Fresh Kills Fresh Kills Landfill to Landfill to

ParkParkFall 2010 Semester Research Fall 2010 Semester Research

Katherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Katherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Elizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John TroinoElizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John Troino

Website: http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/sigd

Abstract The once hazardous Fresh Kills Landfill is now

being converted into a park over the span of 30 years. Details of the intriguing characteristics that made Fresh Kills the once largest landfill in the world are noted on this website such as the landfills gas emissions and impact on human health. We also detailed the future plans for that area mentioned in the Drat Master Plan. This park will be over three times the size of Central Park and will be divided into five sections with activities integrating environmental programs, recreation and infrastructure. Additional benefits will be from the gas collecting systems to produce gasoline.

Freshkills Landfill Presentation and

Poster Start: 2min introductory clip about the history of

Fresh Kills Landfill from:

http://vimeo.com/4854719

Poster = next slide.

Presentation = following slides.

Trashy to ClassyTrashy to Classy Katherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Elizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John TroinoKatherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Elizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John Troino

FRESH KILLS LANDFILL

How Did the Landfill Develop?•Was originally composed of tidal creeks and coastal marshes.•Landfill opened in 1947•As a “Temporary Landfill” for 20 year operation

•Became one of the largest landfill in the world. •Covered 20200 acres. •Can be seen with the naked eye from space•Taller than the Statue of Liberty at a height of 225ft.

•At the peak of operations:• twenty barges, each carrying 650 tons of garbage, were added to the site daily

Why Did the Landfill Close?•Not designed with a liner or any other form of leachate control•Untreated leachate from the landfill flowed directly into local surface waters and groundwater•Contamination•chemicals in the waste dissolved into the rainwater and snow•toxins released into the atmosphere

•Closed on December 31, 2001 •political and community pressure

•Post-September 11, 2001 attacks •Freshkills was temporarily used as a sorting ground for roughly one-third of the rubble from Ground Zero.

•The landfill has not been in operation since that time.

What Safety Measures Are Being Taken For This Transformation?•Active studies at the Fresh Kills Site:•The New York Department of Health•The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry• The Environmental Protection

•Landfill capping•containment technology that forms a barrier between the contaminated media and the surface.•Restricts surface water infiltration into the contaminated subsurface to reduce the potential for contaminants to leach from the site.

•Gas Collection Systems:•Department of Sanitation collects ~10million cubic feet of landfill gas daily (GFD)•Purified at the onsite facility•5million cubic feet of pipeline quality gas sold to National Grid•Capable of heating 22,000 homes on Staten Island.

Future Plans: The park will be three times the size of Central Park. Parts of the park will be completed before others but the entire park is expected to take approximately 30 years to complete. Fresh kills Park will have five main areas: the Confluence, North Park, South Park, East Park and West Park. Each of these areas will have unique characteristics. Some of the fun and adventurous activities offered in the park will include horseback riding, mountain biking, nature trails, kayaking, and large–scale public art. Fresh kills Park will also support richly diverse habitats for wildlife, birds and plant communities. Settings of immense recreation will allow for some of the best camping sites in all of New York.

Sources and More Information: http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/sigd/references/

IntroductionThe Fresh Kills Landfill was once the second largest landfill in the entire world. It was opened in 1947, originally as a temporary landfill, but remained in operation for 50 years. Like most landfills constructed in the 1940s, Fresh Kills was not designed with liners or any other form of lechate control. Other problems such as local water contamination, hazardous chemical release, and local opposition lead to the closing of the landfill on December 31, 2001. Today, Fresh Kills landfill is being turned into a park over the span of 30 years. Landfill caps and other gas collection and treatment systems are used to ensure proper containment of wastes and promote a safe environment.

