Benzene found at old landfill in Santee, California

By Brian Cole

Published on March 30, 2006

Officials plan to hold a meeting in this community north of San Diego to discuss the finding. The landfill was operated by San Diego County from 1945 to 1975. Poway's trash is now taken to a different location; Sycamore Canyon, just west of Santee, California.

Underneath a hill here is about 165,000 tons of trash without modern safeguards like heavy liners and other environmental protections that are now required by law. Benzene is a common chemical found in solvents, gasoline and plastics and is a byproduct of forest fires and cigarette smoke. Some residents said they were unconcerned about the possible dangers and hoped the attention around possible Benzene exposure does not lower their property values.

Several possible sources of Benzene will be studied at the site including the large 2003 wildfires in San Diego County, landfill waste, street runoff and utility lines.

Officials in Poway say level of the chemical has been found; much lower, in fact, than the air at gasoline stations.

Residents are being asked to cooperate with an ongoing investigation.

The Benzene was found in vapor in landfill soil and in the groundwater.

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