CITY OF HAMILTON Glanbrook Landfill Assessment of Odour Sources and Associated Health Related Impacts 333047-0000-4EER-0002 1.0 1.1 Revision No. Date Page 00 2007-08-31 10 of 68 INTRODUCTION Purpose The Glanbrook Landfill Site (the Site) is owned by the City of Hamilton (the City) and is operated on their behalf by Waste Management of Canada Corporation (WMCC). The Site was opened in 1980 and is designed to accept approximately 11,800,000 cubic meters of domestic, commercial and non-hazardous solid industrial wastes at capacity. In recent years, the City has received a number of odour complaints relating to the Site, in particular from neighbours situated directly northeast of the Site along Hall Road. Similar complaints have also been received in the past from other residents along Hall Road, and a few residents situated further away from the Site to the northeast. In early 2007, one of the neighbouring property owners contacted the City’s Public Health Services, Health Protection Division requesting information as to potential health impacts which could result from air emissions from the Site. Subsequently, SNC-Lavalin Engineers & Constructors Inc. (SLE&C) was retained by the City to conduct an assessment of odour sources at the Site and the associated health related impacts to residents on Hall Road. The report comprises 8 sections. Section 1, presents the objectives of the work and provides a description of Site conditions during the study and an overview of the historic filling pattern and composition of the waste accepted at the Site. A history of the Site’s odour complaints is presented in Section 2. Section 3 summarizes previous landfill gas and air quality health related investigations. The study approach and methodology is provided in Section 4 while the results are summarized in Section 5. Section 6 provides a synopsis of potential health related impacts of the sampling results, specifically for landfill gas related emissions and fungi using measurements obtained during the study. Conclusions and recommendations are provided in Section 7 and applicable references are noted in Section 8. The report also includes figures, tables and appendices containing relevant information regarding the Site and results obtained during the study. Section 9 provides a glossary of terms and abreviations. J:\333047\40 - Eng Mgmt\4E - Env\ER - Env-Eng Reports\Health Related Odour Assessment2\4EER-0002 Rev00 -Health Related Odour Assessment Report 2007-08-31.doc CITY OF HAMILTON Glanbrook Landfill Assessment of Odour Sources and Associated Health Related Impacts 333047-0000-4EER-0002 1.2 Revision No. Date Page 00 2007-08-31 11 of 68 Site Description The Site is located on Part of Lots 26, 27 and 28, Concession 9 and Part of Lots 26, 27 28 and 29, Concession 10 in the Township of Glanbrook (See Figure 1.1). The Site is approximately 220 hectares in area (approved fill area and buffer lands). Of this area, approximately 74 ha has been allocated for waste disposal with the remaining 146 ha forming a buffer zone between the waste mound and adjacent properties. The Site is accessed from Haldibrook Road, east of Highway 56. The Site is bounded by two surface water courses; Buckhorn Creek to the south and west and the Welland River to the northeast. The nearest residences to the Site are situated northwest and northeast of the active fill area. The landfill property line is shared with the northwest residence and is separated by Hall Road from the northeast resident. The Site operates under Provisional Certificate of Approval (C of A) No. A130604, originally issued on December 28, 1979 and most recently amended on June 7, 2007. The landfill has been divided into four stages of development. Stage 1 covers roughly the southern half of the current landfill footprint and has been completed to final grade and capped. Stage 2 is currently active. Stage 3 and Stage 4 will be developed in the future, and will be located the west of the present fill area. Leachate containment for the first two stages of landfill development relies on the low permeability in situ lacustrine clay and silty soils which underlie the site. The original leachate management system included a perimeter toe drain. It consisted of perforated pipe within a granular surround installed at the toe of slope inside a perimeter containment berm. The toe drain discharges into a perimeter transmission pipe which, in turn, conveys leachate to designated manholes where the leachate is pumped to a forcemain for off-site treatment. A new perimeter drain collection system to enhance leachate management was installed at the Site between 2001 and 2003. The new system is intended to provide positive control of leachate by reducing leachate mounding within Stages 1 and 2. The design incorporated finger drains and two lateral collectors to facilitate drainage within the mound. J:\333047\40 - Eng Mgmt\4E - Env\ER - Env-Eng Reports\Health Related Odour