A Message from Chairman Karen McConnaughay:

April 16, 2012 

Progress reported in Midway Landfill methane control efforts

Waste Management reports it has made progress to control methane gas from the old Midway Landfill north of Fabyan Parkway.

The Company said today, March 28th, that two monitoring probes south of Fabyan Parkway in which methane had been detected have now shown no signs of methane for more than three weeks. No methane has ever been detected in eight other probes installed south of Fabyan Parkway. As has been the case since monitoring began in December, there have been no detections of methane in the regular monitoring of 22 subsurface infrastructure points south of Fabyan Parkway, including locations in the Batavia Highlands residential area.

The Company’s monitoring system on the north side of the Midway Landfill-Settler’s Hill facilities has been expanded with three additional on-site probes and the installation of three deep monitoring probes outside the facility in the vicinity of Esping Park. This will enable it to gather more precise data to make more informed decisions about future methane mitigation efforts. No methane has been detected in the three off-site probes, and only one of the on-site probes exhibits a very low level of methane on a regular basis. The geology in this area is characterized by a significant layer of clay-like material up to 40 feet thick that impedes the upward movement of methane.

Waste Management’s efforts are proceeding according to its plan. Since December, the Company has installed a series of 18 gas extraction wells adjacent to the Midway Landfill. It has applied a vacuum to 12 of these wells and is drawing methane back into its gas collection and control system. The six remaining gas extraction wells will be operational in early April.

Company representatives visited homes in the Batavia Highlands area in the last week and exchanged methane monitors for freshly calibrated units. The Company installed approximately a dozen monitors in residents’ homes. The monitors, per manufacturer guidance, will be switched on a quarterly basis going forward.

Waste Management staff will continue to monitor the facility and improve the site’s gas collection and control system, and will report any developments to Kane County and the cities of Batavia and Geneva. The cities and Kane County will, from time to time, update their websites with additional information on the work in progress.

The Company continues to invite residents who have concerns or questions to call its WM Midway Landfill community-response number. The toll-free number is 1 (855) 964-3636.