Leachate leak occurs at Vermont landfill

A leachate spill at the New England Waste Services of Vermont (NEWSVT) landfill in Coventry, Vermont, was reported, according to a Feb. 24 statement.

As reported by the Newport Dispatch, the incident involved the malfunctioning of the site’s SAFF leachate treatment system, which led to the release of approximately 8,699 gallons of leachate, while 5,854 gallons were contained within the site’s secondary containment systems. The remaining 2,845 gallons were released but did not leave the landfill property, NEWSVT reported.

Concerns have been raised about the impact of this incident on the environment, with local conservation group DUMP (Don’t Undermine Memphremagog’s Purity) releasing a statement. 

“This environmental crisis occurred just as DUMP has feared and has warned the Vermont State Department of Environmental Conservation,” DUMP chair Henry Coe says. “DUMP strongly objects to the fact that the treatment system has been operating in violation of state law—without a permit yet being issued— for at least six months.”

NEWSVT says company personnel arrived on-site following the alert and initiated containment and cleanup procedures, which included constructing a ditch to intercept the leachate flow and utilizing pump trucks to remove liquids.

The cleanup efforts, completed over several days, involved removing approximately 800 yards of material, including rock, soil and impacted gravel, and placing it within the landfill.

The Newport Dispatch reports that a full investigation into the cause of the malfunction is underway, in collaboration with the system manufacturer.

The SAFF system had multiple fail-safe features, which unexpectedly failed to activate during the malfunction. The use of the SAFF system has been suspended at its current location. The system will resume operation in a permanent building after a thorough investigation, necessary repairs and updates, NEWSVT says. 

The company has also committed to conducting soil and stormwater sampling in the affected area and will report the results to the DEC.