Cornwall Avenue Landfill
Facility Site ID:
2913
Cleanup Site ID:
220
Current Status
Last Updated: February 2021
2017 Fact Sheet | Información en español
Cleanup Construction Planning and Permitting Underway
Preparation of cleanup construction plans and specifications are underway. Construction permits are being secured through federal and natural resource agencies. Engineering design is being coordinated with the adjacent R.G. Haley cleanup site.
Ecology conducted a public comment period (Dec. 18, 2017 - Feb. 22, 2018) on an engineering design report for the cleanup of a portion of the Cornwall Avenue Landfill cleanup site on the Bellingham waterfront. The report provides the preliminary design for isolating contamination and controlling landfill gas. The report was prepared by the Port of Bellingham, the City of Bellingham, and the State Department of Natural Resources, with Ecology oversight.
Ecology also held a public meeting (Feb. 15) at its Bellingham office to provide more information and collect comments. Click here to view the meeting presentation. (9.6 MB)
Ecology has reviewed and considered all comments received on the Engineering Design Report (65 MB). Based on Ecology’s evaluation of the comments, no changes were made to the document.
Ecology issued a Response to Comments (674 KB) to address comments received.
2017 Fact Sheet | Información en español
Cleanup Construction Planning and Permitting Underway
Preparation of cleanup construction plans and specifications are underway. Construction permits are being secured through federal and natural resource agencies. Engineering design is being coordinated with the adjacent R.G. Haley cleanup site.
Ecology conducted a public comment period (Dec. 18, 2017 - Feb. 22, 2018) on an engineering design report for the cleanup of a portion of the Cornwall Avenue Landfill cleanup site on the Bellingham waterfront. The report provides the preliminary design for isolating contamination and controlling landfill gas. The report was prepared by the Port of Bellingham, the City of Bellingham, and the State Department of Natural Resources, with Ecology oversight.
Ecology also held a public meeting (Feb. 15) at its Bellingham office to provide more information and collect comments. Click here to view the meeting presentation. (9.6 MB)
Ecology has reviewed and considered all comments received on the Engineering Design Report (65 MB). Based on Ecology’s evaluation of the comments, no changes were made to the document.
Ecology issued a Response to Comments (674 KB) to address comments received.
Estimated Site Timeline
- 2017/2018: Finalize cleanup design
- 2018-2021: Prepare construction plans and specifications
- 2024: Anticipated construction
General Cleanup Process
The Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) is Washington’s environmental cleanup law. It provides requirements for contaminated site cleanup and sets standards that protect human health and the environment. Ecology enacts MTCA and oversees cleanups. The MTCA site cleanup process is completed in steps over a variable timeline.
Public Participation
Current Cornwall Avenue Landfill cleanup site Public Participation Plan (772 KB)
This plan includes information for the public regarding opportunities to get involved in the cleanup process. The outreach activities and mechanisms presented reflect Ecology’s current plans for keeping the public informed and for receiving information and comments from the public.
This plan includes information for the public regarding opportunities to get involved in the cleanup process. The outreach activities and mechanisms presented reflect Ecology’s current plans for keeping the public informed and for receiving information and comments from the public.
Site Description
2017 Aerial view of Site looking east. White-tarped mounds cover soil to be used as part of cleanup activities.
Site History
The Cornwall Avenue Landfill cleanup site is located on the Bellingham waterfront between Boulevard Park and the former Georgia Pacific pulp mill, and is most recognizable today for the large mounds covered with white plastic. It's at the south end of Cornwall Avenue. About 13 acres of the site are on land, and about 3.5 acres are in water. Property within the site is owned by the City of Bellingham, Port of Bellingham, and State Department of Natural Resources.
The Cornwall Avenue Landfill cleanup site is located on the Bellingham waterfront between Boulevard Park and the former Georgia Pacific pulp mill, and is most recognizable today for the large mounds covered with white plastic. It's at the south end of Cornwall Avenue. About 13 acres of the site are on land, and about 3.5 acres are in water. Property within the site is owned by the City of Bellingham, Port of Bellingham, and State Department of Natural Resources.
- 1888-1946: The site was used for sawmill operations, including log storage and wood disposal.
- 1965: Closure of the landfill; the site was covered with a layer of soil.
- 1971 to 2005: The site was used for log storage and warehousing operations.
- 2011: An interim cleanup action was conducted with Ecology oversight.
- 2013: Completed a remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) - this document identifies the nature, extent and magnitude of contamination and how people, plants and animals may be exposed. It also assembles and evaluates cleanup options and identifies a preferred option.
- 2014: Finalized a Cleanup Action Plan. Based on the information in the RI/FS, this document describes Ecology's selected cleanup action for the upland and shoreline/shallow-water portions of the site. A future cleanup plan will address the deep in-water portion of the site.
- 2015: Field investigations completed to support design of Ecology's selected cleanup action.
Contamination
The site remedial investigation found an estimated 295,000 cubic yards of municipal waste and 94,000 cubic yards of wood waste. Some of the contamination associated with this waste includes:
- Groundwater contamination: tannins and lignins associated with wood waste breakdown products; elevated nitrogen compounds like ammonia; elevated dissolved metals like manganese; and volatile organics like benzene in the ground water.
- Sediment contamination: phthalates, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), phenols, and diesel and oil-range petroleum hydrocarbons in the sediment.
