The effects of a hazardous and a domestic waste landfill on the trace organic quality of chalk groundwater at a site in East Anglia

As part of a research project to assess the effects of landfill leachates on groundwater quality thirteen boreholes within, around and down groundwater gradient from two adjacent domestic and hazardous wastes sites were sampled for trace organic quality.Results so far show that significant inorganic and gross organic (TOC) groundwater contamination does not occur more than a few metres from the landfill boundaries. Trace organic analyses indicate that the mineral oils, phenolic wastes and chlorinated solvents, known to have been tipped into the hazardous waste landfill, have now reached the water table, although only at low concentrations.