Secondary Aluminum Production Waste Disposal Issues

Countywide RDF site overview (Kurt)

Ohio EPA response (Pam)

Federal involvement (Paul)

Countywide RDFOperating Subtitle D Landfill

Permitted ‘91• First completely BAT facility in Ohio• 88 acre facility (Cells 1-6)

• 13m yd3 air space• 2003: 170 acre expansion

• (Cells 7-16)

Regulatory Players• Ohio EPA Solid Waste Permitting\Operation

• Stark County Health Department (SCHD) Licensing\Operations

• Canton City Health Department (CCHD) Air Permitting\Title V

• USEPA CERCLA\RCRA

Normal operating landfill until late 2005Unusual conditions in late 2005

• Increase in odors / complaints• Increase in gas generation• Increase in leachate generation• Increased landfill temperatures Submitted NSPS HOV requests

• Unusual settlement• Slope stability issues• Change in leachate and gas composition

312,000 tons of aluminum dross from removal in Uhrichsville, OH (‘93-’97)• Primarily in cells 1, 3, 4A, 4B, 6A

250,000 tons of additional aluminum production waste (‘91- ‘06)

Liquids introduced• Solidification• Leachate re-circulation

Late 2005 to present• Not typical landfill Working face Landfill Gas

•Reaction Gas• Jan-Aug 2006 over 660 odor complaints

December 2005 at 1800 cfmLANDGEM predicted 2200 to 3250 cfmAugust 2006 over 5000 cfmPresently at 5639 cfm

Impacts• Unusual pressures in the landfill Pressure 200.5” water Much of impacted area under positive pressure

• Slope stability concerns• Leachate outbreaks• Condensate management issues• Impacts on gas system components

15

Probes

Subsurface temperature monitoring

2004 3.2m gal2005 12.1m gal2006 28.7m gal 2007 42.9m gal / 34.3m gal (88 acres)2008 42.5m gal / 33.1m gal (88 acres)2009 estimate 26m gal (88 acres)

Cumulative settlement since 4/06 = 1.6 m yd3

18

50’ settlement

Significant H2 concentrations in gas• Some wells greater than 50% H2

High concentrations of VOCsVery corrosive to gas system componentsLittle to no CH4 in some wellsHigh TDS, BOD, COD in leachate

• Taken to 5 different POTWs

Ohio EPA DFFOs• September 2006• March 2007• December 2007

US EPA AOC• April 2008

Control escape of gas, odor & liquid

Reduce infiltration of O2 & H2O

Stabilize reaction area

Odor surveillance plan• Level of intensity

0 – A concentration that produces no sensation1 – Concentration which is barely detectable2 – A distinct and definite odor whose characteristic is clearly

detectable3 – An odor strong enough to cause a person to avoid it

completely4 – An odor so strong as to be overpowering and intolerable

for any length of time

Ohio EPA Surveillance Map

Required through Orders• Sampling every 6 days• 4 community locations• VOCs, dioxins, furans

No exceedances of any regulatory or health based standards for target parameters

Bolivar, OH

Pop = 5400

I-77

Akron - 25mi

Columbus

120 mi

Countywide Recycling &

Disposal Facility

Air Monitoring Location

N

US ACE

Bolivar Dam

27

TAGA Bus• Mobile, real time monitoring in community

UV DOAS• Real time monitoring on landfill

30

Emitter

Receiver

UV light beam

Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent (AOC)• Enhanced vapor extraction/temp. monitoring near “Fire

Break”• Development/installation long-term cap (Cells 1-6)• Placing FML with sub-cap drainage Placing composite cap

• Re-grading and filling, positive drainage• Enhanced gas and leachate collection

32

34

Sub-cap drains & gas collectors

Increased leachate storage capacity

Increased SW run-off capacity

Increased flaring capacity

36

AERIAL VIEW

Cell 7

Cells 1-6

N

37

Barrier

&

Monitor

Zones

Cell 7

Cell 5High

Temps

Cell 7 Cell 5

~ 380k yd3 waste excavated Projection of heat, gases and settlement from dross reaction/fire

Isolation Break Excavation Work Plan• Concurrence with Director of Ohio EPA• Approved in November ‘08• GOAL = complete separation and containment• 5A/5B/4B - 7• Considered “additional work” under AOC

