High Acres Landfill Community Update

Ongoing and New Improvements

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) remains committed to addressing odors originating from the Waste Management (WM) High Acres Landfill, located in the towns of Perinton, Monroe County, and Macedon, Wayne County. New York State’s top priority is ensuring that area residents are not exposed to any potential site-related health or safety hazards. DEC continues to rigorously oversee all operations at the WM facility and continues to respond to community concerns about odors. In addition, DEC continues to work with WM to minimize odors and implement air monitoring.

DEC reads and records each email, letter, and phone call received regarding concerns with landfill operations. The dedicated hotline is the best way for DEC and WM to respond directly, evaluate the situation, speak with residents, and address community concerns. Towpath Investigative Services, a third-party odor detection consultant, responds to and investigates hotline calls. DEC personnel also respond to and investigate hotline calls when available. Data they collect is used to evaluate the effectiveness of WM’s mitigation steps and to determine if further action is needed.

Recent and Continuing Actions

EPA Geospatial Monitoring of Air Pollutants (GMAP) vehicle makes its way through a nearby neighborhood in Spring 2022.

This past spring, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to perform real-time air quality monitoring using a Geospatial Monitoring for Air Pollution (GMAP) specialized vehicle. GMAP is a screening tool to isolate and attribute emissions to specific sources. Methane, the most abundant component of landfill gas, was the only compound detected above the reporting limit at the landfill and in nearby neighborhoods. No health or safety concerns were identified in relation to these results. The level detected is unavoidable and expected at all landfills.

H₂S monitoring is currently underway at all of the installed ambient air monitoring stations, including the Dudley/Northside school campus and monitoring points in all four directions surrounding the landfill. Since monitoring began in 2018, H₂S readings remain below the State’s Ambient Air Quality Standard which are protective of public health and the environment.

Surface scans on the landfill take place four times a year for methane. DEC requires corrective measures when methane is found at a concentration that is less than half of what federal regulations require.

Exposed geomembrane cover over the east side slope of cell 12.

DEC authorized WM to install an exposed geomembrane cover over portions of Cell 12 to further minimize odor. This geomembrane was installed under DEC oversight as intermediate cover, including 8.4 acres in 2021 and 3.3 acres earlier in 2022. Installation of 20 acres of geomembrane cover over the northern portions of Cells 11 and 12 began late October and is currently ongoing.

Through a voluntary agreement with DEC, WM continued diverting a substantial amount of rail waste away from High Acres to out-of-state landfills during 2020 and 2021. WM and the town of Perinton negotiated to further lower the amount of rail waste as part of the Host Community Agreement, which took effect on Dec. 28, 2021.

DEC encourages the community to regularly check the WM Operational Updates and Town of Perinton websites for any updates on facility operations that could be creating off-site impacts.