2000 EPA Municipal Waste Composition

Estimated Air Emission Rates for Selected Chemicals at the Fresh Kills Landfill

From The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Report (1995 Study)

Why a Park?•2001 - 2006 – Draft Master Plan• Comprised of ideas including:•new roads•active and passive recreational: mountain biking, golf, ball fields, tennis courts, hiking trails, kayaking and canoeing•environmental programs•wildlife refuge

•Result of extensive site analysis; community needs; assessment and outreach; landfill operations consideration; and studies and reviews of other landfill models

Tracing the Metamorphosis of the Fresh Kills Landfill

Trashy to ClassyTrashy to Classy Katherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Elizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John TroinoKatherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Elizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John Troino

FRESH KILLS LANDFILL

How Did the Landfill Develop?•Was originally composed of tidal creeks and coastal marshes.•Landfill opened in 1947•As a “Temporary Landfill” for 20 year operation

•Became one of the largest landfill in the world. •Covered 20200 acres. •Can be seen with the naked eye from space•Taller than the Statue of Liberty at a height of 225ft.

•At the peak of operations:• twenty barges, each carrying 650 tons of garbage, were added to the site daily

Why Did the Landfill Close?•Not designed with a liner or any other form of leachate control•Untreated leachate from the landfill flowed directly into local surface waters and groundwater•Contamination•chemicals in the waste dissolved into the rainwater and snow•toxins released into the atmosphere

•Closed on December 31, 2001 •political and community pressure

•Post-September 11, 2001 attacks •Freshkills was temporarily used as a sorting ground for roughly one-third of the rubble from Ground Zero.

•The landfill has not been in operation since that time.

What Safety Measures Are Being Taken For This Transformation?•Active studies at the Fresh Kills Site:•The New York Department of Health•The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry• The Environmental Protection

•Landfill capping•containment technology that forms a barrier between the contaminated media and the surface.•Restricts surface water infiltration into the contaminated subsurface to reduce the potential for contaminants to leach from the site.

•Gas Collection Systems:•Department of Sanitation collects ~10million cubic feet of landfill gas daily (GFD)•Purified at the onsite facility•5million cubic feet of pipeline quality gas sold to National Grid•Capable of heating 22,000 homes on Staten Island.

Future Plans: The park will be three times the size of Central Park. Parts of the park will be completed before others but the entire park is expected to take approximately 30 years to complete. Fresh kills Park will have five main areas: the Confluence, North Park, South Park, East Park and West Park. Each of these areas will have unique characteristics. Some of the fun and adventurous activities offered in the park will include horseback riding, mountain biking, nature trails, kayaking, and large–scale public art. Fresh kills Park will also support richly diverse habitats for wildlife, birds and plant communities. Settings of immense recreation will allow for some of the best camping sites in all of New York.

Sources and More Information: http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/sigd/references/

IntroductionThe Fresh Kills Landfill was once the second largest landfill in the entire world. It was opened in 1947, originally as a temporary landfill, but remained in operation for 50 years. Like most landfills constructed in the 1940s, Fresh Kills was not designed with liners or any other form of lechate control. Other problems such as local water contamination, hazardous chemical release, and local opposition lead to the closing of the landfill on December 31, 2001. Today, Fresh Kills landfill is being turned into a park over the span of 30 years. Landfill caps and other gas collection and treatment systems are used to ensure proper containment of wastes and promote a safe environment.

2000 EPA Municipal Waste Composition

Estimated Air Emission Rates for Selected Chemicals at the Fresh Kills Landfill

From The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Report (1995 Study)

Why a Park?•2001 - 2006 – Draft Master Plan• Comprised of ideas including:•new roads•active and passive recreational: mountain biking, golf, ball fields, tennis courts, hiking trails, kayaking and canoeing•environmental programs•wildlife refuge

•Result of extensive site analysis; community needs; assessment and outreach; landfill operations consideration; and studies and reviews of other landfill models

Tracing the Metamorphosis of the Fresh Kills Landfill

IntroductionThe Fresh Kills Landfill was once the second largest landfill in the entire world. It was opened in 1947, originally as a temporary landfill, but remained in operation for 50 years. Like most landfills constructed in the 1940s, Fresh Kills was not designed with liners or any other form of lechate control. Other problems such as local water contamination, hazardous chemical release, and local opposition lead to the closing of the landfill on December 31, 2001. Today, Fresh Kills landfill is being turned into a park over the span of 30 years. Landfill caps and other gas collection and treatment systems are used to ensure proper containment of wastes and promote a safe environment.

