Lake Township
Stark County, Ohio

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Located in the northwest corner of the township, approximately ¼ mile south of the center of Uniontown on Cleveland Avenue, is the Industrial Excess Landfill (IEL) which encompasses a 30-acre site. The site was originally a sand and gravel mining operation which was licensed in the late 1960’s to accept industrial wastes such as cement blocks, drywall, etc. When it was discovered that the site was being abused by the dumping of chemical wastes, action was started to discontinue its use as landfill. The site was proposed for inclusion on USEPA’s National Priorities list in October of 1984, and has been the subject of ongoing monitoring and cleanup plans since that time.

In 1989 the USEPA Record of Decision was released for the Uniontown IEL. That document listed certain criteria that must be met for a cleanup of the site. Since that time, according to EPA officials, interim water testing has taken place that shows the area to be somewhat cleaner due to natural attenuation. A revised Record of Decision was written in March of 2000 verifying this to the satisfaction of the EPA.

The challenge before us is how to best utilize the IEL site and the area surrounding the site and whether or not it would be advisable to allow future development of the property. Several parcels (17) adjacent to the Landfill were purchased by, and are currently owned by the Federal Government. However, the landfill site is still owned by the landfill operator. The original Record of Decision (ROD) seemed to contemplate that the State of Ohio would accept the USA Federally acquired properties and perhaps the site. No future use for these properties was proposed to the best of Lake Township’s knowledge. The amended ROD seems to imply that the final proposed remedy will place specific deed restrictions on the future use of the site, but these are not specifically defined in the ROD or Amended ROD and no community input as to such restrictions has been solicited or received to date.

Although it does not seem practical to consider utilizing the IEL site for anything other than open space at the present time, the maintenance and zoning of the area surrounding the site must be considered. The parcels owned by the Federal Government are maintained by a private contractor through the Ohio EPA. That contractor mows the grounds and maintains the methane venting system.

It is the duty of the township trustees to consider the health, safety and welfare of the township residents, and therefore it is incumbent upon them to continue monitoring the site and to solicit extensive community input as to future use of the site.

Lake Township’s Community Advisory Group (CAG) was formed in October of 2000 to assist the Township community in acquiring information as to how the community would like to see the IEL reused after a final remedy for the site is chosen by the USEPA through an amended Record of Decision (ROD). The CAG is made up of a group of volunteer representatives, all of whom live within a mile or so of the IEL. The CAG is the Lake Township Trustees' only official community resource group, which is composed of Township residents dedicated to reporting facts rather than speculation, innuendo, or sensationalized information as some others may report. For more information on CAG and the Industrial Excess Landfill, please visit their site at http://www.ltcag.org/.

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EPA News Release - 6/2024

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will continue to oversee the sampling of dioxane in the groundwater near the Industrial Excess Landfill Superfund site. Starting the week of July 29 and extending through early September 2024, crews will conduct groundwater sampling in parts of Uniontown and Green. − More Information

EPA News Release - 6/2023

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will continue to oversee the sampling of dioxane in the groundwater near the Industrial Excess Landfill Superfund site. Starting the week of June 19 and extending through early September 2023, crews will conduct groundwater sampling in parts of Uniontown and Green. − More Information

EPA News Release - 12/2022

EPA begins next stage of groundwater investigation near the Industrial Excess Landfill Superfund site in Uniontown, Ohio − More Information

EPA Fact Sheet - 2022

EPA Begins Groundwater Investigation for 1,4 Dioxane − More Information

EPA News Release - 2021

EPA begins five-year review of Industrial Excess Landfill Superfund site in Uniontown, Ohio − More Information