Outboard Marine Corp.

Overview

The Outboard Marine Corp. site is a 100-acre former boat motor manufacturing facility on the shore of Lake Michigan in Waukegan, Illinois. It has been on the EPA's National Priorities List since September 8, 1983. The site sits in Lake County and has been divided into four operable units, each targeting a different contaminated area.

The main contaminants are polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and trichloroethene (TCE). PCBs came from hydraulic fluids and spread into harbor sediment, soil, liquid waste, and building materials. TCE came from parts degreasing and ended up in groundwater. Other contaminants include arsenic, naphthalene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), vinyl chloride, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, and several Aroclor PCB mixtures. These are found across soil, sediment, groundwater, and nonaqueous phase liquid.

Cleanup has involved dredging Waukegan Harbor in 1992 and again from 2012 to 2013, with dredged material capped on-site by 2014. Contaminated soil at the former Waukegan Coke Plant area was removed between 2004 and 2005. The Plant 2 building was demolished in 2010, and over 350,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and sediment were excavated and disposed of off-site by 2015. Groundwater was treated with an active bacterial reactor system from 2008 to 2011, followed by passive monitoring. Additional groundwater treatment used bentonite clay, zero-valent iron, and sodium permanganate. A 1.6-acre treatment wetland was built in 2020 to remove ammonia from discharged water. Three PCB containment cells built in 1992 remain intact and are maintained by the City of Waukegan and Illinois EPA.

Physical construction across the entire site was completed on September 30, 2015. The most recent five-year review was finished on June 24, 2022. That review found the harbor sediment remedy protective of human health and the environment, but noted that additional actions are needed for it to remain protective long term. EPA has insufficient data to determine whether human exposure is under control or whether contaminated groundwater movement has stabilized. A fish-consumption advisory for Waukegan North Harbor remains in effect, and Illinois monitors PCB levels in harbor fish each year. The site has not yet been deleted from the National Priorities List. The City of Waukegan plans a mixed-use redevelopment with condominiums, shops, and marine businesses once the site is fully ready for reuse.

Community members can get involved through the Waukegan Harbor Citizens' Advisory Group, which was formed by the Illinois EPA in 1990. Site records are available at the Waukegan Public Library at 128 North County Street. Questions can be directed to the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator, Francisco Arcaute, or the EPA's Remedial Project Manager, Kelly Ryan. The Illinois EPA's project manager, Chris M. Peters, is also available for questions.