Document Lg7yRaEba7yr2VZbJX1rBQex5

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency P.O. Box 19276, Spnn*fleid, il 62794-9276 FACT SHEET #3 JULY, 1988 In June, 1988, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) released the Expanded Site Investigation Final Report, a $1.3 million, 1000 page technical study that Identifies hazardous waste problems In the Sauget-Cahokia area. The study began in late 1985 as part of "Clean Illinois", the state program modeled after the Federal Superfund hazardous waste site program. The original study, the Dead Creek Remedial Investlgatlon/Feasibl11 ty Study (RI/FS), was designed to locate and analyze burled hazardous wastes. Identify potential impacts of the wastes and explore possible solutions. Early In the project, IEPA and Its consultant realized that the potential site solutions would probably cost more than the entire Clean Illinois budget, therefore. Federal funding would be needed. The RI/FS was redirected to an expanded Site Investigation (SI) In August, 1986 to determine the area's "Hazard Ranking System (HRS)'' score and eligiblity for proposal to the Federal Superfund program. Contamination Sampling in the Area Local residents have known about area hazardous waste dumping locations`and practices for many years and have provided valuable assistance and information to IEPA. In order to prove a project's eligibility for Federal funding, evidence of chemical contamination has to be established using Federal quality controls, methods and documentation. The sampling program for this project Included: magnetometry and electromagnetic conductivity surveys to Identify exact locations of buried materials (such as old steel drums), identify contamination movement below the ground's surface and assist in choosing locations for further testing, soil gas surveys to-assist In identifying the boundaries of some of the sites,' movement routes of contamination and best locations to place groundwater monitoring wells and soil test borings, surface water and sediment samples to determine contamination levels of Oead Creek from its beginning in Sauget, south into Cahokia, surface and subsurface soil sampling to characterize wastes. DSW 136681 STLCOPCB4036641 STLCOPCB4036642 hydrcgeoiogic investigation to provide preliminary data to evaluate groundwater quality, determine direction and level of groundwater and measure speed t.nat water moves downward through the soil, air sampllng-to indicate whether sites contribute to air pollution. Findings of the Study The report draws upon all the sampling that was done, historical aerial photographs, previous reports, information provided by citizens and health effects studies to obtain extensive Information about the hazardous wastes in the Sauget/Cahokla area. Pages 7-1 through 7-55 in the report provide a summary of the conclusions and a few of those are highlighted here. Surface soils samples from Site G (refer to map) show very high levels of organic chemicals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCSs) and metals. Examples include pentachlorophenol (21,000 parts per million), Aroclor 1254 (29,000 ppm), cyanide (22 ppm) and mercury (23 ppm). Because of the extremely high levels of contaminants, special quality control methods had to be utilized to analyze the samples accurately. The site was fenced to prevent public access. Subsurface soils at all Area 1 and Area 2 sites contain significant concentrations of a variety of organic chemicals, such as naphthalene (5,400 ppm) and Arochlor 1260 (4,400 ppm). Contamination was found at depths to a sampling maximum of 50 feet below the surface of the ground. Laboratory results indicated that chemical wastes with identical "fingerprints'1 (a method of identification) have been found at many different sites suggesting a possible common source for those buried wastes. Groundwater samples shew organic chemical contamination at every location, including phenol (60 ppm) at Site R, phenol (190 ppm) and pentachlorophenol (35 ppm) at Site Q, chlorobenzene (180 ppm) at Site 0 and benzoic acid (150 ppm) at Site G. Several of the groundwater . contaminants are carcinogenic, others are acutely (short-term exposure) or chronically (long-term exposure) toxic. Groundwater sampling was limited to a relatively shallow portion of the aquifer. -- __ It was also determined that contaminants are moving through the groundwater toward the Mississippi River at a faster rate than previously predicted. Contamination of the Dead Creek surface water and sediment was found ' primarily in the creek sectors labeled CS-A and CS-B, all north of Judith Lane. Because the culverts are blocked at Queeny Avenue and Judith Lane, CS-A and CS-B are like surface impoundments, holding contaminants and run-off in place. Creek Sector B sediments contained a variety of organic chemicals, such as 1,A-dichlorobenzene (220 ppm), and metals, such as barium (17,300 ppm) . osw i36683 STLCOPCB4036643 STLCOPCB4036644 Effects of Contiiiination The Information obtained by collecting and analyzing samples (as previously described) Is essential In the next