Pagel's Pit sits on about 100 acres along the east bank of Killbuck Creek in Winnebago County, Illinois. At its core is a 47-acre landfill that opened in 1972 and has since been closed. The site was added to the National Priorities List (NPL), the federal roster of priority Superfund cleanup sites, in June 1986. It remains on that list today, and long-term operation and maintenance work is ongoing.
Groundwater is the affected medium at the site. EPA has identified eleven contaminants of concern, all found in groundwater. They include vinyl chloride, arsenic, barium, manganese, thallium, zinc, and both cis and trans forms of 1,2-dichloroethene. EPA determined these chemicals pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment based on the amounts present and the potential effects of contact with them.
Cleanup work has been substantial. Between 1991 and 2001, EPA installed a final cover over the landfill along with leachate and gas management systems. For groundwater in the southeastern part of the site, EPA chose a "no action" remedy in 1999. In the western area, the remedy relies on monitored natural attenuation, meaning natural processes work to reduce contaminant levels over time while the site is watched closely. If natural processes fall short or contamination threatens nearby wells, active cleanup methods can be activated as a backup. The physical construction of cleanup work is complete across the entire site.
EPA's most recent five-year review, completed in September 2022, confirmed that cleanup actions protect human health and the environment in the short term. Human exposure is currently under control, with no unacceptable pathways for people to come into contact with contamination. However, groundwater migration has not been stabilized, and contaminated groundwater continues to move. Long-term effectiveness depends on keeping institutional controls, which are legal and administrative measures that limit land or water use, fully in place. The next five-year review is estimated for September through November 2027.
Community members with questions about the site can contact EPA Remedial Project Manager Jennifer Braveboy directly by email or phone. The Superfund Redevelopment Program also works with communities to explore productive future uses for the site, and more information is available through that program's website.
