Landfills in New York City: 1844–1994

Abstract

AbstractHistoric topographic maps are reviewed to locate landfills constructed within New York City during four time intervals between 1844 and 1994. A total of 184.75 km2 (45,650 acres) of landfill are identified (approximately 20% of the study area). Data are not available to determine the fill composition at most sites but literature sources indicate that municipal solid waste (MSW) has been an important source of fill since at least 1891. Qualitative temporal trends in the spatial distribution of landfills and the composition and thickness of MSW landfills are observed. The oldest landfills are clustered in the vicinity of the early urban center (southern New York County) but expand in spatial distribution after the turn of this century. Logs of borings through 10 MSW landfills show that waste landfills built prior to the mid‐1950s contain abundant ash (coal ash is common in the oldest landfills) and are relatively thin (3‐7 m) with no topographic mounding. In MSW landfills built since that time, uncombusted organic matter is abundant, thicknesses increase greatly (16–27 m), and pronounced topographic mounding is observed. Most landfills identified in this study were built on tidal wetlands. Fine‐grained wetland deposits underlying the landfills and close proximity to large surface‐water bodies favor lateral transport of leachate from MSW landfills in shallow ground water and local discharge to surface water. The wide distribution of historic landfills and common use of MSW for fill indicates that these sites should be considered in investigations of ground water, surface water, and sediment quality in New York City and other urban areas where extensive historic landfilling has occurred.