Jennison-Wright

Site Description

The Jennison-Wright Corporation is an abandoned facility that engaged in wood treatment of railroad ties and wood blocks using creosote, pentachlorophenol, and zinc naphthanate. Jennite, an asphalt sealant, was also manufatured on-site. The facility is composed of approximately 20 acres of land within the corporate boundaries of Granite City, Madison County (population 31,280) and is located in Granite City in a low income, mixed industrial/residential neighborhood. Operations as a railroad tie treatment facility began prior to 1920 and continued until 1989. The facility discontinued operations in June 1990.

Current Site Status and Cleanup Actions to Date

• In 1992 and 1994, with funding from both the U.S. EPA and the Jennison-Wright Corporation bankruptcy sale, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) took steps to prevent the waste from spreading, then disposed of it off-site.
• Located on the east boundary of the south portion of the site, the "Jennite pit" (an on-site disposal pit where creosote wastes were dumped) had become semi-liquid and begun to migrate off-site. To temporarily alleviate this problem, the overflow material was removed and placed in three cut-off tanks. A makeshift clay cap was constructed using materials on-site to strengthen the boundaries of the Jennite pit.
• Approximately 175 drums of various known and unknown materials were found on-site, including 15 drums of creosote contaminated asbestos insulation. These drums were stored on-site in an existing structure.
• In November 1994, IEPA received $2 million from USEPA, through a cooperative agreement, to conduct an emergency cleanup action. At the time, IEPA spent nearly half of the $2 million to complete the following activities:
  • Installation of a six-foot chain link fence around a stockpile of soil and a drainage area at the northeast corner of the site;
  • Excavation and disposal of soils around the upright storage tanks and railroad cars;
  • Removal, treatment, and off-site disposal of aqueous waste;
  • Removal from storage vessels and disposal of creosote waste material;
  • Decontamination/dismantling of the storage vessels;
  • Identification and disposal of material found in the Transite building;
  • Installation of a protective cover over the "Jennite pit;" and
  • Removal of the contaminated soil and dismantling of the three cutoff tanks in the south portion of the site.
• In July 1999, U.S. EPA completed its study of the impacts of the site contamination and with IEPA, in September 1999, released the long-term cleanup plan. The plan specifies treating the contaminated soil by using an on-site biological treatment land-farm and treating ground-water using a steam injection/NAPL recovery system.
• In 2002, IEPA submitted to EPA a design plan for the Jennison-Wright site, along with an application for funding.
• In the summer of 2003, to prepare the site for final remedial action work, IEPA used the balance of the 1994 USEPA cooperative agreement funding to complete the following site activities:
  • Clearing of vegetation;
  • Demolished and removed all of the on-site structures including the slab foundations and two silos;
  • Reduced the amount of asbestos found on-site;
  • Disposed of the materials in two aboveground storage tanks (ASTs), two underground storage tanks (USTs), an oil/water separator and a concrete basin; and
  • Removed varying amounts of concrete, scrap metal, wood, and trash.
• EPA continues to monitor the site to ensure there is no immediate threat to human health or the environment pending the start of long-term cleanup work.

Current Funding Status

• Approximately $2,600,000.00 has been spent on investigation, design, and removal activities at the site.
• EPA's actions to date have considerably lessened the potential for human health or environmental exposure. EPA has determined that this site does not pose an immediate threat to human health, and will continue to monitor this site for any changes that may trigger additional action. EPA will consider funding new work at this site in Fiscal Year 2004.

For more information on this site, please read the Fact Sheet on the Region 5 Superfund Web site.

Key Accomplishments