• V-shaped trench in 5/7 area• 75’ deep x

470’ wide x 1000’ long

• 400,000 yds3

Two excavators8 layers, ~10’ eachDisposed in Cell 7~45 “working days”

Air Monitoring Zones1. Personnel2. 300’ downwind3. Four perimeter stations, one mobile4. Community monitors5. Nasal Ranger

Personnel monitoring

Waste monitoring

Large excavators

Odor control strategies

4 perimeter1 portable

Onsite Network

U.S. EPA

N

Continuous, real-time monitors installed • VOC readings every 20 sec Can trigger 15 min SUMMA canister Collects sample if elevated level of VOC for > 5min

• On-site computer tracking• Met data at each station

49

Completed on time in 6/09No evidence of fire\reaction in Cell 7Impacted area isolated and contained in 88 acre

“Remediation Area”

Consent OrderOM&M Plan for 88 acre remediation area

• Covers all pertinent aspects of controls Leachate, gas, liner, surface water controls

Team Countywide meetings – monthly• Feds, state, county, city

Dedicated on-site staff Remediation area manager Technicians (gas, leachate, construction)

Issue Advisory Letters

Convene Secondary Aluminum Production Waste (SA waste) Workgroup

Conduct Generator Site Visits

Convene HOV workgroup

Coordinate w/ other states

Involve US EPA

Require PTI before landfill can accept SA waste

Revise daily log form

Prohibit leachate recirculation

Urge federal leaders to convene the stakeholders

Continue participating in the US EPA SA waste research project

Evaluate the recycling and by-product synergy issues

Change Ohio law to prohibit co-disposal of SA waste with MSW

Require SA waste to be pre-treated prior to disposal

Include SA waste as a type of “Restricted Waste” in the State Solid Waste Plan

Identify SA waste as hazardous waste

Develop HOV and Alternative Timelines Guidance and change internal operating procedures

Prohibit leachate recirculation

Develop strategy for monitoring and evaluating landfills without NSPS systems

“Decision Tree” - problem Subtitle D sites Limited authority, no inspectors or permits

Assign priority based on: Address persistent waste management issuesH2S, fires, AL dross Build state capacity, expertise Address state/industry/citizen/congressional concerns Demonstration project to learn from

Inventory of problem sites Resource bibliography Guidance letter to IN, OH Assist states, industry address problem sites Initiate research project Develop and share best practices

Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE)

SA waste characterization and interactions Metals concentrations in SA waste samples Chemical changes over time with exposure to water, leachate,

other solid wastes

Develop Solution (s) Safe methods for handling SA wastes Technique for appropriate disposal

Evaluate Data Mechanism to evaluate chemical data generated at affected

landfills on an ongoing basis

Step 1: Extensive literature review

Step 2: Representative sample collection

Step 3: Characterization of various SA waste

Step 4: Evaluate solid waste / SA waste interactionsStep 5: Reagent analysis for fire controlStep 6: Reagent analysis to stabilize materialStep 7: Data validation (field)Step 8: Development of BMP

Sample collection Types of SAP waste Location Number of samples

Sample Characterization Elemental composition Metal oxide phase Surface characteristics

SAP waste interaction with water Simulate LF conditions (varying conditions) Analyze gasCH4, CO, CO2, O2, N2, H2, etc.

Monitor temperatures Propagation of reaction/fire in simulated MSW

landfill conditions

Exothermic hydrolysis process

2Al + 6H2O → 3H2 + 2Al(OH)3 Al4C3 + 12H2O → 3CH4 + 4Al(OH)3 AlN + 2H2O → NH3 + 2AlOOH

- Hydrogen, methane and ammonia from metallic aluminum, aluminum carbides and aluminum nitrides

- Extreme heat induces pyrolysis of surrounding waste

Fire Control Apply suspensions to simulated fires Determine optimal application conditions Analyze effluent gas

Material Stabilization Prevent or slow rate of reaction (+ ignition) Coat and simulate LF conditions Analyze headspace gas to measure effectiveness New technology for in-situ treatment ?

Safer management of SA waste Data Knowledge Recommended practices Products and technologies to address sites

Final report Recommended Management Practices

U.S. EPA Office of Research & Development

U.S. EPA Region 5

Partners Ohio EPA, Indiana DEM Industry (NSWMA - EREF, AA) Academia CRADA mechanism

Other site experiences to share ?

Any existing information, data, lab/research, references ?

Ideas, suggestions, concerns

Interest in sharing information, coordination