LOWER SAUCON TWP., Pa. — Bethlehem Landfill Co. has moved to continue addressing “forever chemicals” in its facility’s leachate by using a new treatment system.
The company also looks to maintain partnerships with both the Water & Carbon Group from Australia and Leachate Management Specialists domestically to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS — chemicals that accumulate and post health risks, officials have said.
- Bethlehem Landfill is teaming up with two companies to address PFAS
- The LEEF System would "harness the power of the air, gravity and the sun"
- The next landfill committee meeting is scheduled for October
The information was shared during a meeting Tuesday of the Lower Saucon Township Landfill Committee.
The local dump will make use of the Low Energy Evaporative Fractionation System, or LEEF, created by the WCG, according to a July 13 announcement by the organization.
LMS has been tasked with introducing the system to more of the American market.
"We are excited to continue this partnership in order to reduce PFAS concentration in leachate generated at Bethlehem Landfill."Bethlehem Landfill Co. Engineering Manager Matt Crockett
“Bethlehem Landfill has been working with the Water & Carbon Group, Leachate Management Specialists and the LEEF System for the past 12 months, and we are excited to continue this partnership in order to reduce PFAS concentration in leachate generated at Bethlehem Landfill,” Bethlehem Landfill Co. Engineering Manager Matt Crockett said.
Floating out the contaminates
A WCG official said the technology will use “multi-staged, continuous flow foam fractionation" and "an enclosed solar distilling system for enhanced waste volume reduction.”
“The LEEF System was developed treating landfill leachate involving years of research and rigorous testing on a wide range of waste streams, including those with high levels of co-contamination."Jim Hunter, Water & Carbon Group CEO
“The LEEF System was developed treating landfill leachate involving years of research and rigorous testing on a wide range of waste streams, including those with high levels of co-contamination,” WCG Chief Executive Officer Jim Hunter said.
According to the LEEF site, the new tech would take air bubbles, bind them with PFAS, then use gravity to cause the two to rise up and be skimmed off.
The first full-scale system of its kind was implemented last year in Darwin, Australia, and now handles PFAS on a daily basis, the site states.
The announcement also got a nod from Jason Banonis, Lower Saucon Township Council president and council liaison to the Lower Saucon Township Landfill Committee, at Tuesday’s committee meeting.
“[The release] was touting the collaboration and the positive environmental effects by having the system being implemented at the landfill, so that’s a good development,” Banonis said.
Leachate and landslides
Some residents at Tuesday's meeting showed concern over a July 16 storm that caused part of a slope near Riverside Drive to give way.
One Steel City resident said during storms such as those, leachate flows from the landfill down the hill, past the railroad tracks and into the Lehigh River.
In response, Banonis read an email he said was from Amy Faulch, solid waste supervisor for the Bethlehem office of the state Department of Environmental Protection.
The message addressed the events at Riverside Drive, stating the topography of that location played a major role in the outcome.
“This matter does not indicate that Bethlehem Landfill was a contributing factor to the slope washout above Riverside Drive."Jason Banonis, Lower Saucon Township Council president, reading an email from a DEP official
“This matter does not indicate that Bethlehem Landfill was a contributing factor to the slope washout above Riverside Drive,” Banonis read.
Road crews were cleaning the street the day after, according to reports from Mathew Vipon, solid waste specialist with DEP.
Township resident Victoria Opthof-Cordaro asked landfill Environmental Compliance Manager Cody White if he ever knew of the nearby Bethlehem Wastewater Treatment Plant dumping excess leachate directly into the Lehigh River during bad storms.
Opthof-Cordaro also asked whether there's ever been a request to stop the flow from up the hill.
White said he’s never known the plant to request the dump to stop sending its leachate for treatment. He also said he didn't specialize in wastewater operations and she should consult the plant on the matter.
Odor complaints, more
In April, two radioactive loads of Technetium-99m were discovered and disposed of on site at Bethlehem Landfill, according to White. In May, one radioactive load of Iodine-131 was discovered and disposed.
Reviewing more reports with the panel, Banonis said inspections from the Department of Environmental Protection and host municipal inspector are taking place at the landfill at least four times a month.
He also said that odor complaints seem to be well addressed by appropriate personnel, based on the page count of complaints listed.
During January, the landfill made note of 17 odor complaints, most of them being from Johnston Avenue in Steel City as well as Riverside Drive in Bethlehem.Bethlehem Landfill statistics
During January, the landfill made note of 17 odor complaints, most of them being from Johnston Avenue in Steel City as well as Riverside Drive in Bethlehem.
Residents stated they could smell the odor from their properties in most cases, with some saying they made note of the stench as they drove through the area.
Seventeen other cases were recorded during February. One resident of Lower Saucon Road in Hellertown said the smell was “absolutely horrific.”
March saw 28 complaints as listed, and April recorded 14. May had six complaints.
June recorded seven odor cases, with one resident calling the smell “obnoxious.” Another person said he could smell the landfill while sitting in his living room.
The next landfill committee meeting is scheduled for October.
