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| LAKE CALUMET CLUSTER | Chicago, Illinois | |
| Cook County | 2nd Congressional District |
Site Location/Size:
The Lake Calumet Cluster Site is located in southeast of Chicago, Cook
County, Illinois. The site covers approximately 87 acres bounded by the
Land and Lakes Landfill to the west, 122 nd Street to the South, the
Norfolk and Western Railroad right-of-way and the Indian Ridge Marsh to
the east, and Paxton I & II Landfills to the north.
Site History:
The area was previously utilized as a mix of industrial facilities and
waste disposal areas. This area was originally wetlands but is now
covered by as much as 30 feet of fill consisting of various materials,
including steel mill slag and industrial, chemical and municipal waste.
At this time the site is essentially an abandoned marshy area with areas
of standing water.
Site Contamination/Contaminants:
The area of contamination includes a landfill and contaminated soil.
These sources encompass the entire site, which is approximately 87
acres. The landfill and contaminated soil and sediment contain numerous
hazardous substances including arsenic, cadmium, calcium, chromium,
copper, cyanide, manganese, zinc, phenanthrene, fluoranthene,
acenaphthene, bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, benzene, toluene, PCBs,
benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene,
benzo(a)pyrene. All contaminants concentrations used in the Hazard
Ranking System documentation met the criteria of "three times background
concentration levels."
Potential Impacts on Surrounding Community/Environment:
Several acres of wetlands exist within the boundaries of the site.
Sediment samples from the 2004 investigation documented concentrations
of hazardous substances significantly above background levels. The
wetlands adjacent to the landfills are known to be used by approximately
14 different Federal and State Endangered or Threatened Species.
Fishing has also been observed in Indian Ridge Marsh, Big Marsh, Dead
Stick Pond, and Heron Pond. Contaminants from the site are being
carried by the surface water to the sediments in Indian Ridge Marsh as
defined by soil and sediment samples.
Response Activities (to date):
Time critical removal actions have previously been undertaken on some of
these properties by both U.S. EPA and Illinois Environmental Protection
Agency. These removal actions included removing visible contamination,
incineration of wastes and capping of contaminated areas.
[The description of the site (release) is based on information available at the time the site was evaluated with the HRS. The description may change as additional information is gathered on the sources and extent of contamination. See 56 FR 5600, February 11, 1991, or subsequent FR notices.]
For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.