Assessment2\4EER-0002 Rev00 -Health Related Odour Assessment Report 2007-08-31.doc CITY OF HAMILTON Glanbrook Landfill Assessment of Odour Sources and Associated Health Related Impacts 333047-0000-4EER-0002 Revision No. Date Page 00 2007-08-31 12 of 68 A state-of-the-art landfill gas utilization system, comprising collection, flaring and power generation is currently being installed. The system consists of a grid of horizontal trenches and vertical gas extraction wells, centrifugal blower, enclosed flare, and supporting mechanical and electrical subsystems which are necessary to collect and combust the landfill gas. Further, it is intended that a power plant with landfill gas engines will be built to utilize most of the landfill gas collected, which will combine odour mitigation, greenhouse gases’ reduction and renewable electricity generation objectives. 1.3 1.3.1 Site Operation and Development Historical Landfill Operations As previously noted the site was opened in 1980 and accepts domestic, commercial and industrial non-hazardous solid industrial wastes. Stages 1 and 2, representing the completed and active filling areas, have a combined waste footprint of 41.7 ha and had accepted approximately 4,277,912 tonnes as of January, 2007. At this time, it is estimated that 1,281,146 tonnes of capacity remained, with operations in Stage 2 anticipated to continue until at least 2019 to 2023 depending on the ability to improve diversion rates and the potential use of alternate daily cover (ADC). A summary of the historic tonnages accepted at the site is included as Table 1.1. Table 1.1: Historical Waste Quantities Accepted at the Glanbrook Landfill Year 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 Total Waste (tonnes) 200,882 190,440 230,716 214,006 209,262 282,046 249,448 235,298 228,644 % Ash 11% 10% 11% 11% 11% 2% 9% 10% 12% Cumulative Total Landfilled (tonnes) 200,882 391,322 622,038 836,044 1,045,306 1,327,352 1,576,800 1,812,098 2,040,742 J:\333047\40 - Eng Mgmt\4E - Env\ER - Env-Eng Reports\Health Related Odour Assessment2\4EER-0002 Rev00 -Health Related Odour Assessment Report 2007-08-31.doc CITY OF HAMILTON Glanbrook Landfill Assessment of Odour Sources and Associated Health Related Impacts 333047-0000-4EER-0002 Year 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 1.3.2 Total Waste (tonnes) 219,171 181,235 107,676 119,164 121,809 121,232 113,890 97,798 98,620 101,592 102,107 96,288 98,570 166,164 178,854 177,203 162,797 % Ash 17% 14% 23% 28% 24% 22% 33% 48% 45% 43% 40% 37% 36% 0% 0% 0% 0% Revision No. Date Page 00 2007-08-31 13 of 68 Cumulative Total Landfilled (tonnes) 2,259,913 2,441,148 2,548,824 2,667,988 2,789,797 2,911,029 3,024,919 3,122,717 3,221,337 3,322,929 3,425,036 3,521,324 3,619,894 3,786,058 3,937,912 4,115,115 4,277,912 Waste Composition While the majority of the waste accepted at the Site has historically comprised typical municipal solid waste (MSW), from the period of 1981 to 2002 varying degrees of residual ash from the SWARU incinerator were disposed of at the Site. The ash comprised both bottom ash and fly ash. The fly ash was stabilized before acceptance at the landfill where it was mixed into the bottom ash to create a non-hazardous, mixed material. This was landfilled over the period except for the years from 1990 to 1992 when the MOE required separate disposal of fly ash at a hazardous waste handling facility. Other materials which have been accepted at the Site are residuals from municipal Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), including grit, ash and scum. In 2003, with the closure of the Solid Waste Area Reduction Unit (SWARU) incinerator facility, a substantial change in waste composition was noted, as processed ash was replaced by the raw waste which had previously been directed to the SWARU facility. J:\333047\40 - Eng Mgmt\4E - Env\ER - Env-Eng Reports\Health Related Odour Assessment2\4EER-0002 Rev00 -Health Related Odour Assessment Report 2007-08-31.doc CITY OF HAMILTON Glanbrook Landfill Assessment of Odour Sources and Associated Health Related Impacts 333047-0000-4EER-0002 Revision No. Date Page 00 2007-08-31 14 of 68 In 2006, another substantive change in waste characteristics occurred following the phased rollout of the City’s Green Bin program, where organics are source separated and diverted to the new state-of-the-art composting facility. Enforcement of a three container limit for garbage has resulted in a considerable decrease of organic-type material being received at the Site. It should be noted that the initial surge of organic waste received following the closure of SWARU will be approaching its projected maximum landfill gas generation rate period, based on standard waste decomposition assumptions. 