Public Health Assessment Sand Park AKA Browning-Ferris, Inc. Loves Park, Winnebago County, Illinois EPA Facility No. ILD980606693 March 14, 2002 Prepared by Illinois Department of Public Health Under Cooperative Agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Sand Park Final Release Table of Contents Purpose ......................................................................1 Site Description and History ......... ............................................1 Discussion ...................................................................3 ATSDR Child Health Initiative ...................................................8 Conclusions ..................................................................8 Recommendations .............................................................8 Public Health Action Plan .......................................................8 Preparer of Report .............................................................9 Certification .................................................................10 References ..................................................................11 Tables ......................................................................13 Attachments .................................................................20 Comments from Public Comment Period ..........................................26 Sand Park Final Release Purpose The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) requested the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) evaluate the public health significance of the Sand Park site and recommend further actions to reduce or prevent possible health effects. Site Description and History The Sand Park site is a 40-acre parcel of land in Loves Park, Winnebago County, Illinois. About 22 acres of the site is a closed landfill, and the property is used as a city park (Attachment 1). The site is bordered on the north by Riverside Boulevard, on the east by Chicago and Northwestern Railroad tracks, on the west by Walker Road, and on the south by Loves Park City Hall. The Rock River is about one mile west of Sand Park. Structures on the site include a miniature golf course and driving range on the northeast corner; a toboggan hill on the east side of the site; a swimming pool, bathhouse, and parking lot in the center of the property; and a memorial on the southwest portion of the site. Loves Park municipal well #2 is on the southwest corner of the site, about 200 feet from the landfill. Loves Park municipal well #1 is about 0.3 miles southwest of the site. The site is a former sand and gravel pit that the Rockford Park District purchased in 1941 for development as a recreational facility. The site began operating as a landfill in the 1950s. Municipal, commercial, and industrial waste were accepted during landfill operations, and landfill inspection records were available starting in February 1970. Although no problems with hazardous wastes are noted, several reports suggest that hazardous wastes were present. The landfill continued operation until capacity was reached in May 1972. A 2-foot clay cover was applied to the eastern half of the site in 1975 [1]. Although the western half of the site does not have a final cover, enough cover soil is present to prevent direct contact with landfill materials [2]. The first monitoring well (G-101) was installed in 1974 to sample for chloride, iron, and other residues. In 1983, Illinois EPA installed monitoring wells G-102, G-103, G-104, and G-105. Monitoring wells G-106 and G-107 were installed in early 1985 (Attachment 2). Several samples were collected from those wells before they were abandoned. In May 1991, two underground gasoline storage tanks and one diesel fuel storage tank were removed from a location about 200 feet northwest of the site. Soil samples showed the presence of petroleum products, and cleanup was conducted. Groundwater samples collected during the clean up activities contained several non-petroleum volatile organic compounds (VOCs) thought to be migrating from the Sand Park site [3]. 1 Sand Park Final Release The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) installed 10 monitoring wells throughout Loves Park in the spring of 1994 to determine the direction of groundwater flow. The shallow groundwater flow is generally from east to west toward the Rock River. During drilling activities, hazardous plating materials were discovered about 0.25 miles south of the site. One well (ISWS #3) was installed at the southwest corner of the site about 30 feet from municipal well #2. Samples collected from the monitoring well in April and June 1994 showed the presence of VOCs, but the source was not known. In September 1994, Illinois EPA conducted a site inspection at the request of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Another Illinois EPA site inspection was done in August 1995 that included collection of one shallow soil sample (1 - 3 inches), four shallow aquifer groundwater samples (Attachment 3), and one residential well sample. In April 1996, 5 shallow (13 to 20 feet) monitoring wells, MW108 through MW112 were installed. These wells were to replace some original monitoring wells. In July 