Jump to main content.

U.S. EPA REGION 5
LAKE COUNTY
GARY

Congressional District # 01

MIDCO I

EPA ID# IND980615421
Last Updated: August, 2006

Site Description

Midco I is located in Lake County, Indiana. The site includes a four-acre area where disposal occurred, plus 4.6 acres of contaminated sediment areas.  From 1973 through 1979, this site was used for the storage of waste solvents and other wastes in tanks and in drums. Disposal of wastes in pits also occurred. In December 1976, a fire consumed or damaged an estimated 14,000 drums of wastes. Operations were resumed in October 1977. When the site was abandoned in 1979, thousands of full drums were left onsite, in addition to the fire-damaged drums. There are a number of small businesses located within 1000 feet of the site. Sixteen private wells screened in the affected aquifer were located in the down gradient groundwater flow direction from the site.

Site Responsibility

Early investigations and removal actions were federally funded. Subsequent actions were conducted by private parties under federal and state oversight.  Private parties have also reimbursed nearly all federal and state costs. 

Threats and Contaminants

Following removal of the surficial wastes, the subsurface soils and groundwater were still highly contaminated. Contaminants affecting the groundwater include volatile organic compounds, such as trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, vinyl chloride, benzene, methylene chloride, and toluene (these are liquids that easily vaporize); other organic compounds such as phenol and isophorone; metals such as chromium, lead and nickel; and cyanide. The groundwater is also so highly contaminated with salts that it can not be discharged to surface water, even after treatment. Sediments and soils are contaminated with similar contaminants as well as PCBs, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and chlordane, which is a pesticide. Volatile organic compounds, chromium, lead, cadmium, and cyanide were detected in surface waters northeast of the site. Contaminants in the soil are leaching into the groundwater.  If no action was taken, direct contact with or accidental ingestion of contaminated groundwater, surface water, sediments, or soil would be a threat.  Until the site is cleaned up, these risks are being controlled by a site fence, on-site staff, and a temporary soil cover.  If no action was taken, contaminated groundwater would migrate offsite and may affect downgradient drinking water wells, but the pump-and-treat system is preventing further off-site movement of the contamination.  Until the final remedy is in place, contaminated sediments may adversely affect wildlife and plants in or around the wetlands, but these sediments are not migrating off-site and the wetlands are of low value.  There would be human health risks if the site or groundwater was developed in the future.  This risk is being controlled through notices in the deeds that restrict usage of the site. 

Cleanup Progress

From 1981 to 1982, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) enclosed the site with a fence, removed and disposed of wastes onsite and the top one-foot of highly contaminated soil. This action included removal of the approximately the following quantities:  14,000 burned and crushed drums; 7,400 full drums; and 10,000 gallons of liquid and 8,000 gallons of sludge containing sulfides from underground tanks. Another 840 drums were removed by a private party. In 1985, a group of private parties entered an agreement with U.S. EPA to conduct sampling to locate the extent of soil and groundwater contamination, and to evaluate cleanup methods.  The sampling and evaluation was conducted from 1985 to 1989. 
In a 1989 decision document as amended in 1992, U.S. EPA decided that the cleanup should include: 

In January 1992, private parties entered into an agreement with U.S. EPA to implement the cleanup, and formed the Midco Remedial Corporation (MRC). Construction started in 1993 with the consolidation of contaminated sediments onto the site and construction of the deep well. During 1994 to 1996, the MRC constructed and tested the pump-and-treat system, and in January 1997 initiated continuous operation. In December 1999, U.S. EPA determined that the pump-and-treat system was undersized.  The MRC designed and constructed an expanded system, which started operating in January 2002.

During 1993 to 1997, EPA and the MRC cooperated in conducting treatability studies for soil treatment by solidification/stabilization. Although soil vapor extraction is well documented to be effective in removing VOCs from the soil, the treatability studies demonstrated that it would be difficult for solidification/stabilization to treat all of the other contaminants of concern. For that reason during 2000 to 2001, EPA allowed the MRC to test use of injection of chemicals to treat the subsurface soils, but the test results were not promising.

In May 2004, EPA completed the second five-year review , which concluded that the groundwater cleanup portions of the remedy were functioning as intended in the ROD, but that implementation of the soil cleanup had been delayed, and that this delay may be prolonging the groundwater cleanup. In September 2004, EPA formally approved changes to the soil treatment requirements, including:

• Increasing soil treatment by soil vapor extraction to 54,200 cubic yards by: adding treatment of soils below the water table by constructing a groundwater barrier wall around the source area; lowering the water table within the source area by 12 feet; and conducting soil vapor extraction throughout the source area.

• Eliminating the requirement for treatment of organic compounds other than volatile organic compounds in the soils;

• reducing soil treatment by solidification/stabilization to 3,560 cubic yards of soil highly contaminated by metals and cyanide; and adding excavation and off-site disposal as an option for addressing these soils.

The MRC constructed the groundwater barrier wall during November and December 2003.  During 2004 and 2005, the MRC pumped out water within the barrier wall to lower the water table, and this pumping will continue during the soil vapor extraction treatment.  The MRC constructed the soil vapor extraction system from March 2005 through January 2006, and the system started continuous operation in March 2006.  It is expected that the soil vapor extraction system will operate for several years, after which the highly contaminated soil will be excavated (or treated by solidification/stabilization) and  the site cover will be installed.  Volatile organic compounds are now at low levels in groundwater outside of the groundwater barrier walls, but contamination by metals is still present.  

 

Success Story

U.S. EPA's removal action was very successful in removing the immediate hazards from the site, so that the soil and groundwater contamination could be addressed on a prolonged schedule without causing significant health risks. 

The soil vapor extraction within the groundwater barrier wall appears to be successfully removing volatile organic compounds from the soil. 

Community Involvement

During the last ten years or so, this site has not attracted much attention from the public.

Congressional Interest

During the last ten years to so, there have been no specific congressional inquiries. 

Property Reuse

Usage of the site property is restricted through deed notices.  In September 2007, the city of Gary passed an ordinance prohibiting installation of new wells for potable water usage, and use of the unconsolidated aquifer for potable water usage.  The City of Gary has included the Midco I property within a redevelopement zone for the Gary-Chicago Airport.  It is possible that the site cover can be constructed so that the property can be used for parking or some other commercial or industrial use. 

Contacts

Remedial Project Manager, U.S. EPA
richard boice (boice.richard@epa.gov)
(312) 886-4740

Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA
stuart hill
(312) 886-0689

Aliases

MIDCO I SITE
MIDWEST SOLVENTS REC

 

Site Profile Information

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

 

Local Navigation

Jump to main content.