The MIG/Dewane Landfill covers 50 acres near Belvidere in Boone County, Illinois. It operated as a landfill from 1969 to 1988, accepting household, municipal, and industrial waste, including paint sludge, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), asbestos, liquids containing heavy metals, and other hazardous materials. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990. The NPL is the federal list of the most serious hazardous waste sites in the country.
Contamination affects multiple areas of the site. VOCs found in groundwater, landfill gas, leachate, and soil include benzene, trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, vinyl chloride, and toluene. Heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, chromium, nickel, mercury, and manganese are also present. Pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been found in soil. In total, EPA identified over 80 chemicals of concern at the site.
Cleanup has moved through several phases. Early removal actions between 1989 and 1993 removed nearly half a million gallons of contaminated leachate. In 1999, landfill gas was detected in nearby homes, and extraction wells and a flare system were installed, stopping gas migration within a month. EPA issued a Record of Decision in 2000 selecting a long-term remedy that includes a multilayer landfill cap, gas management systems, leachate collection, and groundwater monitoring. A 2013 update modified the cap design to add compacted clay on side slopes, topsoil, and vegetation. Final remedial construction began in 2014 and was completed on July 27, 2017. The site achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status in September 2017.
As of now, physical construction is complete and the site is in long-term operation and maintenance. Responsible parties conduct quarterly inspections of the landfill cover and monitor groundwater and gas emissions. Human exposure is not currently a concern because local residents use city water and groundwater use is restricted in the area. Institutional controls, including zoning restrictions, limit residential and other incompatible land uses. Groundwater contamination is stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. EPA completed its most recent Five-Year Review in November 2024. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL.
Community members can engage directly with EPA through the Five-Year Review process, which provides a formal opportunity to share observations about site conditions and raise concerns. For questions, residents can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.
