State Environmental Agency Requests Federal Oversight of St. Louis Suburb Waste Site
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources sent a formal letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on January 15, 2025, warning of a “high likelihood” that radioactive Manhattan Project waste exists in the Bridgeton Landfill, where an underground chemical reaction has burned continuously since 2010. This warning coincides with the EPA’s January 22 announcement of a $400 million expansion of its cleanup operation at the adjacent West Lake Landfill, which holds confirmed deposits of uranium processing waste from World War II. State officials requested immediate EPA assumption of oversight responsibilities for the Bridgeton facility, emphasizing that radioactive materials may lie closer to the subsurface burning than previously documented.
5 Key Points
- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources identified potential radioactive contamination in the Bridgeton Landfill through a formal letter to the EPA on January 15, 2025.
- The EPA will expand its West Lake Landfill cleanup by 40 acres and remove 20,000 additional cubic yards of contaminated material.
- A subsurface chemical reaction has burned without oxygen in the Bridgeton Landfill since 2010, releasing noxious odors.
- Manhattan Project contractors illegally dumped uranium processing waste in the West Lake Landfill in 1973 after extracting valuable metals.
- The total cost for the expanded cleanup operation will reach $400 million, according to the EPA’s January 22 announcement.
Federal and Corporate Officials Challenge State’s Contamination Claims
The Environmental Protection Agency and Republic Services presented a united front against Missouri’s assessment of radioactive contamination at the Bridgeton Landfill. EPA spokesman Kellen Ashford directly contested the state’s position in a January 22 email statement: “EPA has no new evidence or information to support any claim that radiologically-impacted material is present anywhere else in the Bridgeton Landfill.” Republic Services, the corporate owner of both the Bridgeton and West Lake facilities, backed the EPA’s stance. The company issued an unequivocal denial through its communications office, stating, “There is no evidence whatsoever of radiologically impacted material in Bridgeton Landfill.”
Missouri Department of Natural Resources spokesman Brian Quinn acknowledged his agency’s agreement with the EPA’s most recent technical site analysis but declined to explain why state officials now believe radioactive materials may exist in the Bridgeton facility. The state’s letter specifically requested EPA oversight of “all potentially affected properties,” suggesting concerns about contamination spread beyond currently documented areas.
St. Louis Region Grapples with 80-Year Nuclear Waste Legacy
The radioactive contamination threatening St. Louis suburbs originated in downtown St. Louis, where contractors refined uranium for the Manhattan Project’s atomic bomb development program during World War II. After the war ended, workers transported the radioactive waste to storage sites near St. Louis Lambert International Airport. The material leaked into Coldwater Creek, contaminating water and soil along its banks. Health officials have linked this contamination to elevated cancer rates among residents who lived near the creek over multiple generations.
In 1973, contractors moved the remaining waste to a processing site in Hazelwood, Missouri, where they extracted commercially valuable metals from the material. Workers then illegally transported and dumped the leftover radioactive waste in the West Lake Landfill, where it has remained for over 50 years. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers now manages the ongoing Coldwater Creek cleanup, while the EPA oversees the West Lake Landfill remediation project.
EPA Doubles Cleanup Area After Detection System Failure
The EPA’s January 22 announcement revealed that previous radiation detection efforts missed substantial contamination at the West Lake Landfill. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s late-1970s aerial survey, which used helicopter-mounted equipment to measure gamma radiation, failed to identify contaminated areas now slated for cleanup. The expanded remediation plan adds 40 acres to the project scope and requires the removal of an additional 20,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and debris.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources supported the EPA’s expanded cleanup plan while pushing for broader federal oversight. The state agency’s January 15 letter specifically recommended that the EPA “considers being the lead agency for all the potentially affected properties,” citing concerns about the subsurface chemical reaction at Bridgeton Landfill. This smoldering event has burned without oxygen since 2010, consuming waste material and releasing noxious odors that impact nearby communities.
FAQ
Q: What is causing the “fire” in the Bridgeton Landfill?
A: The Bridgeton Landfill is experiencing a “subsurface smoldering event” – a chemical reaction that heats and consumes waste like a fire but lacks oxygen. This reaction has continued for over 14 years, releasing noxious odors that affect nearby residents.
Q: How did radioactive waste end up in the St. Louis area landfills?
A: During World War II, uranium was refined in downtown St. Louis for the Manhattan Project. After the war, the waste was moved to the St. Louis County airport area. In 1973, after valuable metals were extracted, contractors illegally dumped the remaining radioactive waste in the West Lake Landfill.
Q: What health risks do these landfills pose to nearby residents?
A: The landfills present two main health concerns: radiation exposure from the uranium waste and noxious odors from the subsurface smoldering event. Historical contamination of Coldwater Creek has already subjected generations of families to radiation exposure and increased risk of certain cancers.
Q: How much will the expanded cleanup cost, and what will it involve?
A: The EPA’s expanded cleanup will cost nearly $400 million. The plan includes excavating 20,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and debris across 40 newly added acres of the West Lake Landfill. Areas with lower contamination levels will be capped rather than removed.
Q: Why did previous testing miss some of the contamination?
A: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s initial testing in the late 1970s relied on helicopter surveys measuring gamma radioactivity. This aerial detection method proved inadequate, missing contamination in parts of the landfill that the EPA has now identified through more thorough ground-level testing.
Q: Who is responsible for cleaning up the different contaminated sites?
A: The EPA oversees the West Lake Landfill cleanup and may assume oversight of the Bridgeton Landfill. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages the Coldwater Creek cleanup. Republic Services owns both landfills and bears responsibility for maintaining them.
Q: What happens if the subsurface smoldering event reaches radioactive waste?
A: While this scenario has raised significant concerns among residents, the source material does not specify the potential consequences. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ urgent request for EPA oversight suggests this is a serious safety concern requiring immediate attention.
Citations
Kite, Allison (January 22, 2025). ‘High likelihood’ of radioactive waste in smoldering landfill, Missouri officials say. MD Jonline. https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newspapers/extra/news/high-likelihood-of-radioactive-waste-in-smoldering-landfill-missouri-officials-say/article_13229c8a-a130-51b5-83ec-51908751076f.html