1997, 5 deep (about 120 feet) wells were installed at locations near wells MW108 through MW112 (designated MW108B - MW112B). Those 5 wells sampled the deeper aquifer around the site (Attachment 4) [4]. Site Visit IDPH staff have visited the site several times over the past few years [5]. The most recent site visit was on July 31, 2001. The surface of the site was covered with grass and other vegetation, but the groundcover was brown and sparse due to the dry summer conditions. Groundcover is maintained by the Rockford Park District. A chain-link fence surrounded the southeast portion of the Sand Park facility. The remaining property boundaries were unfenced and were open to the public. A hill that previously consisted of landfill waste was used as a golf driving range and a toboggan run. A public swimming pool was in the middle portion of the site. On July 31, 2001, the pool was extremely busy, and patrons were snacking and sunbathing on beach towels on the dry groundcover within the chain-link fence that surrounded the pool area. The asphalt parking lot near the swimming pool was full and patrons had parked on the dry grass around the pool. The parking lot had settled in some places, probably because of insufficient compaction or decomposition of the landfill materials. Some areas of the parking lot had settled as much as 1 foot, resulting in a very uneven surface. On a previous site visit, several low areas with ponded water were noted west of the parking lot. Single family homes border the site on the northwest and west. Several small businesses (metal working, metal plating, automotive, etc.) are within a half mile southeast of the site. Ten functional groundwater monitoring wells were on the site [6]. 2 Sand Park Final Release Demographics, Land Use, and Natural Resource Use The Sand Park site is in a heavily populated area of Winnebago County. The area consists of industrial, business, and residential properties. The population of Loves Park is about 17,300 people [7]. The homes near Sand Park represent low to moderate income housing. The distance from the site boundary to the nearest home is about 50 feet. Four grade schools, one junior high school, one private high school, one daycare facility, and several nursing homes are within a one-mile radius of Sand Park. Of the schools, three grade schools, the junior high, and the daycare facility are served by Loves Park Water Department. Two aquifers, a shallow aquifer above the clay layer and a deeper aquifer below the clay layer, exist in the sand and gravel deposits below the site. Five monitoring wells (MW108 – MW112) are finished in the shallow aquifer. ISWS MW3 is finished at the bottom of the shallow aquifer. Five other monitoring wells (MW108B – MW112B) are finished in the deeper aquifer at a depth of 119 feet. Loves Park municipal wells #1 and #2 are finished in the deeper aquifer at a depth of 200 feet [1]. Water level measurements taken from both the ISWS wells and off-site monitoring wells suggest that groundwater is moving northwest toward the Rock River. Municipal well #1 is out of the projected groundwater flow path from the site, and the water from that well is treated by filtration and aeration. Finished water supply samples are tested for VOCs about every 3 months. USEPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) have not been exceeded. Municipal well #2 is also out of the projected groundwater flow path from the site, but could be close enough to draw contaminants into the well during use. That well is has been abandoned by the city because of past trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination [8]. About 25 private wells exist in the residential area between the site and the Rock River. The well nearest to the landfill is about two blocks southwest of the site. Discussion Chemicals of Interest IDPH compared environmental sampling results with the appropriate comparison values (Attachment 5). Comparison values are used to select chemicals of interest for further evaluation. Chemicals found at levels greater than comparison values or those for which no comparison values exist were selected for further evaluation. 3 Sand Park Final Release On-site Contamination A. Groundwater – Shallow Aquifer Many chemicals have been detected in the shallow aquifer at levels greater than comparison values (Tables 1 – 4). The highest level of benzene was found in well ISWS MW3, much higher than seen in any other on-site sample. (Table 1). B. Groundwater – Deeper Aquifer Only one set of samples has been collected from the deeper monitoring wells. Those wells monitor the deeper aquifer where the municipal wells are finished. The chemicals of interest were 1,1-dichloroethane and manganese. C. Soil Only one shallow soil sample (less than 6 inches) has been collected from the site (August 1995). The results are listed in Table 5. No background samples were collected for comparison. The chemicals of interest were polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Off-site Contamination A. Groundwater – Shallow Aquifer One residential well was sampled during the Illinois EPA site inspection in August 1995 (Table 6). That well is about 0.45 miles downgradient