E.P.A. adds Illinois hazardous waste location to Superfund National Priorities List

For Immediate Release No. 15-OPA153

CHICAGO (Sept. 28, 2015) - The E.P.A. today added the location of the former Estech General Chemical Co. to the National Priorities List of Superfund sites. The 54-acre location includes adjacent properties in Calumet City and Burnham, Illinois. Superfund is the federal plan that investigates and cleans up the most complex uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country.

The Estech General Chemical Company manufactured pesticides and fertilizers from 1952 to 1969. From the late 1980s until 1996, the location was an open dump for auto-fluff waste. The principal contaminant on the location are polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides, metals, and semi-volatile organic compounds. E.P.A. suggested adding the location to the National Priorities List in March.

Information about suggested and final NPL sites are accessible on EPA's website: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/current.htm.

This year marks the 35^th anniversary of the enactment of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the law establishing the Superfund program. The Superfund law gives E.P.A. the authority to clean up delivers of hazardous substances and directs E.P.A. to update the National Priorities List at least once a year.

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