Chemetco operated a secondary copper smelting facility on a 41-acre property south of Hartford, Madison County, Illinois, from 1970 until the company went bankrupt in 2001. The site was first assessed in February 1986 and added to the EPA's National Priorities List in March 2010, meaning the agency determined it requires formal investigation and cleanup.
The main contaminants of concern are copper, lead, and cadmium, found in soil and waste materials on site. Groundwater beneath the site is also contaminated and is under further investigation. Neighboring residents get their drinking water from a source not affected by site contaminants, so no exposure to contaminated groundwater is occurring off site. EPA notes that data on human exposure and groundwater migration are still insufficient to confirm that risks are fully controlled.
Since 2008, a bankruptcy trustee has overseen removal work, including demolishing buildings, salvaging metals, and hauling away solid waste. Those efforts cut potentially contaminated material by more than 11,000 tons and 4,000 gallons. The site remains fenced with restricted access. A formal removal action began in October 2013 and is expected to wrap up between March and May 2027. The remedial investigation covering both operable units started in February 2015. A final cleanup remedy is expected to be selected between December 2027 and February 2028 for the Long Lake operable unit. Institutional controls, including zoning restrictions that block residential and other incompatible uses, are already in place to limit exposure to remaining contamination.
EPA will continue sampling soil, waste, surface water, and groundwater to map the full extent of contamination. The Superfund Redevelopment Program is also working with the community to plan for the property's future productive use. Community members with questions can contact the EPA staff assigned to the site.
