H.O.D. Landfill

Overview

H.O.D. Landfill is a 121-acre inactive landfill in Antioch, Illinois, that accepted municipal and industrial waste, including solvents and heavy metals, from 1963 to 1984. EPA added it to the National Priorities List in 1990 after inspections found elevated zinc, lead, and chromium in groundwater, along with volatile organic compounds. The site is now in the long-term operation and monitoring phase, with physical construction of the cleanup fully complete.

EPA identified 57 contaminants of concern spread across groundwater, soil, surface water, and sediment. Groundwater holds chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethene, 1,2-dichloroethane, and vinyl chloride, plus metals including arsenic, chromium, beryllium, and zinc. Soil contains benzene, toluene, xylene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and metals like chromium, beryllium, and cadmium. Surface water and sediment carry metals such as arsenic, barium, lead, and antimony, along with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

EPA selected a cleanup remedy in 1998 covering the whole site under one operable unit. The remedy included an engineered landfill cap, enhanced gas and leachate collection, leachate treatment, monitored natural attenuation for groundwater, ambient air monitoring, off-gas treatment, and institutional controls. Construction was completed in June 2001. In 2003, EPA modified the remedy to add emphasis on institutional controls, and deed restrictions and environmental covenants now limit property and groundwater use. Part of the site was redeveloped into sports fields and an environmental education area, and a methane co-generation plant operated from 2003 to 2013, supplying heat and electricity to the nearby high school from landfill gas.

Human exposure at the site is currently under control, meaning assessments show no unacceptable exposure pathways exist. However, groundwater migration control is listed as uncertain because there is not yet enough data to confirm that contaminated groundwater movement has stabilized. The site is estimated to be ready for all anticipated reuses between September and November 2028. A five-year review was completed on December 30, 2025, and EPA continues to conduct these reviews regularly to confirm the cleanup protects public health and the environment.

Community members can share observations about site conditions or raise concerns with EPA as part of the ongoing review process. Site records are available for public review at the Antioch Public Library at 757 N. Main Street in Antioch. Questions can go to the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.