of the site. The chemical of interest found was bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate. That chemical was also found in the blank sample, so the accuracy of this result is suspect. Three monitoring wells finished in the shallow aquifer are about 200 feet northwest of the site. Those wells were installed to monitor groundwater during an off-site gasoline clean-up project. Samples collected from those wells contained several non-petroleum VOCs thought to be migrating from Sand Park (Table 8). Chemicals of interest are 1,1-dichloroethane, chloroethane, methylene chloride, and vinyl chloride. B. Groundwater – Deeper Aquifer Loves Park municipal wells #1 and #2 are finished in the deeper aquifer. Manganese and TCE are the chemicals of interest (Table 7). Municipal well #1 is not within the projected groundwater flow from the site, so the manganese may come from another source. Municipal well #2 has been contaminated with TCE in the past and is no longer used. 4 Sand Park Final Release Quality Assurance and Quality Control In preparing this public health assessment, IDPH relied on the information provided in the referenced documents and assumed that adequate quality assurance and quality control measures were followed regarding chain-of-custody, laboratory procedures, and data reporting. Physical Hazards No physical hazards were observed on the site during the IDPH site visits. A section of the landfill is used in the winter for tobogganing, but the physical hazard involved with that activity is beyond the scope of this assessment. The Sand Park property appears to be well kept and mowed. Exposure Assessment To determine whether residents living near the site have been, are being, or may be exposed to hazardous chemicals migrating from the site, IDPH evaluated the surrounding environmental conditions and local activities that might lead to exposure. IDPH evaluates that information for five elements, which represent the parts of an exposure pathway. The five elements include a contaminant source, an environmental transport pathway (such as groundwater, soil, or air), a point of exposure (such as tap water), a route of exposure (such as ingestion of contaminated groundwater), and a receptor population, or people who might contact the contamination. If all five elements are identified, then a completed exposure pathway exists. Exposure to contaminants has occurred or is occurring. A potential exposure pathway is one in which at least one of the five elements is missing but could exist. Exposure might have occurred, might be occurring, or could occur in the future. An exposure pathway can be eliminated if at least one of the five elements is missing and will never be present. Completed Exposure Pathways A. Groundwater The use of municipal wells #1 and #2 has resulted in persons being exposed to low levels of manganese and TCE. Exposure to these chemicals will be evaluated further in the toxicological evaluation section. 5 Sand Park Final Release Potential Exposure Pathways A. Soil People may have been exposed in the past to contamination in on-site surface soils and waste materials (Table 9). These past exposures may have occurred in the landfill disposal areas. Site workers and trespassers may have been exposed to site-related contaminants by incidental ingestion, inhalation, or direct skin contact with on-site surface soils or waste during normal landfill operations. In addition, nearby residents may have been exposed by inhalation or incidental ingestion to contaminated dust during landfill operations. Only one surface soil sample has been collected from the site. This sample contained elevated levels of PAHs, although the landfill was reportedly covered with clean soil. Future exposure to subsurface soils or waste materials is possible. Any construction activities may expose workers to unknown contaminants (Table 10). B. Groundwater – Shallow Aquifer The domestic use of the shallow aquifer groundwater is a past completed exposure pathway. The home with the well that tested positive for bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate in 1995 connected to the public water supply in 1996. Based on the available information, the flow of groundwater from Sand Park could provide a transport pathway for contaminants. IDPH does not recognize a completed exposure pathway for the deeper aquifer. Also, the groundwater under the site is contaminated and future use of this water may expose residents to contaminants by ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact. C. Groundwater – Deeper Aquifer Past, present and future exposures are possible from site-related contaminants in the public water supply, but exposures are unlikely. The municipal wells are finished below a confining clay layer. The water from well #1 is treated by filtration and aeration. Well #2 is no longer used. In addition, samples are collected from the distribution system quarterly. Toxicological Evaluation IDPH estimated exposure to chemicals in off-site shallow groundwater based on two exposure scenarios. One was for a child drinking 1 liter of water per day for 16 years, and another for an adult drinking 2 liters of water per day for 