Trashy to ClassyTrashy to Classy Katherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Elizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John TroinoKatherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Elizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John Troino

FRESH KILLS LANDFILL

How Did the Landfill Develop?•Was originally composed of tidal creeks and coastal marshes.•Landfill opened in 1947•As a “Temporary Landfill” for 20 year operation

•Became one of the largest landfill in the world. •Covered 20200 acres. •Can be seen with the naked eye from space•Taller than the Statue of Liberty at a height of 225ft.

•At the peak of operations:• twenty barges, each carrying 650 tons of garbage, were added to the site daily

Why Did the Landfill Close?•Not designed with a liner or any other form of leachate control•Untreated leachate from the landfill flowed directly into local surface waters and groundwater•Contamination•chemicals in the waste dissolved into the rainwater and snow•toxins released into the atmosphere

•Closed on December 31, 2001 •political and community pressure

•Post-September 11, 2001 attacks •Freshkills was temporarily used as a sorting ground for roughly one-third of the rubble from Ground Zero.

•The landfill has not been in operation since that time.

What Safety Measures Are Being Taken For This Transformation?•Active studies at the Fresh Kills Site:•The New York Department of Health•The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry• The Environmental Protection

•Landfill capping•containment technology that forms a barrier between the contaminated media and the surface.•Restricts surface water infiltration into the contaminated subsurface to reduce the potential for contaminants to leach from the site.

•Gas Collection Systems:•Department of Sanitation collects ~10million cubic feet of landfill gas daily (GFD)•Purified at the onsite facility•5million cubic feet of pipeline quality gas sold to National Grid•Capable of heating 22,000 homes on Staten Island.

Future Plans: The park will be three times the size of Central Park. Parts of the park will be completed before others but the entire park is expected to take approximately 30 years to complete. Fresh kills Park will have five main areas: the Confluence, North Park, South Park, East Park and West Park. Each of these areas will have unique characteristics. Some of the fun and adventurous activities offered in the park will include horseback riding, mountain biking, nature trails, kayaking, and large–scale public art. Fresh kills Park will also support richly diverse habitats for wildlife, birds and plant communities. Settings of immense recreation will allow for some of the best camping sites in all of New York.

Sources and More Information: http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/sigd/references/

IntroductionThe Fresh Kills Landfill was once the second largest landfill in the entire world. It was opened in 1947, originally as a temporary landfill, but remained in operation for 50 years. Like most landfills constructed in the 1940s, Fresh Kills was not designed with liners or any other form of lechate control. Other problems such as local water contamination, hazardous chemical release, and local opposition lead to the closing of the landfill on December 31, 2001. Today, Fresh Kills landfill is being turned into a park over the span of 30 years. Landfill caps and other gas collection and treatment systems are used to ensure proper containment of wastes and promote a safe environment.

2000 EPA Municipal Waste Composition

Estimated Air Emission Rates for Selected Chemicals at the Fresh Kills Landfill

From The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Report (1995 Study)

Why a Park?•2001 - 2006 – Draft Master Plan• Comprised of ideas including:•new roads•active and passive recreational: mountain biking, golf, ball fields, tennis courts, hiking trails, kayaking and canoeing•environmental programs•wildlife refuge

•Result of extensive site analysis; community needs; assessment and outreach; landfill operations consideration; and studies and reviews of other landfill models

Tracing the Metamorphosis of the Fresh Kills Landfill

How Did the Landfill Develop?•Was originally composed of tidal creeks and coastal marshes.•Landfill opened in 1947•As a “Temporary Landfill” for 20 year operation•Became one of the largest landfill in the world. •Covered 20200 acres. •Can be seen with the naked eye from space•Taller than the Statue of Liberty at a height of 225ft.•At the peak of operations:• twenty barges, each carrying 650 tons of garbage, were added to the site daily

Trashy to ClassyTrashy to Classy Katherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Elizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John TroinoKatherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Elizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John Troino

FRESH KILLS LANDFILL

How Did the Landfill Develop?•Was originally composed of tidal creeks and coastal marshes.•Landfill opened in 1947•As a “Temporary Landfill” for 20 year operation

•Became one of the largest landfill in the world. •Covered 20200 acres. •Can be seen with the naked eye from space•Taller than the Statue of Liberty at a height of 225ft.