- Contamination from neighboring sites: contamination from two neighboring cleanup sites overlaps with contamination at the Cornwall site. Petroleum hydrocarbons, pentachlorophenol, carcinogenic PAHs, and other contaminants associated with former wood treating operations at the adjacent R.G. Haley site are present in the soil, sediment and groundwater. And mercury associated with the Whatcom Waterway site is present in the sediment.
Bellingham Bay Demonstration Pilot
The Cornwall Avenue Landfill site is one of 12 sites coordinated through the Bellingham Bay Demonstration Pilot. The Pilot is a bay-wide multi-agency effort to clean up contaminated sediment, control sources of sediment contamination, and restore habitat, with consideration for land and water uses. In 2000, participants in this initiative developed the Bellingham Bay Comprehensive Strategy (50.9 MB)
Key Documents
- Engineering Design Report Fact Sheet (2017)
- Cleanup Action Plan Fact Sheet (2014)
- Cleanup Action Plan (2014)
- Consent Decree (2014)
- Consent Decree Exhibits (2014)
- Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Fact Sheet (2013)
- Final Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (2013)
- Final RI/FS: Tables (2013)
- Final RI/FS: Figures (2013)
- Final RI/FS:- Appendices (2013)
Translated Content
En español
El Departamento de Ecología le invita a revisor los documentos para el sitio que está contaminado Cornwall Avenue Landfill en Bellingham.
Si le gustaría recibir este documento en español, por favor llame a 425-240-4353 y espere a que un intérprete se una a la llamada o envíe un correo electrónico a preguntas@ecy.wa.gov. Traducciones de avisos públicos para los sitios de limpieza de la Bahía de Bellingham se preparan bajo solicitud.
El Departamento de Ecología le invita a revisor los documentos para el sitio que está contaminado Cornwall Avenue Landfill en Bellingham.
Si le gustaría recibir este documento en español, por favor llame a 425-240-4353 y espere a que un intérprete se una a la llamada o envíe un correo electrónico a preguntas@ecy.wa.gov. Traducciones de avisos públicos para los sitios de limpieza de la Bahía de Bellingham se preparan bajo solicitud.
Requesting Accommodation
To request an ADA accommodation, contact Ecology by phone at 360-407-6831, email ecyadacoordinator@ecy.wa.gov, or visit ecology.wa.gov/Accessibility. For Relay Service or TTY call 711 or 877-833-6341.
If you speak a non-English language, free language services are available.
If you speak a non-English language, free language services are available.
Documents 50
Legal 7
| Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
| Consent Decree Exhibits / Cleanup Action Plan (2014) | 3/27/2015 | Consent Decree |
| Cornwall Avenue Landfill Consent Decree (2014) | 3/27/2015 | Consent Decree |
| Cornwall Avenue Landfill - Consent Decree - June 2014 | 5/22/2014 | Consent Decree |
| Cornwall Avenue Landfill 2005 Agreed Order-First Amendment | 8/31/2011 | Agreed Order Amendment |
| Cornwall Avenue Landfill Respsonsiveness Summary | 8/25/2011 | Agreed Order Amendment |
| Cornwall Avenue Landfill Amendment to Agreed order - June 2011 | 5/10/2011 | Agreed Order Amendment |
| Cornwall Avenue Landfill Agreed Order for the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study- Feb 2005 | 8/19/2004 | Agreed Order |
Public Information 12
State Environmental Policy Act 2
| Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
| Cornwall Avenue Landfill - Determination of Non-Significance (SEPA) - June 2014 | 5/22/2014 | SEPA Documents |
| Bellingham Bay Comprehensive Strategy - SEPA - Environmental Impact Statement | 10/1/2000 | SEPA Documents |
Technical Reports 28
Voluntary Cleanup Program 1
| Document Title | Document Date | Document Type |
| Cornwall Avenue Landfill - VCP Termination Letter | 5/24/2007 | VCP Administrative Document |
There may be more documents related to this site. To obtain documents not available electronically, you will need to make a public records request.
Places to see print documents
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Northwest Regional Office15700 Dayton Ave NShoreline, 98133Please schedule an appointment to view print documents at this location.
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Ecology Bellingham Field Office913 Squalicum Way, Unit 101Bellingham, 98225This location may only have print documents available during open comment periods.
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Bellingham Public Library210 Central AveBellingham, 98225This location may only have print documents available during open comment periods.
Contaminants 13
| Contaminant Type | Soil |
Groundwater |
Surface Water |
Air |
Sediment |
Bedrock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metals - Metals Priority Pollutants | S | C | S | C | ||
| Halogenated Organics - Polychlorinated biPhenyls (PCB) | S | C | ||||
| Pesticides - Halogenated Pesticides | C | |||||
| Non-Halogenated Organics - Non-Halogenated Solvents | C | |||||
| Non-Halogenated Organics - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons | C | |||||
| Halogenated Organics - Halogenated Solvents | C | |||||
| Other Contaminant - Conventional Contaminants, Organic | C | |||||
| Other Contaminant - Conventional Contaminants, Inorganic | S | C | S | C | ||
| Halogenated Organics - Other Halogenated Organics | C | |||||
| Non-Halogenated Organics - Benzene | C | |||||
| Non-Halogenated Organics - Other Non-Halogenated Organics | C | |||||
| Pesticides - Pesticides-Unspecified | S | |||||
| Pesticides - Non-Halogenated Pesticides | S |
- S
- Suspected
- C
- Confirmed Above Cleanup Levels
- B
- Below Cleanup Levels
- RA
- Remediated-Above
- RB
- Remediated-Below
- R
- Remediated
This contaminant list was based on our best information at the time it was entered. It may not reflect current conditions at the site.