40 years. Inhalation of VOCs during bathing, showering, and other household purposes was assumed to be equivalent to ingestion exposure. IDPH compared the estimated doses with minimal risk levels (MRLs) developed by ATSDR for chemicals commonly found at hazardous waste sites. An MRL is an estimate of the daily human 6 Sand Park Final Release exposure to a contaminant below which adverse, noncancerous, health effects are unlikely to occur. When an MRL was not available, IDPH used the USEPA reference dose (RfD). RfDs are used for long-term exposure, but may not be protective of hypersensitive individuals. Each chemical of interest that persons could potentially contact based on the exposure scenarios described above was evaluated. The remaining chemicals detected in the shallow aquifer are not discussed because they do not appear to have migrated off the site. IDPH did not evaluate PAHs in soil because one soil sample is insufficient to predict exposure for the entire site. In addition, the site was reportedly covered with clean soil, and the surface is well vegetated. Given the use and condition of the site, it is unlikely that persons are exposed to chemicals in soil that would be a public health hazard. A. Manganese Manganese has been detected in off-site municipal wells at 210 parts per billion (ppb). Manganese has also been detected in a shallow on-site monitoring well at a level of 18,000 ppb, and in the deeper monitoring wells at 310 ppb. Manganese is an essential nutrient in our diets. In an average diet, an adult consumes about 2.3 to 8.8 milligrams per day of manganese. Residents exposed to the levels of manganese in the public water supply would not likely experience adverse health effects. If persons were exposed to the maximum level of manganese detected in the monitoring wells, they could experience neurological disorders. Manganese is not believed to cause cancer [17]. B. Trichloroethylene (TCE) TCE was detected at a maximum level of 8 ppb in municipal well #2 in July 1985, but the use of water from this well was later limited. As a result, the time of exposure would have been brief. The maximum contaminant level (MCL) for TCE is 5 ppb. MCLs have been established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for public water supplies to reduce the chances of developing adverse health effects from contaminated drinking water. These standards are well below levels for which health effects have been observed and are enforceable limits that public water supplies must meet. IDPH estimated the dose of TCE for children and adults through ingesting groundwater containing 8 ppb for 2 years and found that exposure to that level of TCE would pose no increased cancer risk. The estimated exposure to children and adults is less than the no-observed- adverse-effect levels (NOAELs) for TCE in animals. NOAELs reflect actual doses used in animal studies that did not result in observable health effects. ATSDR Child Health Initiative 7 Sand Park Final Release IDPH estimated exposure to chemicals in water based on children drinking 1 liter of water per day for 16 years. No adverse health effects would be expected. IDPH recognizes and considered the unique vulnerabilities of infants and children. Children are at greater risk than adults from certain kinds of exposures to hazardous substances. Children are smaller, resulting in higher doses of chemical exposure per body weight. Conclusions Based on the available information, IDPH concludes that current exposures are not at levels expected to cause adverse health effects; thus, the groundwater at Sand Park site poses no apparent public health hazard. On the site, the shallow aquifer is contaminated with high levels of several chemicals, but no one is currently exposed to that water. No groundwater sampling has occurred since 1997. Residents using the shallow aquifer downgradient of the site are potentially at risk from other contaminants. Past monitoring well samples contained several inorganic and organic contaminants in the shallow aquifer at significant levels. Benzene, manganese, and lead are of particular concern because of the high levels detected in on-site shallow groundwater. The site does not appear to have had any impact on the municipal wells in the area. Only one surface soil sample has been collected at the site. Area municipal well water is tested about every three months. The local water authority has abandoned well #2 because of prior contamination. Recommendations IDPH recommends that Illinois EPA ensure that the monitoring wells are resampled to determine if groundwater contamination is migrating. IDPH recommends that the municipal wells continue to be sampled as scheduled. The contractor should work with Illinois EPA to determine if sufficient physical separation exists between the underlying refuse and users of the recreational areas. Public Health Action Plan A contractor for the Rockford Park District will resampled the wells in 2001. The contractor determined whether any private wells downgradient of the site existed and should be sampled. Municipal well #2 has been abandoned as previously recommended, and continued monitoring of municipal wells is scheduled. 8