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Cove Landfill and Huron Landfill Property (Bad Axe, Huron County)

Cove Landfill and Huron Landfill Property (Bad Axe, Huron 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

Lori Babcock, BabcockL4@Michigan.gov or 989-460-7352.

Waste Disposal Questions

Cove Landfill is closed, contact Huron Landfill at 989-658-2784.

Background

Cove Landfill and Huron Landfill property are located on McMillan Road in Huron County. Cove Landfill is an unlined, closed landfill located immediately to the east of Huron Landfill. While operating, Cove Landfill accepted solid waste. Closure was completed at Cove Landfill in 1989. Huron Landfill maintains and samples Cove Landfill's monitoring wells, per requirements of its active operating license. In May 2019, EGLE requested that Huron Landfill sample wells at both Cove Landfill and Huron Landfill for PFAS compounds, based on existing contamination (volatile organic compounds and arsenic) in groundwater monitoring wells at Huron Landfill, which are downgradient of Cove Landfill.

Groundwater flows generally west-northwest, from the Cove Landfill property toward the Huron Landfill property. Receptors of concern are nearby drinking water wells downgradient of the monitoring wells where PFAS were detected.

Content posted October 2021.

Cove Landfill and Huron Landfill Property Map

Site map

See an aerial view of the location of the site.

Expand the map

Drinking water

There are residential wells approximately one-half mile downgradient of the site. There is no alternate water source available at this time.

Anticipated activities

None at this time.

Historical Timeline

    • On September 9, 2019, Huron Landfill sampled five monitoring wells for PFAS analysis.  Four of the wells were on the Huron Landfill property; one was on the Cove Landfill property.
    • On November 25, 2019, EGLE received the results from the September sampling event.  The highest PFAS contamination was found in monitoring well MW-3S located on the northwest side of the Huron Landfill property, downgradient of Cove Landfill.  This result was 58 ppt PFOA and 11 ppt PFOS. Another well on the Huron Landfill property also exceeded the cleanup criteria of 8 ppt PFOA (it was 14 ppt PFOA).  The well sampled on Cove Landfill property, upgradient of the landfill cell, was non-detect for PFAS.
    • On October 30, 2020, two residential wells were sampled from wells downgradient of the site.
    • On November 10, 2020, EGLE received the results from the October sampling event. PFAS were not detected in any of the residential wells.
    • In July 2021, EGLE requested additional PFAS monitoring of the site wells to delineate the extent of contamination.

    Sampling Results Summary

    Type of Sample

    Date Sampled
    (or range)

    Number of Sample Results Received

    Number of Samples Above Criteria
    Residential Wells October 30, 2020 2 0
    Groundwater Monitoring Wells September 9, 2019 5 2

    * 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).
    * Surface water samples are compared to Rule 57 non-drinking water values of 12 ppt for PFOS and 12,000 ppt for PFOA. 

    Sampling Notes

    • None at this time.