Crowd concerned about methane leaks

Questions and concerns about methane gas leaks coming from the Mallard Lake landfill kept federal officials busy Thursday night.

In November, tests detected methane underground in a neighborhood roughly southwest of the landfill, located near Hanover Park.

Since then, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has overseen the installation of monitoring wells on streets close to Mallard Lake. In addition, investigators have gone door to door to test for methane in homes and install devices that alert residents if the gas is present.

So far, no methane has been found in homes although it is cropping up underground. At high levels, methane can explode if ignited.

The owners of the landfill, the DuPage County Forest Preserve District, and its operators, BFI Waste Systems, have entered into an agreement to figure out how the landfill gas is escaping and to fix the problem.

Although Sonia Blanco lives two blocks from an area where methane was recorded, she's still worried.

"It's still my neighborhood," she said. "I'm concerned about property values."

Resident Maria Woerle agreed.

"It is a bit unnerving," she said.

But homeowner Dennis Jenkins said he left the public forum, organized by the EPA at Horizon Elementary School in Hanover Park, reassured officials were moving toward a solution.

"I'm not taking this lightly," Jenkins said. "But I feel comfortable as long as I'm kept informed."

EPA on-scene coordinator Steve Faryan told residents he was confident the problem will be resolved. "I give you my word I won't leave until this cleanup is done successfully," he said.

EPA environmental engineer Donna Twickler said a long-term solution to stop gas migrating off-site could involve installing a wall on the border of the landfill. So far, the area officials are examining is bordered by Morton Road on the west, Lawrence Avenue and Whitney Drive to the north, Whitney and Bell drives to the east, and DeForest Lane to the south. Officials also plan to look along Schick Road to the south.

The landfill has a history of environmental problems and in the 1970s the state's attorney general took legal action to stop illegal dumping there.