step toward establishing Superfund eligibility; the Identification of "migration, fate and Impact" of the contamination. In other words, "where are the contaminants going and what happens when they get there?" The purpose Is primarily to predict possible effects on the environment and the public rather than to provide an In-depth health study. The Information will also be useful to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) as a base from which to begin a future public health assessment. Although high levels of many hazardous wastes were found In the project area, that does not necessarily mean that human health has been or will be affected. For health to be affected, citizens must be exposed to the contaminants and the exposure. In most cases, must be repeated over a period of many years. Examples of exposure methods Include skin contact with the chemicals In soil or water, drinking contaminated groundwater from wells, eating contaminated fish and Inhaling chemicals through the air. Most of the areas of soil and water contamination are underground or fenced, city water Is available to area residents and most areas where inhalation might be possible are Isolated from the general public. The river and its fish are likely sources of exposure to the contaminants but further study Is needed to be certain of effects on downstream water supplies and fishing. The dent Steps of the Process The process Is certainly not a speedy one. Many citizens remember Governor Thompson's assurance in 1984 that Dead Creex. would be cleaned up In a year. Since that summer, IEPA has discovered the full extent of the area's contamination including many previously unknown sites and hazards, the Ineffectiveness of addressing only the creek Instead of the whole area and the inability of the state to afford an appropriate type of remedy for the sites. Work on the study was delayed because IEPA had to obtain legal access to all the sites from the property owners before samples could be taken. ..Another slowdown that the Agency Is facing is the U.S.EPA's revision of the scoring method, as required by the 1986 Congressional reauthorization of Superfund. No new sites can be submitted to the Federal Superfund- until the new method has been proposed, made available for public comment, revised and accepted. It Is predicted that all those steps will take until Spring. 1989. Now that the Expanded Site Investigation Is complete, IEPA must complete the "scoring package" which consists of a mathematical formula that Incorporates the findings of the study. The various sites might be divided Into two large areas (one east and one.west of Illinois Route 3) and scored. The scoring packages must then be submitted to U.S.EPA-fcr review and consideration. DSW 136685 STLCOPCB4036645 SUMMARY OT THE ACCESSIBILITY Of SITES TO THE QEStRAL PUBLIC ASD WORKERS Sita Designation Accass to General Public Rastrictad Accassibla Aceass to Workers Hot Applicsbl a Restricted-f Accassibl> a X* X H XX IX X J x* X K XX LX X NX X nX X 0 X .X p - -X X <3 X*** RX X X ,- * Access to Sita 0 restricted due to tha construction of a fanca as a response action by USE7A. _ Sits J is fancad, but has no other nachanisafar rastrietion (open gates). *** Padaatrian accass to tha south and of sita Q is possible. f Worker accass is Halted to es^loyees havingkays to or conducting work at tha propart Sourca: Ecology and Environment. Inc. 19M. - - OSW 136686 STLCOPCB4036646 iiie Role of Local Industrie' The Expand Site Investigation report was presented to the local industries for review in June, 1988. It Is the goal of the IEPA that the industries take an active role in the ultimate solution to the contamination problems In Sauget and Cahokia. Many have been identified as contributors to the hazardous waste sites described In the study. Should the responsible parties refuse to participate the IEPA and U.S.EPA (once accented to Superfund status) will move forward with the work and take legal action against the those parties to obtain reimbursement of coses. For More Information Citizens who would like to review the report can go to any of 4 locations: Cahokia Publ1c Library 140 Cahokia Park Drive Cahokia 2.) Cahokia VI1lage Hal 1 103 Main Street Cahokia Sauget VI1lage Hal 1 2897 Falling Springs Road Sauget 4.) Illinois EPA 2009 Mali Street Collinsville (contact Ken Mensing In advance) Copies can be purchased from IEPA for $75.00 each (by check payable to: State Treasurer of Illinois). Citizens who have questions about the Sauget Sites/Dead Creek project or who wish to purchase a copy of the report should contact: Kerl Luly IEPA-G&CA #5 2200 Churchill Road Post Office Box 19276 Springfield, Illinois or 62794-9276 Jeff Larson. IEPA-0LPC #24 2200 Churchill Road Post Office Box 19216 - Springfield, 11 llnols --62794-9276 217/782-5562 217/782-6760 KL:jas/1936j,1-4/sp DSW *36607 STLCOPCB4036647 7.4.2 Press Release pfiles\cerro\report 1.36688 DSW 52 3:27 pm March 5, 1991 STLCOPCB4036648 The World's Largest Copper Tube Mill. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Cerro Copper Products Co., Sauget, Illinois 62201 (618) 337-6000 CERRO COPPER INITIATES CLEAR-UP OF CONTAMINATED CREEK IN SAUGET -- Illinois Attorney General Commends Company's Efforts -- SAUGET, 111., July 5, 1990 -- Cerro Copper Products Co. will spend as much as $12 million to clean up contaminated sediment from a portion of Sauget's Dead Creek. Illinois Attorney General Neil F. Hartigan and Cerro Copper Vice President Paul Tandler made the announcement today at the company's Sauget plant. Hartigan commended Cerro for its willingness to clean up the site quickly and without litigation. He said the effort is an outstanding example of a government/industry partnership to improve the.environment. Tandler said the company has taken the action because the contaminated creek segment is on Cerro's property. "We recognized that there was a problem with Dead Creek, and that over the years we may have been one of many companies that contributed to that problem," Tandler said. "As a responsible corporate citizen, we decided to step forward and take the lead on this project." .' -more- For more information contact: Dan Dipiazzo, 314/982-1700 DSW 136689 STLCOPCB4036649 Csrro Copper Add One The action is outlined in a consent decree signed by representatives of Hartigan's office and Cerro that has been filed in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis. The consent decree was agreed upon by Cerro, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Hartigan's office to assure that verbal agreements would be binding on all parties. Specifically, Cerro is stopping all flows into the 1,600-foot creek segment traversing its property, constructing an alternate stormwater collection and retention system and removing the contaminated sediment from the creek bed. The portion of Dead Creek in question became part of Cerro's property in the 1950s and '60s, when the company purchased land on the east side of the creek and added it to its original plant site on the west side of the creek. The south end of the creek segment was later dammed off, at Queeny Avenue, and the north end fed into the village of Sauget's sewer system leading to the wastewater treatment facilities. Cerro',s analysis showed that during heavy rainstorms industrial wastewater from the sewer system would back up into Dead Creek, turning it into a surge basin, Tandler explained. The company's analysis revealed the presence of PCBs and other contaminants in the creek-bed sediments. In the first part of the cleanup effort, Cerro has constructed a stormwater tunnel that runs along Dead Creek and empties into a large storage basin on~the north end. The tunnel is 10 feet wide by 5 feet high. The tunnel and basin have the capacity to hold up to 1.5 million gallons of stormwater. -more- ^36690 STLCOPCB4036650 Cerro Copper Add Two The storage basin will pump stormwater to the village sewer system at a rate compatible with the waste-treatment plant's capacity. The next step in the process is the removal of 20,000 cubic yards of creek sediment from the creek bed. After dewatering, about 10,000 cubic yards of sediment will be hauled to a permitted landfill, Tandler said. The creek bed will then be filled with clean soil. Tandler expects the entire project to be completed later this year. "We hope that Cerro will be an example, that environmental responsibility involves more than public relations and token activities," Tandler said. "In this case, we knew that a number of companies had a role in the unfortunate pollution of Dead Creek, but decided it was time for one company to step up and do something about it. " Cerro Copper, based in Sauget, operates plants in Sauget and Shelbina, Mo. , The Sauget facility, established in 1927, is the largest of its kind in the world. It recycles copper scrap, produces Grade 1 copper cathodes_and manufactures copper redraw tube and finished copper tube for general-purpose plumbing applications. Cerro has 850 employees in Sauget. . - In Shelbina, the company fabricates and finishes copper tube for air-conditioning, refrigeration and other heating and cooling equipment. Cerro employs 150 people in Shelbina. The company recently announced plans for a $30 million copper-tube mill at the Shelbina plant and for $20 million in environmental controls and production improvements at the Sauget plant. , ' ### DSW 136691 STLCOPCB4036651 "Prss Cof^ftrc^ee. ^ i NAfy)E_ / /// / / 'i.,/r:'r7j;.. .7.. si * VrArE^n Vft-t:\C Mce^-Arl Ku&pvV-i Av:e^<. ' ' CV I-Wl'c' iV)tZnV_ 5nu ^>o &A iWzjfiI . " $W*eL<&dI> i-xr I ' - -T-'w l~V y . -V.7-~--: ^-S-J^irir- DAILY REGISTER DATE 5 ` 73 . COMPANY TIME IN TIMEOUT 'rf/r:: , yU.-./Ar/nrc. // ` -V> // 7 ^ iSxD :-Lir /VvvV L>t~o !7Vf"i6-c^- //-> |Z30 ; ^"rA-TT !poU cx--, :1 'i.. ---"^r\ lZ2a -- >---- /VTP-' :S=^erc>i- L iMzr' 11 l\ i ArH"^-' 6-*-vJ OHn cc-. \m'r \SlS~ : STys-rsr fbLt^ l7 _ AZjT iSS An :, " Ocr-) -jvT --t i 2c r Isas 'Hfrr{ (AtA Ah<-c_- MZT iAir ! S-nvnf PcU ui--. m^r isiiT i 'rx.lL ElPA- ^ RVt" ^m^io : 'b zf 3AO iS'lO fS6S~ ToT i kA(5L*j^> .. '2sr \-52jT \r\J \ C-Uj ~l - i 6 S3 tS&J- ; l^T'J ( C 'Ato ;-- ' iSS" ! 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