•At the peak of operations:• twenty barges, each carrying 650 tons of garbage, were added to the site daily

Why Did the Landfill Close?•Not designed with a liner or any other form of leachate control•Untreated leachate from the landfill flowed directly into local surface waters and groundwater•Contamination•chemicals in the waste dissolved into the rainwater and snow•toxins released into the atmosphere

•Closed on December 31, 2001 •political and community pressure

•Post-September 11, 2001 attacks •Freshkills was temporarily used as a sorting ground for roughly one-third of the rubble from Ground Zero.

•The landfill has not been in operation since that time.

What Safety Measures Are Being Taken For This Transformation?•Active studies at the Fresh Kills Site:•The New York Department of Health•The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry• The Environmental Protection

•Landfill capping•containment technology that forms a barrier between the contaminated media and the surface.•Restricts surface water infiltration into the contaminated subsurface to reduce the potential for contaminants to leach from the site.

•Gas Collection Systems:•Department of Sanitation collects ~10million cubic feet of landfill gas daily (GFD)•Purified at the onsite facility•5million cubic feet of pipeline quality gas sold to National Grid•Capable of heating 22,000 homes on Staten Island.

Future Plans: The park will be three times the size of Central Park. Parts of the park will be completed before others but the entire park is expected to take approximately 30 years to complete. Fresh kills Park will have five main areas: the Confluence, North Park, South Park, East Park and West Park. Each of these areas will have unique characteristics. Some of the fun and adventurous activities offered in the park will include horseback riding, mountain biking, nature trails, kayaking, and large–scale public art. Fresh kills Park will also support richly diverse habitats for wildlife, birds and plant communities. Settings of immense recreation will allow for some of the best camping sites in all of New York.

Sources and More Information: http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/sigd/references/

IntroductionThe Fresh Kills Landfill was once the second largest landfill in the entire world. It was opened in 1947, originally as a temporary landfill, but remained in operation for 50 years. Like most landfills constructed in the 1940s, Fresh Kills was not designed with linters or any other form of lechate control. Other problems such as local water contamination, hazardous chemical release, and local opposition lead to the closing of the landfill on December 31, 2001. Today, Fresh Kills landfill is being turned into a park over the span of 30 years. Landfill caps and other gas collection and treatment systems are used to ensure proper containment of wastes and promote a safe environment.

2000 EPA Municipal Waste Composition

Estimated Air Emission Rates for Selected Chemicals at the Fresh Kills Landfill

From The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Report (1995 Study)

Why a Park?•2001 - 2006 – Draft Master Plan• Comprised of ideas including:•new roads•active and passive recreational: mountain biking, golf, ball fields, tennis courts, hiking trails, kayaking and canoeing•environmental programs•wildlife refuge

•Result of extensive site analysis; community needs; assessment and outreach; landfill operations consideration; and studies and reviews of other landfill models

Tracing the Metamorphosis of the Fresh Kills Landfill

Why Did the Landfill Close?•Not designed with a liner or any other form of leachate control•Untreated leachate from the landfill flowed directly into local surface waters and groundwater•Contamination•chemicals in the waste dissolved into the rainwater and snow•toxins released into the atmosphere

•Closed on December 31, 2001 •political and community pressure

•Post-September 11, 2001 attacks •Freshkills was temporarily used as a sorting ground for roughly one-third of the rubble from Ground Zero.•The landfill has not been in operation since that time.

2000 EPA Municipal Waste Composition

Estimated Air Emission Rates for Selected Chemicals at the Fresh Kills Landfill

From The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Report (1995 Study)

•Acetone: Exposure: breathing air, drinking water, or coming in contact

with products or soil that contain acetone. Exposure to moderate-to-high

amounts of acetone can irritate your eyes and respiratory system, and make

you dizzy. Very high exposure may cause you to lose consciousness.

• Hydrogen Sulfide: Just a few breaths of air containing high levels of hydrogen

sulfide gas can cause death. Lower, longer-term exposure can cause eye

irritation, headache, and fatigue.

•p-Dichlorobenzene: Repeated exposure to p-dichlorobenzene may

induce  anorexia, weight loss, and liver and kidney damage.

•Toluene: Toluene is a central nervous system depressant and an irritant of the eyes, mucous membranes, and skin in

humans. In contact with the eyes, toluene causes reversible corneal

injury;  prolonged skin contact causes defatting and dermatitis.

