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Pitsch Sanitary Landfill (Belding, Ionia County)

Pitsch Sanitary Landfill (Belding, Ionia County)

Disclaimer: Web content may not be routinely updated on this page.

Please contact the Site Lead for the most up-to-date status of this site.

EGLE site lead

Kent Walters, WaltersK7@Michigan.gov or 616-278-4350.

Waste Disposal Questions

Pitsch Sanitary Landfill: 248-760-9136

Background

Pitsch Sanitary Landfill (PSL) is an active type II municipal landfill located at 7905 Johnson Road. It is privately owned and operated by Pitsch Companies. Groundwater has been impacted by chlorinated Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) above drinking water standards and ground water/surface water interface standards. The source of the VOCs is thought to be from the historic township dump (which has been removed) and/or the unlined portion of the landfill. Monitoring is conducted quarterly to ensure the VOC plume is not expanding. Because of its historical VOC release to the environment, a potential release of PFAS was also of concern. Results from groundwater sampling done in March 2019 included one well that exceeded groundwater cleanup criteria. Groundwater in both the shallow and deep aquifers eventually vent to the Flat River, which is a potential surface water receptor.

Content posted March 2022.

Pitsch Sanitary Landfill PFOA and PFOS Results

Site map

See an aerial view of the location of the site.

Expand the map

Drinking water

Most drinking water wells near PSL are installed in the deep aquifer and are side gradient to the landfill, outside of the area currently impacted by chlorinated VOCs. Currently, there is no evidence that PFAS is leaving the site above groundwater quality standards.

Anticipated activities

PSL is working on remedial action plan proposal for EGLE review.

Historical Timeline

    • On June 5, 2018, PSLs leachate was tested for PFAS by the Industrial Pretreatment Program initiative.
    • On March 20, 2019, PSL sampled five onsite monitoring wells to assess PFAS in groundwater.  Results included one monitoring well that exceeded groundwater cleanup criteria.   
    • On March 28, 2019, EGLE sampled three additional monitoring wells because of additional concern of potential impact to nearby receptors.
    • On June 21, 2019, PSL sampled three additional monitoring wells to further assess PFAS in groundwater.
    • On September 26, 2019, EGLE and PSL met to discuss the need to continue to delineate PFAS impacts to groundwater.  PSL committed to sampling three additional groundwater monitoring wells. 
    • On October 8, 2019, PSL submitted a workplan to sample 3 additional groundwater monitoring wells for PFAS to better define PFAS impacts in the shallow aquifer.  The workplan was approved by EGLE and samples were collected on December 11, 2019.
    • January 6, 2020, PSL submitted results for 3 additional groundwater monitoring wells.  One monitoring well was above the groundwater cleanup criteria.
       

    Historical Sampling Table: data is reflective of criteria prior to 8/3/2020:
    PFOS + PFOA Only
    This table reflects data received prior to 8/3/2020.

    Type of Sample

    Date Sampled

    # of Samples

    # of Results Received

    # of Non-detects

    # Between Non-detect and standard*

    #>Standard

    Groundwater

    		 Jun 21, 2019 14 14 8 4 2
    Non-Potable Supply Well Dec 7, 2019 1 1 0 1 0

    Cumulative

    		 15 15 8 5 2

    *Groundwater results are compared to EGLE Part 201 Criteria of 70 ppt PFOS+PFOA.

    • On September 30, 2020, EGLE approved a workplan to investigate PFAS impacts around monitoring well OW-11 and East of OW-18.
    • On November 12, 2020, PSL installed three new groundwater monitoring wells to define PFAS impacts to the shallow aquifer east of Johnson Road.  A total of five groundwater monitoring wells were sampled for PFAS.  
    • On December 15, 2020, PSL provided the PFAS sampling results from the November 12 investigation.  The highest PFOA was 10 ppt collected at monitoring well TP-6, the highest PFBS was 7 ppt collected at monitoring well TP-10, the highest PFHxS was 6 ppt collected at TP-10.  PFOS, PFHxA and PFNA were not detected.
    • On February 3, 2021, EGLE met with PSL to discuss developing a remedial action plan to include repeated PFAS sampling to monitor impacted groundwater long-term.
    • On February 18, 2021, PSL submitted a long term PFAS monitoring plan to EGLE for review.  EGLE provided comments that the proposed plan was not sufficient to properly monitor PFAS impacts to groundwater.
    • On May 13, 2021, PSL submitted a revised long term PFAS monitoring plan to EGLE for review.  EGLE provided comments and suggestions to be incorporated into the plan.
    • On October 30, 2021, PSL submitted an annual PFAS monitoring report.  Three out of 11 samples exceeded PFAS drinking water criteria.  The highest PFOA was 74 ppt collected at monitoring well OW-11.  The highest PFOS was 18 ppt collected at monitoring well MW-31S.  

    Sampling Results Summary

    Type of Sample

    Date Sampled (or range)

    Number of Sample Results Received

    Number of Samples above Criteria

    Groundwater

    		 November 13, 2020 - September 2021 17 5

    * Residential well and groundwater monitoring well results are compared to EGLE Part 201 criteria for 7 PFAS compounds:  PFOS (16 ppt), PFOA (8 ppt), PFNA (6 ppt), PFHxS (51 ppt), PFHxA (400,000 ppt), PFBS (420 ppt), and HFPO-DA (370 ppt).

    Sampling Notes

    • On August 3, 2020, new Part 201 Criteria went into effect.  Historical sampling data compared to Part 201 Criteria >70 is captured in the historical timeline below.
    • Other PFAS analytes were detected in samples. There are no federal or state standards for these analytes.