News Releases - 2000

Illinois EPA Will Conduct Additional Sampling In Murphysboro

Murphysboro, Il. -- Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Tom Skinner announced today additional sampling of soils and household surfaces will be conducted to further determine the extent of lead and dioxin contamination at the former Mobile & Ohio Railyard site in north Murphysboro.

“Environmental health experts at the Illinois Department of Public Health and the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry agree there is no short-term health risk based on contamination levels discovered so far. However, Illinois EPA will immediately conduct a thorough investigation and identify the need for any cleanup work,” Director Skinner said.

Results of soil sampling done in November 1999 at the Mobile and Ohio Railyard site were provided to Illinois EPA last week. The results showed elevated levels of lead in the vacant lot west of the southern end of Glover Lane. Elevated levels of dioxin compounds were also found in a few of the surface soil samples in the Glover Lane and Meadow Lane subdivision.

Illinois EPA has been working closely with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and other agencies to evaluate the latest sample results and determine future appropriate actions to safeguard human health.

IDPH, after extensive consultations with experts at the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, has advised that no short-term health effects would be expected from exposure to the levels of dioxins detected in the surface soil at the Murphysboro sites.

However, because of concern over a potential long-term exposure health risk, Illinois EPA staff on Wednesday will begin collecting additional surface and subsurface soil samples to further determine the extent of the contamination and will also seek expedited laboratory analysis. Illinois EPA and IDPH will also sample household surfaces for dioxins.

Illinois EPA will also restrict access to the vacant lot west of the southern end of Glover Lane to prevent future exposure to elevated lead levels in the soil. In October 1999, Director Skinner issued a seal order and the former Greenberg Salvage property was fenced, as a result of soil sample results that showed elevated levels of lead. Last fall, the Jackson County Health Department tested the blood of volunteers living near the site and did not find elevated levels of lead in the persons tested. Surface sampling conducted by IDPH in homes last fall also did not find elevated lead levels.

The areas most recently sampled are located south of the Greenberg site and historically were used for railroad maintenance and switching operations.

Fact sheets were distributed to residents of the area on Monday, including recommendations on reducing exposure to contaminated soil. Those included not letting children play in the dirt, good personal hygiene habits and good housekeeping techniques.

Public availability sessions where residents can ask questions one-on-one will be held at the Murphysboro Community Center, 17 N. 14^th Street, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. today.