Volatile Organic Compounds in Groundwater and Leachate at Wisconsin Landfills

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Solid Waste Management is evaluating the need for periodic volatile organic compound (VOC) sampling at landfills.  Currently, we require VOC sampling either to monitor background conditions at new landfills or to investigate contamination problems at a specific landfill.  Department staff selected 26 landfills to sample based on design, age and performance.  Nine clay-lined, six zone-of-saturation, six retarder or combined retarder and natural attenuation, four natural attenuation and one sludge-lined landfill were sampled.  Samples from groundwater, leachate and collection lysimeters samples were analyzed for VOCs.