Have you ever been past the area fenced with signs indicating toxic materials along Hines Hill Road? If you have, what you noticed is the site of the Received Dump. During peak operation, the Krejci Dump contained among the nation's most toxic materials, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH's), arsenic, and other carcinogenic wastes. In addition to being as serious concern to human health, these materials pose a serious threat to the surrounding resources in a national park setting. Efforts are being made to complete a full remediation of the Krejci Dump. Clean-up and transformation of this site shows the importance Cuyahoga Valley National Park places on resource protection.
History
Krejci Dump, operated by the Krejci family as a salvage yard and a dump, accepted municipal and industrial wastes from 1948 until 1980. In 1985, the National Park Service (NPS) gained control of the site and invited the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct a detailed analysis of the waste materials. In May of 1986, CVNP closed the site to the public to ensure visitor safety and to help prevent further damage to the natural resources. The U.S. EPA initiated the first action towards site clean-up in 1987; CVNP took over the process in 1988. Past cleanup efforts have primarily dealt with removing the on-site exposed wastes and barrels. In 1997, the National Park Service initiated efforts in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) to file litigation on behalf of the Department of the Interior against the potentially responsible parties to fund the clean-up.
Current Cleanup Efforts
To ensure that the National Park Service resource protection standards are met, all remaining contaminated materials and soils will be removed. An estimated 26,000 cubic yards of debris and 50,600 cubic yards of soils will be excavated and removed. Truck traffic is estimated to be approximately 25 loads per day. Ford Motor Company is coordinating the clean up and paying most of the costs as a result of a legal settlement with the NPS.
Future Prospects
Instead of seeing a contaminated dump closed to the public or a grass-covered cap that would need to be mowed forever, think of what it might be like to visit a place that has been transformed into a wetland or a forest. Such a place will be the Krecji Dump site in the future. In order to achieve this result, careful grading and re-vegetation will occur using native plants. In addition, surface water and ground water sources will be monitored for at least two years. Once the area returns to a natural setting, imagine all the ways this place will be able to be appreciated. To some it may serve as an important study area for researchers or classes with school children. Others may appreciate this place as a natural area blending in with the other natural settings in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. However you choose to enjoy this site in the future, it will be preserved and protected by the National Park Service for the appreciation of future generations.
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Krejic dump site in 2013 after clean up and restoration.
