Batavia monitoring for methane gas from shuttered landfill

Batavia officials say they are closely monitoring detection underground of methane gas in the south-central portion of the Settlers Hill landfill on Fabyan Parkway, and that some of the gas has migrated to an area near Raddant Road and Fabyan Parkway.

Fourth Ward Alderman Jim Volk said the amount measured Monday was low but still of concern.

Waste Management reported detecting the gas underground in the Kane County-owned landfill Dec. 2 and informed county officials, who then notified Geneva and Batavia officials.

“It is conceivable it could migrate toward the Highlands subdivision,” Volk told the city council Monday night. The Highlands is in the 4th Ward.

Batavia public works and fire department workers have checked utility vaults in the area hundreds of times this month for presence of the gas, Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke said.

The gas is created by the decomposing garbage in the closed landfill. Normally, underground pipes transport the gas, some of which is burned to generate electricity used by the City of Geneva.

Methane gas sometimes smells bad because it carries the odor of the decomposing garbage. But when it passes through dirt, sand and gravel, the smell is filtered out, Batavia Fire Chief Randall Deicke said. The gas could enter structures through sewers and foundations.

Besides being explosive, methane gas is an asphyxiant; it replaces oxygen in a person’s bloodstream and ultimately causes suffocation and death.

Residents and owners of businesses in the area were to have received letters from Schielke and Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay explaining the issue and what is being done.

The city will post a special page, www.cityofbatavia.net/midway, on its website. People are also instructed to call a Waste Management hotline if they have questions or want to have their property tested. The number is (855) 964-4663.

“I was very forthright to them (Waste Management), as was the mayor of Geneva ... that they are under the gun to remediate this as soon as possible,” Schielke said Monday. He said Waste Management has said it could take several months to fix, and it will need permits from the state and federal Environmental Protection Agencies to do so. Schielke offered to help cut red tape.

“This is nothing we want to fool around with,” he said.

The 179-acre landfill shut down in December 2006 after 24 years of operation. Part of it has been turned into a golf course.