Grove Landfill

In 2004, the Rhizome Collective received a $200,000 Brownfields Cleanup Grant from the EPA to remediate and restore the 9.8-acre Grove Landfill site. The site included a former landfill, which was open from 1967 to 1970 and then subjected to illegal dumping for approximately 15 years following its closure. Subsequent tests revealed the presence of harmful chemicals and other materials. Of Austin’s 656,562 residents at the time, 39,105 lived in the area surrounding the Grove Landfill site. The collective implemented a green remediation strategy for the cleanup, which included salvaging wood scraps and concrete to be used for erosion control, chipping wood to create mulch for recreational trails, recycling 31.6 tons of metal, salvaging concrete to be used as fill for building infrastructure, and powering equipment with biofuel generators and photovoltaic panels. Following the cleanup, the site was turned into an environmental education park that promotes sustainable concepts