria, and to the south and east exceeding residential drinking water criteria. Soil contamination is mostly below state-wide background criteria, suggesting that groundwater impacts are likely from landfilling activities.
Documentation obtained from the Wayne County Department of Environment (WCDOE), Land Resource Management Division, Solid Waste Technical Section indicated that various wastes including incinerator ash from the City of Detroit, demolition waste and domestic refuse from the City of Dearborn, waste paper from Ford Motor Company, and liquid waste inside 55-gallon drums were landfilled at the Site. Automotive parts were also found during sampling activities and are expected to be scattered across the site based on observations from field activities. Historical records indicated that some of the waste had high levels of sulfuric acid and had potentially contained heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and other organic chemicals.
A Corrective Measures Implementation Plan was developed by RACER and submitted to EPA on May 18, 2022 and was subsequently approved by EPA on May 26, 2022. RACER will update the Quality Assurance Project Plan for the site, prepare bid specifications and obtain requests for proposals, construct an access road to allow for crews to operate and navigate machinery at the site, and finally, begin clearing, grubbing and performing surficial waste cleanup as the initial actions. Following completion of these activities, RACER will place the ecological cover, prepare the institutional controls, and begin working with the local officials on needed ordinances pertaining to groundwater use. This work is expected to be completed by Summer 2023.
Site Description
RACER currently owns the Site located at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Ecorse Road, Van Buren Township, Michigan. The Site occupies approximately 68 acres of vacant, undeveloped and wooded land in a mixed-use area with commercial, residential and industrial properties. Residential properties are located north of the Site, separated by former agricultural land that is planned to be redeveloped into commercial property for autonomous vehicle research and development. To the east is a General Motors parts facility, to the south is Willow Run Airport and commercial property for autonomous vehicle research and testing, and to the west is more residential and commercial zoning. Review of historical photographs indicated that the Site was undeveloped and cultivated for agricultural purposes as early as 1940. Van Buren Development Company operated a landfill at the Site from 1966 to 1969, when it was purchased by General Motors, and it has been vacant ever since.
Contaminants at this Facility
The contaminants of concern at this facility include iron and manganese in on-site and off-site groundwater, and zinc and copper in surficial on-site soils.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
At present, no controls have been finalized, but will be included as part of the expected final remedy. Institutional controls will include limiting property use to industrial uses, restricting groundwater use on-site to non-potable uses, and require soil management plans should any excavation work occur.
Site Responsiblity at this Facility
RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of EPA Region 5.