SWANSEA — The old town landfill that operated in the 1970s until 1981, and was inactive by 1983, hardly resembles a trash heap these days. But some waste remains that could pose an environmental hazard to the surrounding wetlands.
The 22-acre area along Sears Road is privately owned by Paul LaFlamme and his wife, Michelle. The footprint of the former landfill spills over onto town-owned land. According to earlier reports from 2013, it was discovered that the dimensions of the former town landfill were wider than originally expected after test borings were made at 34 locations around the site.
At the time, the LaFlammes, who were paying close to $20,000 in property taxes on “unusable” land, sought to reach an agreement with the town to cap the landfill with “contaminated soils.” It was last reported that the town was in the process of hiring its own consultants to review options and determine next steps in regard to capping the landfill and creating a barrier between underground remnants of waste and the environment.
An aerial view of the former Swansea town landfill off Route 6 shows the scope of the rehabilitation project.
Paul LaFlamme suggested a “solar array” on top of the mound covering the landfill could be a solution. Now, over a decade later, he may be getting his wish.
Charter Contracting Co. specializes in complex environmental remediation, civil construction and brownfield redevelopment. At the April 14 meeting of the Conservation Commission in the Swansea Police Station, the company, which represents the LaFlammes, held a public hearing following a presentation about its proposed plans, risks and potential new uses for the former landfill.
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This illustration shows the extent of the material at the former Swansea town landfill and the scope of the rehabilitation project.
What’s in Charter’s plans?
In 1983, only 10 acres had been capped with fly ash, leaving the remainder of the site untouched. It is now overgrown with trees and vegetation.
Charter has three-phase plans to “complete corrective actions” required to cap the landfill in accordance with Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection solid waste management regulations. The company will also work to “restore” wetlands by removing waste from those areas.
A 40-milimeter layer of low-permeable, textured high-density polyethylene plastic polymer, or HDPE, will come between a subgrade layer and gas vent layer of soils, lining it away from a sandy secondary drainage layer, and the topsoil. The layers range from 6 to 18 inches.
In an interview with The Herald News, Swansea resident and Harbor Committeeman Gary Lund expressed concerns about “urban fill, street sweepings, catch basin cleanings, processed construction and demolition materials” making their way to the site, along with a steady of stream of trucks from all over the region to bring materials to the site, leading to a devaluation in abutting properties.
Charter Contracting Co., a company specializing in brownfield remediation, said it is proposing to cap the former Swansea town landfill to prevent environmental damage to nearby wetlands.
“It’s going to stink,” Lund said, citing concerns of pollutants draining into Cole’s River, which feeds into Mount Hope Bay.
“It is not a new landfill,” Swansea’s conservation agent, Adeline Bellesheim, confirmed. She added that current plans are under third-party review.
Charter has not yet responded to requests for comment.
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Where will materials come from?
Grading and shaping materials, like sands or soils to support vegetation and layer over the cap, will be harvested from Swansea and other sites in the region, the presentation states.
This is an approach that has been used for capping over 40 landfills over the past 30 years.
What work has been done so far?
In February 2024, Charter carried out test pits to delineate the edges of the landfill. Around the same time, a vernal pool F series assessment was completed. In October 2023, an order for wetland resource delineation was carried out.
The former landfill’s footprint is a mix of different geometric shapes from a bird’s eye view, and based on the presentation delivered at the meeting, the project hinges on an extensive permitting process with MassDEP.
Bellesheim shared that no order of conditions from Swansea according to its bylaws had been granted, and planning would continue into the next meeting of the Conservation Commission on April 28.
How will the project be paid for?
Tipping fees, according to the project’s presentation, are proposed to be used to offset the project’s costs.
Earlier reports from 2013 anticipated costs of the project at $225,000 per acre or a total of $4,905,000 for the 21.8 acres found on the LaFlamme property.
What will it look like once complete?
Rather than an enormous mound that has been rumored to rise 30 to 50 feet high across from the RK Swansea Place that houses Target on Route 6, the landfill coverup is expected to rise 22 feet, with reinforced slopes that will prevent the cap from settling into nearby wetlands. Three stormwater basins will be permanently installed at the site.
Ultimately, Charter’s presentation pointed to a “productive reuse” of the land where, as Paul Laflamme had envisioned, solar photovoltaic and battery storage could be added.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Swansea former landfill poses environmental risks, needs cleaning up