VOC Contamination at Selected Wisconsin Landfills – Sampling Results and Policy Implications

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Solid and Hazardous Waste Management (BDHWM) has completed the second part of a two part study to evaluate the need for routine volatile organize compound (VOC) sampling at Wisconsin landfills.  As part of the initial study (Friedman, 1988) Department staff sampled monitoring wells for VOCs at 26 municipal and industrial landfills constructed with various designs from 1985-1987.  We determined from the initial study that unlined municipal landfills had the most VOC contamination and that industrial landfills in Wisconsin had very little.  This report summarizes our findings from a survey we did of 48 states and two Canadian provinces on what type of VOC sampling they are requiring.  Finally, we make VOC sampling recommendations for all types of solid waste landfills in Wisconsin.