Region 5 Superfund (SF)

U.S. EPA REGION 5
WINNEBAGO COUNTY
ROCKFORD

Congressional District # 16

PAGEL'S PIT

EPA ID# ILD980606685
Last Updated: October, 2006

Site Description

The Pagel's Pit site, located in a predominately rural unincorporated area, consists of about 100 acres and includes the north landfill, which occupies about 47 acres, on the east bank of Killbuck Creek.  The new south landfill is not part of the site. The site also includes some of the land west of the creek where contaminated groundwater has migrated.  Winnebago County had a population of about 265,000 in 2000. The north landfill began operation in 1972 and has now been closed, having reached permitted capacity. The base of the landfill, which is in a former gravel quarry, was covered with an asphaltic concrete that was sealed with a coal tar sealer. The landfill has a leachate extraction system and a gas extraction system. The gas is burned. Municipal wastes and sewage treatment plant sludge have been the primary wastes accepted at the site, but some special wastes have also been disposed  there. Another Superfund site, the Acme Solvent Reclaiming, Inc. site, is located east of Pagel's Pit, across the road. The shallow aquifer is a source of drinking water to residents in the area. The groundwater flow is primarily toward the west, where residents are some distance away from Pagel's Pit. There were some nearby residents located across and along the road that touches the eastern edge of the site, toward the south, but most are now gone. The groundwater between the two sites was contaminated with several volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including chlorinated ethenes and aromatic hydrocarbons. Some residents along the road had been provided with a new source of water by some of the potentially responsible parties (PRPs) associated with the Acme site. The groundwater downgradient of the Pagel's Pit site has been found to contain a few VOCs and elevated levels of arsenic, chloride, boron, and ammonia.
 

Site Responsibility

This site is being addressed through federal and potentially responsible party (PRP) actions.

Threats and Contaminants

The groundwater between the two sites had been found to be contaminated with several volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including chlorinated ethenes and aromatic hydrocarbons. The groundwater down-gradient of the site has been found to contain a few VOCs, arsenic, chloride, boron, and ammonia at elevated levels.

Cleanup Progress

The landfill operated until reaching capacity and has now been closed.  The Record of Decision (ROD) issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) in 1991 for the first operable unit, which included all of the site except contaminated groundwater in the southeastern portion of the site, called for the state-required landfill closure when the landfill reached capacity, including a cover and leachate and gas management systems, and a groundwater pump-and-treat system for the down-gradient groundwater.  Final cover and final leachate and gas management systems for approximately the western third of the landfill were installed in 1997, and the cover and management systems were installed for the rest of the landfill in 2000 and 2001. The operator of the landfill is performing the remediation under a Consent Decree (CD) entered in February 1993.  In a second ROD, issued in 1999, no action was selected as the remedy for the groundwater in the southeast corner, and the remedy for the groundwater to the west was changed to monitored natural attenuation with a contingency for active remediation if the source control and natural attenuation do not appear to be satisfactorily returning this aquifer to a useful state, or if the contamination threatens downgradient wells.  The groundwater between the two sites is being addressed with a pump-and-treat system by some of the PRPs for the Acme site. A five-year review for the Pagel's Pit site was completed in September 2002. As a result of the review, it was determined that the remedy is protective of human health and the environment in the short term and is expected to be protective in the long term, once all of the institutional controls have been implemented.

Contacts

Remedial Project Manager, U.S. EPA
bernard schorle (schorle.bernard@epa.gov)
(312) 886-4746

Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA
mike joyce
(312) 353-5546

Site Profile Information

This profile provides you with information on EPA's cleanup progress at this Superfund site.