Pfohl Brothers Landfill
Encyclopedia
The 120 acre Pfohl Brothers Landfill was a privately owned and operated landfill in Cheektowaga, New York
. The landfill accepted municipal and industrial wastes from 1932 until 1971. It is located 1/2 mile east of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport
and sits on the north bank of Ellicott Creek
. It lies west of Transit Road
and south of the New York State Thruway
near Thruway Exit 49. It is bisected by Aero Drive.
When the landfill was active, it received solid and liquid chemical waste
and sludges, including heavy
metals, such as mercury
and barium
, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as benzene
and dioxin, from local businesses, such as paint manufacturers, electroplaters, printers
, and other industries that used solvents and petroleum.
On May 10, 1993 the Pfohl Brothers Landfill was classified for cleanup by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
as Superfund
site NYD980507495. Remediation done by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
including the removal of 4,734 on-site drums, as well as the containment of the landfill, has significantly reduced the potential for exposure to contaminated materials at the site.
Access to most of the site is restricted by a fence, but drainage ditches with runoff from the landfill lie outside of the fenced area and are accessible to the public. Several drainage ditches discharge into Ellicott Creek
. Aero Lake lies north of the site. Both the lake and the creek are used by the community for recreational fishing
. Ten homes are located within 200 feet (61 m) of an area of contaminated soil. The area near the landfill is residential and commercial. Wetlands border the creek and a drainage ditch and a wetland was located on what is now the central portion of the property.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The landfill accepted municipal and industrial wastes from 1932 until 1971. It is located 1/2 mile east of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport located in Cheektowaga CDP, Town of Cheektowaga, in Erie County, New York, USA. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York as well as Southern Ontario, Canada...
and sits on the north bank of Ellicott Creek
Ellicott Creek
Ellicott Creek is a stream in Western New York, United States. It is a tributary of Tonawanda Creek, which in turn into the Niagara River.-Course:...
. It lies west of Transit Road
New York State Route 78
New York State Route 78 , most commonly known as Transit Road, is a state highway in Western New York, USA. While it is signed north–south, the lower portion runs in an east–west direction across Wyoming County, from its beginning north of the Village of Gainesville.NY 78 is...
and south of the New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
near Thruway Exit 49. It is bisected by Aero Drive.
When the landfill was active, it received solid and liquid chemical waste
Chemical waste
Chemical waste is a waste that is made from harmful chemicals . Chemical waste may fall under regulations such as COSHH in the United Kingdom, or the Clean Water Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act in the United States...
and sludges, including heavy
metals, such as mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
and barium
Barium
Barium is a chemical element with the symbol Ba and atomic number 56. It is the fifth element in Group 2, a soft silvery metallic alkaline earth metal. Barium is never found in nature in its pure form due to its reactivity with air. Its oxide is historically known as baryta but it reacts with...
, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as benzene
Benzene
Benzene is an organic chemical compound. It is composed of 6 carbon atoms in a ring, with 1 hydrogen atom attached to each carbon atom, with the molecular formula C6H6....
and dioxin, from local businesses, such as paint manufacturers, electroplaters, printers
Printer (publisher)
In publishing, printers are both companies providing printing services and individuals who directly operate printing presses. With the invention of the moveable type printing press by Johannes Gutenberg around 1450, printing—and printers—proliferated throughout Europe.Today, printers are found...
, and other industries that used solvents and petroleum.
On May 10, 1993 the Pfohl Brothers Landfill was classified for cleanup by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
as Superfund
Superfund
Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...
site NYD980507495. Remediation done by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for the conservation, improvement, and protection of natural resources within the U.S. state of New York. It was founded in 1970, replacing the previous Conservation Department...
including the removal of 4,734 on-site drums, as well as the containment of the landfill, has significantly reduced the potential for exposure to contaminated materials at the site.
Access to most of the site is restricted by a fence, but drainage ditches with runoff from the landfill lie outside of the fenced area and are accessible to the public. Several drainage ditches discharge into Ellicott Creek
Ellicott Creek
Ellicott Creek is a stream in Western New York, United States. It is a tributary of Tonawanda Creek, which in turn into the Niagara River.-Course:...
. Aero Lake lies north of the site. Both the lake and the creek are used by the community for recreational fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
. Ten homes are located within 200 feet (61 m) of an area of contaminated soil. The area near the landfill is residential and commercial. Wetlands border the creek and a drainage ditch and a wetland was located on what is now the central portion of the property.