Compass Industries Landfill Superfund Site

• Location: Sand Springs, Tulsa County, Oklahoma
• Township and Range: Section 18, Township 19 N, Range 12 E
• Latitude/Longitude: 36.12462600, -96.07871000
• Alternate Names: Avery Drive Site, Chandler Park Landfill, Chandler Dump, Tulsa Refuse Dump #1, and Berryhill Site
• Site Type: Abandoned Landfill
• Area: 0.07 square miles/42 acres
• National Priorities List: Final Deletion Date - July 18, 2002
• Current Status: Cleanup complete 

• Cleanup Oversight Agencies: DEQ and EPA
• Lead Agency: DEQ
• Office: DEQ, Land Protection Division, (405) 702-5100
• DEQ Site Project Manager: Lynn Nguyen, (405) 702-5102
• DEQ Press Contact: Skyler McElhaney, (405) 702-7167

The Compass Industries Site is an abandoned landfill located in a former limestone quarry west of the Tulsa metropolitain area.  The site is 0.25 miles south and 200 feet above the Arkansas River.  The nearest residence is 0.25 miles from the site.  The site operated as a municipal landfill between 1972 and 1976 under permit conditions that did not allow the disposal of industrial waste at the site.  However, industrial waste was disposed in the landfill counter to regulations and permit conditions.  Records show that the site accepted three categories of waste: solids, liquids, and sludges, which included acids, caustics, potentially toxic solvents, and potentially carcinogenic materials.

Long-term human health exposure is controlled with the capping of contamination, diversion of surface water, continued operation and maintenance, institutional control enforcement, and review of the remedy every five years.  The groundwater migration and exposure pathways are controlled by operation and maintenance of the cap.  Five-year review recommendations for general operation and maintenance included: 

• Annual removal of woody vegetation
• Adding more riprap (rock used to armor shorelines) where necessary
• Raking approximately every 4 years, if mowing continues at the site
• Continued periodic checks for animal burrowing
• Periodic inspection of the cap to ensure that the full 24-inches remains intact

Cleanup completed in June 1991; site deleted from the National Priorities List on July 18, 2002.

During the 1970's, several fires were reported at the landfill.  The most recent fire burned underground for several years before it burnt itself out in 1984.

Institutional controls in the form of a deed notice have been filed for the site.  The notice placed restrictions on use of the land and minimized potential exposures to contaminants.  Security fencing and warning signs have been placed around the landfill cap.  These controls will protect the remedy and make sure any property redevelopment is appropriate.

• Sources of Contamination: Municipal landfill waste, disposal of industrial waste (against regulations and permit conditions)
• Contaminants of Concern: Waste jet fuel, oily sludges, micellaneous solvents, acids, caustics, bleaches, benzene, polychlorinated biphenyls, and carcinogenic materials
• Media Affected: Surface water, groundwater, and soil contaminated with organic and inorganic primary pollutants
• Surface Water Impacted: Arkansas River
• Groundwater Impacted: Hogshooter Formation (shallow aquifer) and Coffeyville Formation; no use of water from either aquifer