Before solid waste management was regulated in Kentucky, most towns or cities had a common location where household waste and a vast array of other materials were disposed. These “old town dumps” were the de facto landfill for the area and were rarely operated in a manner consistent with current standards. In most cases they were not properly capped to prevent migration of contaminated leachate and other pollutants.
According to Division of Waste Management records, more than 600 of these sites are scattered across the state. The Closure Section of the Solid Waste Branch addresses proper closure and remediation of these historic sites. Closure/remediation work is presently ongoing at several sites across the state.