• Xylene: Chronic exposure to xylene may cause central  nervous system

depression, anemia, mucosal hemorrhage, bone  marrow hyperplasia,

liver enlargement, liver necrosis, and nephrosis.

•1997: 2,650 Tons of methane gas was released daily — which is 5.7% of all U.S. methane emissions and 1.8% of the world’s total methane production.

Trashy to ClassyTrashy to Classy Katherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Elizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John TroinoKatherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Elizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John Troino

FRESH KILLS LANDFILL

How Did the Landfill Develop?•Was originally composed of tidal creeks and coastal marshes.•Landfill opened in 1947•As a “Temporary Landfill” for 20 year operation

•Became one of the largest landfill in the world. •Covered 20200 acres. •Can be seen with the naked eye from space•Taller than the Statue of Liberty at a height of 225ft.

•At the peak of operations:• twenty barges, each carrying 650 tons of garbage, were added to the site daily

Why Did the Landfill Close?•Not designed with a liner or any other form of leachate control•Untreated leachate from the landfill flowed directly into local surface waters and groundwater•Contamination•chemicals in the waste dissolved into the rainwater and snow•toxins released into the atmosphere

•Closed on December 31, 2001 •political and community pressure

•Post-September 11, 2001 attacks •Freshkills was temporarily used as a sorting ground for roughly one-third of the rubble from Ground Zero.

•The landfill has not been in operation since that time.

What Safety Measures Are Being Taken For This Transformation?•Active studies at the Fresh Kills Site:•The New York Department of Health•The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry• The Environmental Protection

•Landfill capping•containment technology that forms a barrier between the contaminated media and the surface.•Restricts surface water infiltration into the contaminated subsurface to reduce the potential for contaminants to leach from the site.

•Gas Collection Systems:•Department of Sanitation collects ~10million cubic feet of landfill gas daily (GFD)•Purified at the onsite facility•5million cubic feet of pipeline quality gas sold to National Grid•Capable of heating 22,000 homes on Staten Island.

Future Plans: The park will be three times the size of Central Park. Parts of the park will be completed before others but the entire park is expected to take approximately 30 years to complete. Fresh kills Park will have five main areas: the Confluence, North Park, South Park, East Park and West Park. Each of these areas will have unique characteristics. Some of the fun and adventurous activities offered in the park will include horseback riding, mountain biking, nature trails, kayaking, and large–scale public art. Fresh kills Park will also support richly diverse habitats for wildlife, birds and plant communities. Settings of immense recreation will allow for some of the best camping sites in all of New York.

Sources and More Information: http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/sigd/references/

IntroductionThe Fresh Kills Landfill was once the second largest landfill in the entire world. It was opened in 1947, originally as a temporary landfill, but remained in operation for 50 years. Like most landfills constructed in the 1940s, this Fresh Kills was not designed with liners or any other form of lechate control. Other problems such as local water contamination, hazardous chemical release, and local opposition lead to the closing of the landfill on December 31, 2001. Today, Fresh Kills landfill is being turned into a park over the span of 30 years. Landfill caps and other gas collection and treatment systems are used to ensure proper containment of wastes and promote a safe environment.

2000 EPA Municipal Waste Composition

Estimated Air Emission Rates for Selected Chemicals at the Fresh Kills Landfill

From The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Report (1995 Study)

Why a Park?•2001 - 2006 – Draft Master Plan• Comprised of ideas including:•new roads•active and passive recreational: mountain biking, golf, ball fields, tennis courts, hiking trails, kayaking and canoeing•environmental programs•wildlife refuge

•Result of extensive site analysis; community needs; assessment and outreach; landfill operations consideration; and studies and reviews of other landfill models

Tracing the Metamorphosis of the Fresh Kills Landfill

What Safety Measures Are Being Taken For This Transformation?

•Active studies at the Fresh Kills Site:•The New York Department of Health•The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry• The Environmental Protection

•Landfill capping•containment technology that forms a barrier between the contaminated media and the surface.•Restricts surface water infiltration into the contaminated subsurface to reduce the potential for contaminants to leach from the site.

250 ml Gas Vent Layer

Gas Collection Systems:•Department of Sanitation collects ~10million cubic feet of landfill gas daily (GFD)•Purified at the onsite facility•5million cubic feet of pipeline quality gas sold to National Grid•Capable of heating 22,000 homes on Staten Island.