1.3.3. Leaf and Yard Composting The Leaf and Yard Waste Composting facility (Facility) is located at the west area of the Glanbrook landfill site. The Facility receives leaf and yard compostables, collected from the curb and at the Kenora, Dundas and Mountain Transfer Stations. Waste material collected and composted at this site generally consists of leaves, grass, brush and garden waste with the acceptance of Christmas trees during the winter months. The Facility utilizes an outdoor windrow composting technology (aerobic) and is capable of processing 28,000 tonnes of leaf and yard waste per year. Past compost quantities accepted are listed in Table 1.2. Table 1.2: Historical Compost Quantities Accepted at the Glanbrook Landfill Year Tonnage (tonnes) Year 1996 1,143.49 2002 1997 5,048.81 2003 1998 5,583.40 2004 1999 5,131.89 2005 2000 6,081.83 2006 10,454.55 2007 (Till July) 2001 Tonnage (tonnes) 14,642.23 17,131.14 17,901.39 19,215.20 13,277.19 5,041.06 J:\333047\40 - Eng Mgmt\4E - Env\ER - Env-Eng Reports\Health Related Odour Assessment2\4EER-0002 Rev00 -Health Related Odour Assessment Report 2007-08-31.doc CITY OF HAMILTON Glanbrook Landfill Assessment of Odour Sources and Associated Health Related Impacts 333047-0000-4EER-0002 2.0 2.1 Revision No. Date Page 00 2007-08-31 15 of 68 HISTORY OF SITE ODOUR ISSUES Summary of Complaints The City first began receiving consistent odour complaints in 2005 and has been responding to these complaints and implementing both short and long term measures to prevent and control odours. A total of seven complaints were received in 2005, 16 in 2006 and 22 have been received to June 12, 2007. Each complaint is documented and inspection and mitigation measures are taken in a timely manner by the City. Residents have been encouraged to report any odour complaints as soon as they occur and have been provided with contact cell number for the City’s Waste Management staff for 24-hours a day and 7-days a week access. For each odour related complaint from the near-by residents, City staff followed-up with the resident and/or conduct a site visit immediately following notification of the issue. Details regarding the specific complaints received, findings of follow-up investigations, and mitigative measures taken are kept in a complaint log for record keeping and reporting purposes. There are two (2) important observations that need to be made from the 2007 complaints record. First, that since December 2006, daily cover requirements have been met solely through the application of clay, which is known to be efficient for odour control. This suggests that the source of the odour may be other than new waste placed at the tipping face. Second, ten (10) of twenty-two (22) complaints were registered in May and June, 2007 coincident with the start of construction works for the active gas system. Current activities involve the excavation of trenches into older waste, which again would release odours unrelated to day-to-day operations. As can be seen from Table 2.1 below, thirty-nine (39) of the forty-four (44) complaints received from 2005 to 2007 were associated with roads located north of the site (See Figure 1.1). Of these thirty-nine, twenty-five (25) are from the neighbours residing on Hall Road, which is directly adjacent to the site. The pattern of complainant locations is consistent with the dominant wind direction, known to be in a north to northeasterly direction. To the south of the site, a total of three (3) complaints originated from Haldibrook Road, Road 9 (Haldimand) and Highway 56 (Haldimand) residents. These complaints are attributed to occasional changes in wind direction to the south or southwest. J:\333047\40 - Eng Mgmt\4E - Env\ER - Env-Eng Reports\Health Related Odour Assessment2\4EER-0002 Rev00 -Health Related Odour Assessment Report 2007-08-31.doc CITY OF HAMILTON Glanbrook Landfill Assessment of Odour Sources and Associated Health Related Impacts 333047-0000-4EER-0002 Revision No. Date Page 00 2007-08-31 16 of 68 Table 2.1: Distribution of Complaints around the Site Location Hall Road Woodburn Road Bell Road Kirk Road Haldibrook Road Road 9 Highway 56 Others (Councillor Office) Total 2.2 Location Relative to the Site North Northeast North North South South South 2005 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 7 2006 13 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 15 2007 9 6 1 1 1 1 1 2 22 Total 27 8 3 1 1 1 1 2 44 Interim Mitigation Measures Since late 2005, the City has proactively developed and implemented interim mitigation measures. These remedial measures have had various degrees of success, however, the current activities related to the construction of the full-scale landfill gas collection system may have exacerbated odour related problems at the site during the first three weeks of construction which started May 7, 2007. The measures currently in use at the site include: • • • • • • • • • • • installation of vent pipes in all manholes; recapping of leachate cleanouts; Leachate Collection System (LCS) manholes sealed; the installation of granulated activated carbon air scrubber systems at the outlet of