Circle Smelting Corporation ran a zinc smelter on a 28-acre property in Beckemeyer, Illinois from 1904 to 1994. Starting in the 1920s, smelter waste including slag, cinders, dust, and debris spread across the site and was used as surface cover for paths, driveways, and alleys throughout the village. EPA proposed the site for the National Priorities List in June 1996.
The soil at the site and in nearby neighborhoods, along with sediment in adjacent wetlands, contain heavy metals including lead, zinc, arsenic, copper, nickel, and cadmium. Lead is the primary concern because of its harmful effects on children's development. The Illinois Department of Public Health conducted blood lead level surveys in the community during the 1980s and 1990s.
Cleanup began in 1986 after a fire prompted the Illinois EPA to sample the site and find lead levels above federal standards. The U.S. EPA took over in 1993. From 1998 to 2010, EPA and responsible parties cleaned up over 300 properties and sampled 173 additional properties that required no action. EPA removed 20,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil from the smelter and consolidated additional contaminated soil from the village and wetlands under a concrete cover. A Prospective Purchaser Agreement signed in 1999 allowed a local trucking company to buy a clean portion of the property in exchange for sharing cleanup costs. That area is now used as a parking lot, and one on-site business currently employs 10 people.
A remedial investigation and feasibility study ran from April 2014 through December 2020. EPA assessments indicate that human exposure is currently under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. However, cleanup construction is not yet complete and the site is not ready for its anticipated use. A Record of Decision identifying the final cleanup remedy is estimated to be finalized between September and November 2028.
Community members with questions about the site can contact the EPA's Remedial Project Manager.
