RIPON CITY LANDFILL
RIPON, FOND DU LAC COUNTY, WISCONSIN
PREFACE: THE PURPOSE OF HEALTH ASSESSMENTS
The federal "Superfund" law requires the U. S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to conduct a health assessment of all toxic waste sites that the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes for inclusion on the list of the nation's most hazardous waste sites. This list is called the National Priorities List. The Ripon FF/NN Landfill Site was proposed to the National Priorities List on June 23rd, 1993(1). The site was then listed in May of 1994. The Division of Health (WDOH) within the Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services works with ATSDR to prepare assessments. The purposes of health assessments are:
For each assessment health professionals look at the contaminants present, including each chemical's toxicity; ability to move through soil, water or air; persistence in the environment; and ability to accumulate in the food chain. They look at ways that people could be exposed to contaminants such as eating, breathing, or touching the chemicals. Investigators check relevant health records when appropriate to see if there may be increases in health effects related to public exposure to contaminants from the site. Finally, an assessment identifies the health hazards that a site may pose and recommends action to protect public health now and in the future.
The Ripon FF/NN Superfund Site is an abandoned landfill that operated from 1967 to 1983. The landfill accepted municipal, commercial, and industrial wastes during its operation. The site is northwest of the City of Ripon in the northwest corner of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) have migrated from the landfill to the groundwater near the site. Leachate from the landfill has seeped to the surface and into a depression adjacent to the site.
A private water supply approximately 500 feet south of the site became contaminated with VOCs. Vinyl chloride levels in the water supply wells at this residence posed a public health hazard to the residents. Such an exposure can cause an increased cancer risk. Both water supply wells on this property have been abandoned and the home is no longer occupied. There are no other known exposures to contamination from this site. Other private wells in the area have been tested and are not impacted by the site. A public health hazard could exist in the future if contaminated groundwater migrated to other private wells and were present at levels of health concern. Future exposures to the leachate seeps on-site pose an indeterminant public health hazard.
A monitoring plan should be developed that will provide the nearby well users warning of exposure to contamination above levels that could cause health effects. Leachate in the landfill should be controlled to prevent the potential for exposure to seeps and additional contribution of groundwater contamination. Site access should be limited to prevent contact with the leachate. The WDOH will continue to review remedial actions at this site to ensure the protection of public health. WDOH will also continue to address community health concerns as they arise.
SITE DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY
The Ripon FF/NN Landfill is located approximately 1 mile northwest of the City of Ripon. Ripon is in the northwest corner of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. Figure 1 shows the general location of the City of Ripon in Wisconsin, and Figure 2 shows the location of the site.
Prior
to
use
as
a
landfill,
the
property
was
a
wetland.
The landfill operated from 1967 to 1983, accepting a combination of municipal, commercial and
industrial wastes. The site also accepted wastewater treatment sludge during its operation. The
property was leased from the property owner in 1967, by the Speed Queen Company for
industrial waste disposal from its Ripon facility. In 1968, the City of Ripon leased the property
for use as a landfill and received a landfill license from the Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources (WDNR) in 1969. The City and Town of Ripon jointly operated the site from 1970 to
1983(2). The site was
listed on the Superfund National Priorities List in the Summer of 1993.
The remedial investigation had begun shortly before that time and is expected to be completed in
the Fall of 1994.
The landfill itself occupies 7.3 acres of a 9-acre parcel. The waste thickness ranges from 30
feet
at the western edge to 10 feet at the eastern edge. The waste volume has been estimated at
180,000 cubic yards. In 1985 the
site was capped with clay, and a
passive gas venting 
system was
installed. At that time a leachate
interceptor trench was also
constructed along the eastern side of
the site. Hay has been grown on the
cap since 1985. The site is currently
well vegetated. The clay cap ranges
in thickness from one to four feet,
with three to six inches of topsoil(3).
Large wetlands exist directly northeast of the site across County Highway FF and directly southwest of the site across County Highway NN(Figure 3).
The geology of the area consists of about 170 feet of glacial deposits made up primarily of sand and gravel with minimal silt and clay. Sandstone bedrock lies beneath this unconsolidated layer. The water table is about 20 feet below the base of the landfill. After the heavy rainfall in the summer of 1993, the water table was still more than 10 feet below the bottom of the landfill. Groundwater flow at the water table is to the southwest beneath the site. Groundwater flow within the deeper sandstone is to the west(4).
DEMOGRAPHICS, LAND USE, AND NATURAL RESOURCE USE
Land use in
the area consists of a
mixture of rural residential,
agricultural, and a quarry operation.
The quarry operation is across
County Highway NN to the west of
the site. There are twenty-four
residences within a half mile of the
site. Most are along County
Highways FF and NN to the north.
Figure 3 shows the approximate
locations of those homes. The
population of the City of Ripon is
approximately 7,500 people. The
city includes a mix of industrial,
commercial and residential land
uses. There is also a small college
in the town.
There is a residence directly south of the site that had been occupied until 1991. This home is no longer occupied, and the private well serving it has been abandoned to prevent further use.
SITE VISIT
On April 21, 1992 Chuck Warzecha of the WDOH went to the site with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) project manager. The cap was well vegetated without noticeable erosion. Since closure hay has been grown on the cap. There is potential for ponding of water to the east of the cap, in fact, standing water was noted at the time of the site visit. The base of the cap to the east has had some erosion related to leachate seeps from the landfill. The slope of the landfill cap appears to be sufficient to prevent ponding on the landfill itself. The site is not fenced and there are no signs warning people to stay off the site.
The site is on the edge of a ridge that drops off rapidly to the northeast and to the west and southwest. A wetland and shooting range are northeast of the site across County Highway FF. A very large rock quarry operates west of the site across County Highway NN. South of the quarry is a large, open-water wetland. At the time of the visit, this wetland was filled with a variety of ducks and geese. It appeared that the wetland received water indirectly from the quarry.
On April 20, 1993 Chuck Warzecha and Mary Young of WDOH participated in a public meeting with two WDNR representatives. The meeting was held to discuss the upcoming investigation of the site. The site had not yet been listed as a Superfund site, however, the Superfund process was also discussed. During a visit to the site prior to the meeting no changes were noted from the previous year(5).
HEALTH OUTCOME DATA
"Health outcome data" is a phrase referring to records of death and disease. When there is evidence that people near a site have been exposed to contaminants at levels that could lead to an increase in rates of death or disease, a review of health outcome data may be appropriate. A review also may be appropriate if there are reports of unusual clusters of disease near a site.
COMMUNITY HEALTH CONCERNS
This section addresses the community health concerns identified earlier in the document. community health concerns were solicited at a public meeting held in April of 1993 in the City of Ripon. Chuck Warzecha and Mary Young also interviewed the residents living near the site in the summer of 1993. In general the residents were well informed about the site and were not concerned that the site could affect their health.
