A Ave Landfill

The landfill closure plan requires sampling of groundwater seeps at the landfill every 5 years following the implementation of the plan. Skagit County Public Health (SCPH) collected the 10-year post-implementation seep samples on February 28 and March 13, 2020. Samples were analyzed for a variety of chemicals, including total and dissolved metals, petroleum hydrocarbons (PAHs), and volatile organic chemicals. Sampling results are available in the site's electronic documents.

A Ave Landfill operated as an unpermitted solid waste landfill from the 1960s to 2006. From the 1960s to approximately 1970, the landfill accepted municipal solid waste that was burned on site. From the 1970s to 2006, the City of Anacortes used the landfill for storage and disposal of public works materials (concrete, yard waste, scrap metal, street sweepings, etc.).

The City of Anacortes currently owns the landfill. It is located within the Anacortes Community Forest Lands. 

SCPH reported the site to Ecology in 2003. At that time, SCPH was working with the City of Anacortes to evaluate the condition of the landfill. SCPH completed an Initial Investigation on behalf of Ecology as part of their evaluation. Ecology added the site to the Confirmed and Suspected Contaminated Sites list in January 2005.

SCPH completed a Site Hazard Assessment (SHA) for the site on behalf of Ecology in May 2009. The SHA concluded that the site did not pose a significant threat to human health or the environment, so no further action was warranted under the state cleanup regulations (Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA)). Ecology agreed with the outcome of the SHA and updated the site status to No Further Action.

SCPH finalized a 10-year closure plan for the landfill in December 2009. The plan established requirements for the soil cap over the landfill, public safety measures, testing of water draining out of the landfill, and maintenance of the landfill area.

In August 2019, a group of concerned citizens sent a letter to SCPH with questions about a proposed addition of a bike skills park to the capped area of the landfill. Ecology received a copy of this letter, and as a result re-evaluated the available site information. Ecology concluded that there is still suspected contamination on the site. Ecology rescinded the previous No Further Action determination, and updated the site status to indicate that further action is needed under the state cleanup regulations (MTCA).

Limited sampling has been done at the site so far. Petroleum contamination in soil was confirmed during the Initial Investigation of the landfill completed by SCPH. Additional contaminants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, are suspected to be present in soil and groundwater based on the available site history.