Landfill Failure Rates: All Liners Eventually Leak
98% of Closed Landfills Show Contamination
According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 98% of assessed closed landfills have PFAS contamination, with 62 landfills exceeding drinking water guidance values. This demonstrates the near-inevitability of contamination even with modern liner systems.
68% of New York Inactive Landfills Exceed Safe Drinking Water Levels
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation found that 68% of investigated inactive landfills have groundwater with PFOA/PFOS exceeding state maximum contaminant levels. Additionally, 26% have groundwater levels of 1,4-dioxane surpassing state MCLs.
EPA Admits: All Landfill Liners Eventually Fail
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has acknowledged that even modern landfill liners and leachate collection systems "will ultimately fail," allowing contaminants to enter the environment.
Forever Chemicals Remain in Landfills
Research shows approximately 7% of PFAS load entering landfills is emitted via leachate annually, with the majority remaining in the waste mass within the landfill – creating a long-term contamination risk.
Source: Science Direct - PFAS in municipal solid waste landfills (2022)
Impact on Property Values
High-Volume Landfills Decrease Property Values by Up to 14%
High-volume landfills (>500 tons/day) reduce adjacent property values by 13.7% on average, with impact decreasing by 5.9% per mile out to 2-3 miles. This would devastate homeowners in Wawarsing and surrounding communities.
Minnesota Landfill Study Shows Clear Value Decline
A Minnesota study found landfills adversely affected home values by approximately 12% at the boundary, 6% at one mile, with effects becoming negligible beyond 2-2.5 miles.
Source: Research Gate - Do Landfills Always Depress Nearby Property Values? (2005)
Even Small Landfills Impact Property Values
Even smaller landfills depress land values, causing around a 2.5% reduction, with values rebounding by 1.3% per mile away from the landfill.
Economic Impacts Persist After Closure
The impact on property values often remains even after a landfill has closed, creating a persistent economic burden on the community long after the landfill stops operating.
Source: University of Colorado Boulder Environmental Center (2021)
Watershed and Public Health Risks
Milk Road Site: At the Headwaters of Two Watersheds
The proposed Milk Road landfill site sits at the top of a hilly plateau that intersects both the Delaware River and Rondout Watersheds. This unique geographic position means that any leachate or contaminated runoff would flow downhill into both watersheds, potentially affecting water supplies throughout Ulster County.
Woodridge's Drinking Water at Risk
The village of Woodridge's water supply is located less than 10,000 feet from the proposed landfill site. Once groundwater is contaminated by landfill leachate, it can take decades to recover, if ever.
Increased Health Risks for Nearby Residents
A study in New York found a 12% increased risk of congenital malformations in children born to families living within a mile of a hazardous waste landfill site. Cancer is also more prevalent among communities living near landfills.
Source: University of Colorado Boulder Environmental Center (2021)
Beer Kill Creek: A Critical Water Resource
The Beer Kill Creek and its tributaries, which would be downstream from the proposed landfill, are vital water resources for the region. Contamination from the landfill would threaten not only local drinking water but also recreational use and aquatic ecosystems.
The Risk of Becoming a Superfund Site
New York's Superfund Legacy
New York has 86 contaminated Superfund sites, with neighboring New Jersey having 115 sites on the National Priorities List as of 2023. This region already bears a disproportionate burden of contaminated sites.
20% of Superfund Sites are Former Landfills
Approximately 20% of all sites on the EPA's National Priorities List (Superfund sites) are municipal and industrial landfills that were not designed to contain the hazardous materials disposed within them.
Average Cleanup Cost: $29 Million
The average cost to remediate a Superfund site is approximately $29 million, with some sites costing hundreds of millions to clean up—costs often borne by taxpayers when responsible parties cannot be identified or held accountable.
Decades of Contamination
Recent studies show that PFAS will be released from landfills for at least 40 years, creating a multi-generational environmental burden.
Environmental Justice Concerns
Disproportionate Impact on Disadvantaged Communities
About 13 million people live within one mile of a landfill, with cancer being more prevalent among these communities. Landfills are more likely to be in counties with higher poverty and greater minority populations.
Targeting of Rural and Low-Income Areas
Minority and low-income areas are disproportionately targeted for landfill placement as they have fewer resources to oppose these facilities, making them an easier target than higher-income areas.
Source: University of Colorado Boulder Environmental Center (2021)