Matthiessen And Hegeler Site
Fact Sheet #2
September 2003
LaSalle, Illinois
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has announced that the former
Matthiessen and Hegeler Zinc property has been finalized on the National
Priorities List (NPL), which is sometimes called the Superfund list. Matthiessen
and Hegeler is the site of a former zinc smelter located in LaSalle, Illinois.
What does listing on the NPL mean? The NPL is a list of some of the nation's
most serious sites that have a release or a substantial threat of a release
of hazardous substances. Listing on the NPL does not automatically mean that
government funds will be spent on the site. Listing, however, does serve
as a notification to the public that according to the U.S. EPA, more investigation
should be conducted and that the site may be eligible for these funds.
What
are the next steps for Matthiessen and Hegeler? The state of Illinois
has entered into negotiations with potentially responsible parties (PRPs)
for the site. If negotiations are unsuccessful, then money from the Superfund,
if it is available, could be used to conduct a remedial investigation.
The
purpose of this investigation would be to determine the nature and extent
of contamination and any risks that contamination might pose to human
health and the environment.
Who
are the potentially responsible parties for the site? Under the Superfund
law, PRPs include past and present owners and operators of the site. Since
Matthiessen and Hegeler declared bankruptcy in 1978, the only viable PRPs
currently identified by the state are the present landowners of the former
Matthiessen and Hegeler property.
Why is the site considered hazardous? In 1993, the Illinois EPA
collected soil and sediment samples from the site and the Little Vermilion
River, which is the site's eastern boundary. These samples were significantly
higher in metals than background samples. The background samples were collected
in areas not affected by past operations of the Matthiessen and Hegeler
facility. Zinc was elevated significantly in all samples, and cadmium and
lead were significantly elevated in all but one sample. Other metals were
also found at elevated levels. On-site samples also showed low levels of
a variety of other contaminants including pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs), solvents and chemicals found in oil and coal. Because of these
chemicals and because of physical hazards found on the site, residents
are strongly urged against trespassing on the site, which is private property.
The landowners have constructed a fence around the site to limit access
A special concern is a large slag pile located on the steep west
bank of the Little Vermilion River. Water draining through the slag pile,
runoff from the slag pile and slag potentially slumping directly into the
river are major environmental concerns.
What about off-site soils? The off-site soil samples collected
by the Illinois EPA in 1993 showed elevated levels of metals. The Illinois
EPA at that time determined that concentrations found did not pose a health
risk from short-term exposure but that more information needed to be gathered
to determine if there may be a risk from long-term exposure. The Illinois
Department of Public Health (IDPH) collected additional off-site soil samples
from different locations in 1999. According to IDPH, levels of metals in
these samples did not pose a health risk from long-term or short-term exposure.
Concentrations of some chemicals in the IDPH samples, however, did exceed
screening levels set by the Illinois EPA and warrant further investigation
of off-site soils.
Why did it take so long to list the site on the NPL? Limited state
and federal resources restricted the number of Illinois sites that could
be assessed each year for the NPL. This site also had to compete with other
sites across the country for placement on the NPL.
Contacts: The Illinois EPA will be the lead agency for this
site, so for more information contact Kurt
Neibergall,
Illinois EPA Office of Community Relations, at 217-785-3819 or Tom
Williams, Illinois EPA
project manager, at 815-223-1714. Mailing address for both is Illinois
EPA, 1021 North Grand Ave., East, P.O. Box
19276, Springfield, Il 62794-9276.
For more information: Within the next two weeks, the Illinois
EPA will place the 1995 screening site inspection report and other project
material in the LaSalle Public Library at 305 Marquette Street.
What is the Matthiessen and Hegeler site?
Matthiessen and Hegeler is the site of a former zinc rolling mill and primary
zinc smelter. The
160-acre property is located in LaSalle on the west side of the Little
Vermilion River. The company began operations in 1858 and ceased operations
in 1978 after declaring bankruptcy.
During the approximately 120 years of the company's existence,
the Matthiessen and Hegeler Zinc Company produced slab zinc, sulfuric acid
and ammonium sulfate fertilizer. These processes resulted in the emission
of airborne particulate matter containing cadmium, lead, zinc and other
inorganic chemicals. Additional manufacturing operations occurred in conjunction
with the smelting process. A producer gas plant was operated on the site
in the early years to manufacture fuel for the Hegeler furnace. Coal was
mined on the site until 1937. During the 1950s, the company produced ammonium
sulfate fertilizer. In 1961, the company stopped smelting zinc. The manufacture
of sulfuric acid was discontinued in 1968, and from 1968 until closing
in 1978, the facility only did rolling operations.
1979. After declaring bankruptcy, the Matthiessen and Hegeler
property was sold at auction.
1993. Illinois EPA collected three sediment samples from the Little
Vermilion River, seven on-site soil and 13 off-site soil samples for a
preliminary evaluation of possible effects of past Matthiessen and Hegeler
operation and in preparation for scoring the site for possible inclusion
on the NPL.
1995. Illinois EPA held a public meeting in LaSalle to discuss
sample results.
June 2001. The U.S. EPA and Illinois EPA proposed the site for
the NPL. The proposal opened a public comment period.
September 2003. The U.S. EPA finalized the site on the NPL.
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