Joint EPA/MDEQ public hearing held on Wayne Disposal

Wayne Disposal, owned by U.S. Ecology and located on the North I-94 Service Drive in Van Buren Township, wants to get a renewal of its license to accept PCBs for disposal in the toxic landfill and to use a better liner, “the Gold Standard,” in the newest cell planned there.
On July 19, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which is responsible for the decision on the PCB disposal liner modification and renewal, and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, which will make the liner decision, held a joint public hearing at Van Buren Township Hall.
Lisa Graczyk, EPA Permit Manager, will make the decision on the PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), which is regulated by the federal Toxic Substance Control Act.
Graczyk, who gave a presentation on the EPA’s part of the issue, said the most recent PCB approval was issued to Wayne Disposal on Sept. 27, 2013, which included a modification to expand the landfill (addition of Subcells F and G). This approval expires on Sept. 27, 2018.
She said Wayne Disposal has had EPA approvals since 1997 to dispose of PCBs in its landfill.
She said the EPA received an application from Wayne Disposal to renew their PCB landfill approval and an approval modification request to modify the liner design for Master Cell VI Subcell G, Phase 2.
She stressed the renewal and modification requests do not include any expansions or requests to dispose of additional waste volumes.
The landfill liner modification is only proposed for Master Cell VI Subcell G, Phase 2 at this time. She said similar modifications will likely be proposed by Wayne Disposal in the future for other subcells/phases.
She said the EPA will grant the request unless information comes up through the public hearing that influences the decision.
Dr. Te-Yang Soong of CTI was hired by Wayne Disposal to design the liner, which he did.
He gave a presentation on the proposed liner, first giving his background of more than 28 years of experience in landfill-related teaching, research and engineering consulting. His areas of expertise are landfill liner and cover design, geosynthetic materials, and durability of barriers. He has published more than 60 technical papers, frequently referenced as the industry standard.
Dr. Soong has worked on landfill projects throughout the U.S. and has advised landfill clients in China, India, and Brazil for private, state and World Bank funded projects.
He recommended a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL), which he said has a lower permeability than clay and has been widely used in the landfill industry for 30 years.
He said the GCL is 20 to 200 times less permeable depending on the product. One layer is equivalent to two to three feet of compacted clay liner. He said it is factory manufactured which makes it consistent in quality.
Dr. Soong said it was more resistant to weathering, referring to Michigan’s freeze-thaw and wet-dry variances, and is much stronger with higher resistance to strain.
Christine Matlock gave the MDEQ presentation on the liner approval, which is considered a Major Modification. She said testing by their geotechnical engineer verified every part of the proposal. The MDEQ agreed with Wayne Disposal that this GCL liner is an improvement.
She said there is no change to the operating plan and the liner change does not add waste codes. Matlock said she does the inspections.
The public comment period on the modification runs through Aug. 13. She said MDEQ will review all public comments and response to the questions will be put in one letter and sent to those giving comments as well as put on the website for everyone to see.
After the informational part of the session, people in the audience asked questions and then the formal public hearing began when people’s statements were recorded for the record.
Wayne Disposal operates a hazardous waste landfill facility at 49350 North I-94 Service Drive in Van Buren Township. The facility is bounded by Willow Run Airport to the north and I-94 Service Drive to the south. The WDI Site #2 hazardous waste landfill facility consists of 120 acres divided into three master cells: MC-V, MC-VI, and MC-VII. MC-V and MC-VII have already been filled and closed and are currently in post-closure care.
Currently, the hazardous waste landfill facility is operated under a Part 111 License that was issued on May 4, 2012. That License is scheduled to expire on May 4, 2022. The existing License authorizes a total landfill capacity (including closed cells) of 22.45 million cubic yards.
The administrative record for the draft Major Modification is on file at the DEQ and at the Van Buren Township Hall (contact Ron Akers at (734) 699-8913). Comments on this can be sent to: Christine Matlock, Senior Environmental Engineer, Hazardous Waste Section, WMRPD, DEQ, P.O. Box 30241, Lansing, MI 48909-7741.
The EPA’s draft approval and supporting documents can be seen at: https:www.epa.gov/pcgs/forms/public-notice-wayne-disposal-inc-us-ecology . Comments also can be left at that site.