The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has announced that there is no risk to human health from radium in landfill liquids.
The multi-year study into the leachate was made by the DEP on all 49 landfills in the state. None of the areas had results that were over the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission standards for discharge from industrial facilities. Landfill leachate is the collected rainwater that falls on landfills and filters through the accumulated waste. It is collected and either treated on-site or sent to a treatment facility before being discharged into a stream or river.
The study reinforces the prior DEP studies finding that there is not a threat of radioactive material in water discharged from wastewater treatment facilities affecting surface waters or drinking water.
The DEP is recommending an additional four quarters of sampling and analysis using radiochemistry to provide a larger sample set. The additional data will serve to inform future decisions to revisit landfill leachate sampling requirements and other operational or engineering controls if necessary to protect public health, safety and the environment.
Comments