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IntroductionCOPA's PCB/Superfund Site
This site is maintained by COPA and documents the contamination and subsequent cleanup of PCBs at five Superfund sites in the Bloomington, Indiana area. Remediation work is complete at all the sites. Neal's Landfill and Lemon Lane still contain capped mounds of PCB contaminated material. As both sites are connected to limestone karst and its associated sinkholes, underground streams and springs, there are ongoing concerns about water quality. The State has issued a Level 5 Fish Advisory to eat no fish in the contaminated Clear Creek, while Richland Creek is at Level 4 for most fish. The EPA built a water treatment plant at the Illinois Central Springs, which is connected to the contamination remaining under Lemon Lane Landfill. Neal's Landfill still emits PCBs from the Springs at the site, contaminating Conard's Branch and Richland Creek. New concerns have emerged at Bennett's Quarry with new higher water flows and PCB concentrations coming from Middle Springs, as well as the high concentrations of PCBs found downstream in Stout's Creek. For more info, attend the next CIC meeting on September 11, 2001, 7pm in the Hooker Room in City Hall. You can also join the PCB mailing list by following the instructions here.History of PCB Contamination in Southern Indiana
From the late 1950's through 1977 Westinghouse
Electric Corporation (now Viacom/CBS) manufactured electrical capacitors containing
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), at
its manufacturing facility located on Curry Pike, Bloomington, Indiana.
During manufacturing of these capacitors PCBs were spilled and this flushed
down the sewer system. Capacitors that were defective were hauled by the
highest bidder, to local area landfills and farms. Over 2,000,000 pounds of PCBs were estimated to have been dumped in Monroe and Owen County with
most of it going to the landfills located in Monroe County.
In the mid 1970's it was discovered that PCBs were in the city sewer system and at the Winston-Thomas Treatment Plant located on south Walnut street. The City of Bloomington and EPA were getting ready to file suit against Westinghouse and Monsanto (maker of Inerteen, their trade name for oil containing PCBs). Behind the scene meetings were held and in 1985 it was announced that there was an agreement between Westinghouse, City of Bloomington, Monroe County, EPA and the state of Indiana. Law suits were dropped and the agreement was proposed as the Consent Decree. At a public hearing a petition of thousands of names protesting the consent decree and its approval was given to the city . Under much protest and near riot conditions the city approved the Consent Decree. In short, the Consent Decree gave Westinghouse the right to build a hazardous waste incinerator, fuel it with new garbage from Monroe county, burn the new garbage, old garbage and PCB contaminated soil from existing landfills and when done haul the hazardous ash to a newly constructed hazardous waste landfill on Bottom Road, Bloomington. Westinghouse would collect tipping fees from the county for the garbage they brought to the incinerator, thereby helping to pay for the incinerator and cleanup. Citizens and environmental groups had fought the incinerator and Consent Decree since 1985 and before. In 1990, the Coalition Opposed to PCB Ash in Monroe County, Inc. (COPA) was formed and the fight gained new momentum. After state legislators passed laws governing incineration, the plan was scrapped and in 1994 the parties to the Consent Decree agreed to look for alternatives. The alternatives chosen were to excavate and ship to an approved out of state facility for incineration or landfilling, and to excavate and landfill locally. PCB Removal Summary for Winston Thomas, Bennett’s Quarry, Neal’s Dump, Neal’s Landfill, Anderson Road Landfill, Lemon Lane Landfill, West Side Clear Creek, Fell Iron, ABB Plant, ISF:
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Warning! Eat no fish from Clear Creek, Pleasant Run, Salt or Richland Creeks.
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 COPA 205 N. College Ave. Ste. 713 P.O. Box 665 Bloomington, IN 47402-0665 USA > Voice: 812.333.8888 Fax: 812.332.8511 For more info, e-mail info@copa.org. Copyright © 1990-2002 COPA, Inc. All rights reserved. See legal page for terms of use and disclaimers. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. |
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