selected manhole vent stacks; the installation of a portable, active landfill gas flaring system supplied and operated by Comcor Environmental Limited, subsequently upgraded with a second flare and blower system; remediation of leachate seeps; use of clay as daily cover; extensive interim cover remediation and rehabilitation; implementation of an odour suppression system; development and implementation of an odour control plan for installation of the full-scale gas collection system that includes among other things: appropriate selection of excavation locations, and the minimization of trench lengths and the duration underlying waste remains exposed; and use of active misting system by the contractor as required. J:\333047\40 - Eng Mgmt\4E - Env\ER - Env-Eng Reports\Health Related Odour Assessment2\4EER-0002 Rev00 -Health Related Odour Assessment Report 2007-08-31.doc CITY OF HAMILTON Glanbrook Landfill Assessment of Odour Sources and Associated Health Related Impacts 333047-0000-4EER-0002 • 2.3 Revision No. Date Page 00 2007-08-31 17 of 68 monitoring wells were re-capped Long Term Mitigation Measures As a long term solution to control off-site odours, the City is installing a state-of-the-art landfill gas utilization system, comprising collection, flaring and power generation. Construction was initiated on May 7, 2007 and odour control is the top priority for design objectives, construction approach and operating procedures. The system consists of a grid of horizontal trenches and vertical gas extraction wells, centrifugal blower(s), enclosed flare, and supporting mechanical and electrical subsystems which are necessary to collect and combust the landfill gas. Further, it is intended that a power plant with landfill gas engines will be built to utilize most of the landfill gas collected, which will combine odour mitigation, greenhouse gases’ reduction and renewable electricity generation objectives. Discussions with representatives of other landfill sites where similar full-scale landfill gas collection systems were installed suggest that odour related issues will significantly decrease when the landfill gas to energy project is commissioned. For instance, at the Brock West Landfill site operated by the City of Toronto (formerly Metro Toronto), the number of complaints at the operational landfill site were reduced from 504 during the peak year (1986) which coincided with the start of system installation (continuing through to 1987) and decreasing progressively each year such that only 33 were received in 1990 and 15 in 1991 (complaint data was only available to 1991). Reductions in odour complaints were even more pronounced for the more modern landfill gas collection system installed at Guelph’s Eastview Landfill. Prior to the installation of an LFG collection system at the Eastview Landfill, 34 and 24 complaints were received in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Since the commissioning of the system in 2003, no odour complaints have been reported for the Site. Similarly, for the East Quarry Landfill operated by Niagara Waste Systems, a partial gas collection system covering approximately 60% of the waste disposal area has been effective in reducing odour complaints from several per month to one per month on average. J:\333047\40 - Eng Mgmt\4E - Env\ER - Env-Eng Reports\Health Related Odour Assessment2\4EER-0002 Rev00 -Health Related Odour Assessment Report 2007-08-31.doc CITY OF HAMILTON Glanbrook Landfill Assessment of Odour Sources and Associated Health Related Impacts 333047-0000-4EER-0002 3.0 3.1 Revision No. Date Page 00 2007-08-31 18 of 68 LITERATURE REVIEW OF PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS Glanbrook Landfill Studies Several studies related to landfill gas have been carried out historically at the Glanbrook Landfill Site by a number of consultants. In 1998, SLE&C (formerly Fenco Maclaren Inc.) conducted a study directed to an assessment of landfill gas conditions and recommendations for effective control systems at the Site. The work involved field investigations test pit excavation, gas probes’ installation, landfill gas monitoring, landfill gas generation/dispersion modelling and assessment of potential impacts from landfill gas. Gas monitoring did not detect any methane in the buffer zone gas probes and no vegetation stress was noticed in the buffer zone. The monitoring results suggested that the presence of Buckhorn Creek and the Welland River provide natural barriers to subsurface migration of gas for the landfills southwest and northeast quadrants, respectively. Air dispersion modelling at that time indicated that for all contaminants except vinyl chloride, parameter concentrations at the landfill boundary (and at off-property locations) were well below both MOE and MOL criteria for all averaging periods, suggesting that no significant air quality impacts would be expected. Additional analysis of various non-methanogenic