Trashy to ClassyTrashy to Classy Katherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Elizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John TroinoKatherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Elizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John Troino

FRESH KILLS LANDFILL

How Did the Landfill Develop?•Was originally composed of tidal creeks and coastal marshes.•Landfill opened in 1947•As a “Temporary Landfill” for 20 year operation

•Became one of the largest landfill in the world. •Covered 20200 acres. •Can be seen with the naked eye from space•Taller than the Statue of Liberty at a height of 225ft.

•At the peak of operations:• twenty barges, each carrying 650 tons of garbage, were added to the site daily

Why Did the Landfill Close?•Not designed with a liner or any other form of leachate control•Untreated leachate from the landfill flowed directly into local surface waters and groundwater•Contamination•chemicals in the waste dissolved into the rainwater and snow•toxins released into the atmosphere

•Closed on December 31, 2001 •political and community pressure

•Post-September 11, 2001 attacks •Freshkills was temporarily used as a sorting ground for roughly one-third of the rubble from Ground Zero.

•The landfill has not been in operation since that time.

What Safety Measures Are Being Taken For This Transformation?•Active studies at the Fresh Kills Site:•The New York Department of Health•The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry• The Environmental Protection

•Landfill capping•containment technology that forms a barrier between the contaminated media and the surface.•Restricts surface water infiltration into the contaminated subsurface to reduce the potential for contaminants to leach from the site.

•Gas Collection Systems:•Department of Sanitation collects ~10million cubic feet of landfill gas daily (GFD)•Purified at the onsite facility•5million cubic feet of pipeline quality gas sold to National Grid•Capable of heating 22,000 homes on Staten Island.

Future Plans: The park will be three times the size of Central Park. Parts of the park will be completed before others but the entire park is expected to take approximately 30 years to complete. Fresh kills Park will have five main areas: the Confluence, North Park, South Park, East Park and West Park. Each of these areas will have unique characteristics. Some of the fun and adventurous activities offered in the park will include horseback riding, mountain biking, nature trails, kayaking, and large–scale public art. Fresh kills Park will also support richly diverse habitats for wildlife, birds and plant communities. Settings of immense recreation will allow for some of the best camping sites in all of New York.

Sources and More Information: http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/sigd/references/

IntroductionThe Fresh Kills Landfill was once the second largest landfill in the entire world. It was opened in 1947, originally as a temporary landfill, but remained in operation for 50 years. Like most landfills constructed in the 1940s, Fresh Kills was not designed with liners or any other form of lechate control. Other problems such as local water contamination, hazardous chemical release, and local opposition lead to the closing of the landfill on December 31, 2001. Today, Fresh Kills landfill is being turned into a park over the span of 30 years. Landfill caps and other gas collection and treatment systems are used to ensure proper containment of wastes and promote a safe environment.

2000 EPA Municipal Waste Composition

Estimated Air Emission Rates for Selected Chemicals at the Fresh Kills Landfill

From The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Report (1995 Study)

Why a Park?•2001 - 2006 – Draft Master Plan• Comprised of ideas including:•new roads•active and passive recreational: mountain biking, golf, ball fields, tennis courts, hiking trails, kayaking and canoeing•environmental programs•wildlife refuge

•Result of extensive site analysis; community needs; assessment and outreach; landfill operations consideration; and studies and reviews of other landfill models

Tracing the Metamorphosis of the Fresh Kills Landfill

Trashy to ClassyTrashy to Classy Katherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Elizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John TroinoKatherine Brigandi Patricia Cannizzaro Elizabeth Che Michael Dibenedetto John Troino

FRESH KILLS LANDFILL

How Did the Landfill Develop?•Was originally composed of tidal creeks and coastal marshes.•Landfill opened in 1947•As a “Temporary Landfill” for 20 year operation

•Became one of the largest landfill in the world. •Covered 20200 acres. •Can be seen with the naked eye from space•Taller than the Statue of Liberty at a height of 225ft.

