Division of Emergency and Remedial Response
Site Cleanup Summary

LOCKBOURNE AIR FORCE BASE LANDFILL

Lockbourne Landfill was part of the Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base (formerly known as the Lockbourne Air Force Base) and is located on the west side of the former base and east of the Village of Lockbourne. Rickenbacker Port Authority (now Columbus Regional Airport Authority) assumed ownership of the landfill through a property transfer that occurred in 1984. At that time, no investigation had been conducted at the landfill.

Little is known of the operations at the 135-acre landfill. Operations began in 1951 and ended in 1979. Approximately 51 acres were heavily used for burning and burying wastes from the base. The remaining acres were unused or moderately used for surface disposal of various wastes, mostly construction debris. The landfill may have received hazardous substances, ammunition, airplane parts and household trash from base housing.

Lockbourne Landfill is considered to be a Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS), and is under the jurisdiction of the U. S Army Corps of Engineers for any environmental work. A site investigation was completed. Chemicals of concern have been detected in surface water, ground water, soil, sediment and seep water. These chemicals include: metals, dioxins, carbon disulfide and semi-volatile organic compounds.

Field work for the remedial investigation (RI) was conducted during the summer of 2003. Ground water, surface water, seeps, sediment and soil were sampled. Ground water samples were collected and analyzed quarterly through May 2004. Additional field work was conducted as part of the RI. The RI report is undergoing revision.

Photograph 1: Landfill surface, July 24, 2006

Summary date: December 2009

Or contact:

Diana Bynum
Ohio EPA, DERR, CDO
PO Box 1049
Columbus, OH 43216-1049
614-728-3826