Saturday, March 9, 1991
KU TO DO TESTING AT DUMP IN COUNTY
CHEMICAL, RADIOACTIVE WASTES WERE DISPOSED OF NEAR SUNFLOWER PLANT.
The University of Kansas has agreed to perform more ground-water tests at a Johnson County landfill where it once dumped radioactive and chemical waste.
KU officials say the landfill doesn't pose a health threat to anyone, but they want to prevent future pollution of ground water at the site. From 1965 to 1982, KU dumped lab chemicals contaminated by radioactive waste in pits on a 23-acre tract just west of the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant near De Soto.
A family that lived for years on a farm adjacent to the site has filed two lawsuits against KU, one in federal court seeking cleanup of the dump. The other lawsuit, filed in state court, asks for $500,000 in damages, said John Parisi, an attorney representing the Jean Martin family.
The new agreement with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment requires KU to test ground water around the dump and review options for cleaning it up. KU officials will seek $500,000 from the Kansas Legislature to pay for planning a cleanup; the cleanup could cost as much as $3.6 million.
THE KANSAS CITY STAR
Section: JOHNSON COUNTY/METRO
Page: C2
By MICHAEL MANSUR, Environment Writer
All content © 1991 THE KANSAS CITY STAR and may not be republished without permission.
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