•At the peak of operations:• twenty barges, each carrying 650 tons of garbage, were added to the site daily

Why Did the Landfill Close?•Not designed with a liner or any other form of leachate control•Untreated leachate from the landfill flowed directly into local surface waters and groundwater•Contamination•chemicals in the waste dissolved into the rainwater and snow•toxins released into the atmosphere

•Closed on December 31, 2001 •political and community pressure

•Post-September 11, 2001 attacks •Freshkills was temporarily used as a sorting ground for roughly one-third of the rubble from Ground Zero.

•The landfill has not been in operation since that time.

What Safety Measures Are Being Taken For This Transformation?•Active studies at the Fresh Kills Site:•The New York Department of Health•The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry• The Environmental Protection

•Landfill capping•containment technology that forms a barrier between the contaminated media and the surface.•Restricts surface water infiltration into the contaminated subsurface to reduce the potential for contaminants to leach from the site.

•Gas Collection Systems:•Department of Sanitation collects ~10million cubic feet of landfill gas daily (GFD)•Purified at the onsite facility•5million cubic feet of pipeline quality gas sold to National Grid•Capable of heating 22,000 homes on Staten Island.

Future Plans: The park will be three times the size of Central Park. Parts of the park will be completed before others but the entire park is expected to take approximately 30 years to complete. Fresh kills Park will have five main areas: the Confluence, North Park, South Park, East Park and West Park. Each of these areas will have unique characteristics. Some of the fun and adventurous activities offered in the park will include horseback riding, mountain biking, nature trails, kayaking, and large–scale public art. Fresh kills Park will also support richly diverse habitats for wildlife, birds and plant communities. Settings of immense recreation will allow for some of the best camping sites in all of New York.

Sources and More Information: http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/sigd/references/

IntroductionThe Fresh Kills Landfill was once the second largest landfill in the entire world. It was opened in 1947, originally as a temporary landfill, but remained in operation for 50 years. Like most landfills constructed in the 1940s, Fresh Kills was not designed with liners or any other form of lechate control. Other problems such as local water contamination, hazardous chemical release, and local opposition lead to the closing of the landfill on December 31, 2001. Today, Fresh Kills landfill is being turned into a park over the span of 30 years. Landfill caps and other gas collection and treatment systems are used to ensure proper containment of wastes and promote a safe environment.

2000 EPA Municipal Waste Composition

Estimated Air Emission Rates for Selected Chemicals at the Fresh Kills Landfill

From The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Report (1995 Study)

Why a Park?•2001 - 2006 – Draft Master Plan• Comprised of ideas including:•new roads•active and passive recreational: mountain biking, golf, ball fields, tennis courts, hiking trails, kayaking and canoeing•environmental programs•wildlife refuge

•Result of extensive site analysis; community needs; assessment and outreach; landfill operations consideration; and studies and reviews of other landfill models

Tracing the Metamorphosis of the Fresh Kills Landfill

Future Plans:

The park will be three times the size of Central Park. Parts of the park will be completed before others but the entire park is expected to take approximately 30 years to complete. Fresh kills Park will have five main areas: the Confluence, North Park, South Park, East Park and West Park. Each of these areas will have unique characteristics. Some of the fun and adventurous activities offered in the park will include horseback riding, mountain biking, nature trails, kayaking, and large–scale public art. Fresh kills Park will also support richly diverse habitats for wildlife, birds and plant communities. Settings of immense recreation will allow for some of the best camping sites in all of New York.

List of Research Sources:

http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/sigd/

references/

Fresh Kills Park Tour Tour Guide: Doug Elliot, Outreach Coordinator.

Pictures: http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/sigd/freshkills-

park/park-pictures/

Video: http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/sigd/files/2010

/11/large.av

The video can also be found through the webiste: http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/sigd/

presentation/

Created Website The following website was created as a way

to present information about the Fresh Kills Landfill and Park. It was used to facilitate the creation of the poster and serves as a location to organize information.

http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/sigd

Other Pictures These pictures were taken by Elizabeth on an

individual Fresh Kills Park Volunteer/Tour. Guide: Carrie Grassi, Land Use Review &

Outreach Manager.

Fresh Kills Sneak Peek Event on October 3, 2010.

The quality is not as great being that it was taken by a poor cell phone camera.

Flickr account has reached maximum uploading capacity so these pictures were unable to be uploaded into the slideshow.

Goats to be used for invasive plant removal and “mowing”.

Invasive Phragmites.