organic compounds (NMOCs) modelled at the Site boundary or beyond confirmed that annual average concentrations under all scenarios were below U.S. EPA Reference Concentrations, indicating emissions could be assumed to be unrelated to non-cancer related health impacts. Further, with the exception of 1,3-butadiene and 1,2-dibromoethane, off-property annual average parameter concentrations which were modelled under all scenarios were below U.S. EPA Risk-Specific Concentrations, indicating that there was no increased cancer related risks from these emissions. In 2003, Rowan Williams Davies and Irwin Inc. (RWDI) were retained by the City to perform an assessment of the ambient air quality (AAQ) downwind of the Site. The AAQ monitoring program was designed to assess a variety of parameters often associated with landfill emissions, including; volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (including total suspended particulates; inhalable particulates and respirable particulates), airborne metals and dioxins and furans. J:\333047\40 - Eng Mgmt\4E - Env\ER - Env-Eng Reports\Health Related Odour Assessment2\4EER-0002 Rev00 -Health Related Odour Assessment Report 2007-08-31.doc CITY OF HAMILTON Glanbrook Landfill Assessment of Odour Sources and Associated Health Related Impacts 333047-0000-4EER-0002 Revision No. Date Page 00 2007-08-31 19 of 68 Samples were initially obtained in the fall of 2003, with subsequent re-monitoring of dioxins and furans in 2004 to obtain additional data. Both short-term (1/2 hour duration) and long-term (24 hour duration) samples were obtained, and results were correlated with data from a temporary weather station installed at the site. Analytical results were compared to both point of impingement (POI) criteria and 24-hour ambient air quality criteria (AAQC), as relevant. Following collection of VOC samples, analysis of the results indicated that there was a statistical increase in the downwind concentrations compared to the upwind concentrations, but that no parameters exceeded the relevant MOE POI criteria. The highest concentration parameters, vinyl chloride and naphthalene, considered to be typical parameters associated with landfill emissions, were both on the order of 14% of the allowable limits. Particulate monitoring likewise did not indicate any exceedences of the MOE AAQC criteria. Dioxin and furan samples from both 2003 and 2004 indicated that maximum concentrations in the samples were more than 2 orders of magnitude below the allowable criteria, that is, less than 1% of the allowable limits for these parameters. The conclusions of the two RWDI studies indicated that while the landfill was contributing to both VOC and particulate loading downwind of the site, no parameters exceeded their relevant criteria, and thus there was little reason for concern regarding health related impacts due to landfill related air quality emissions, in particular with VOC and dioxin and furan parameters. In 2005 and 2006, SLE&C conducted odour assessment work which related to suspected offgassing from the Site’s leachate management system. This work resulted in the development of staged interim remedial action plans to address odour related impacts. Site investigations during that time, identified three distinct odour types: compost (sweet), a typical decomposing waste smell, and raw landfill gas smell (sour, acrid). A primary source for odours was identified on the landfill perimeter side slopes, in the vicinity of a number of leachate manholes and cleanouts, and at the top of a number of manholes following removal of their covers. No specific odour compounds were sampled/measured as part of this work, nor were odours detected off-site during these specific field investigations. It was concluded, at that time, that the odour complaints were the result of relocating the tipping face to the northeast area of the site, coupled with landfill gas escaping from the leachate collection system. A phased mitigation approach was recommended, commencing with J:\333047\40 - Eng Mgmt\4E - Env\ER - Env-Eng Reports\Health Related Odour Assessment2\4EER-0002 Rev00 -Health Related Odour Assessment Report 2007-08-31.doc CITY OF HAMILTON Glanbrook Landfill Assessment of Odour Sources and Associated Health Related Impacts 333047-0000-4EER-0002 Revision No. Date Page 00 2007-08-31 20 of 68 installation of vent pipes in all manholes followed by other solutions as necessary, including installing activated carbon scrubber systems for the vents and a temporary gas collection/flaring system, which was coupled to the leachate management system. Mitigation measures included in this approach were geared towards managing odour emissions from the on-site leachate collection system only, and not related to the tipping face operations. J:\333047\40 - Eng Mgmt\4E - Env\ER - Env-Eng Reports\Health Related Odour Assessment2\4EER-0002 Rev00 -Health Related Odour Assessment Report 2007-08-31.doc