Cross Brothers Pail Recycling sits on 20 acres in Pembroke Township, Illinois. The site operated as a pail and drum reclamation business from 1961 to 1980. Drums and pails holding dye, ink, and paint residue were drained directly onto the ground, leaving soil, groundwater, and solid waste contaminated. The EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983. The NPL is the federal list of sites that warrant long-term cleanup attention.
The site contains 24 confirmed contaminants. These include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, toluene, xylene, trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, vinyl chloride, and 1,2-dichloroethene, as well as heavy metals including lead, phthalates, naphthalene, cresol, cyanide, and ethylbenzene. People can be exposed by ingesting or touching contaminated soil, surface water, or groundwater. A 2022 inspection collected 20 soil samples and seven groundwater samples that confirmed these contaminants are still present.
The EPA selected a long-term remedy in 1989. Cleanup work included excavating contaminated soil, completed in November 1995, and installing a groundwater pump-and-treat system with soil flushing that started in May 1996. The remedy also established vegetative cover and institutional controls to prevent direct contact with contaminated soil and stop people from drinking contaminated groundwater. The EPA updated the remedy in 2004 and issued a Final Close-Out Report in 2007. More recently, construction on a parcel within the site triggered a removal assessment. Testing found high lead concentrations in excavated soil, and the EPA is now conducting further assessments. An additional remedial investigation and feasibility study is estimated to begin between September and November 2026.
Construction of the cleanup is complete, but human exposure is not yet under control. That means unsafe contamination levels have been detected and people could reasonably be exposed to them. The site remains on the NPL and is not yet ready for anticipated reuse. The EPA is currently overseeing operation and maintenance, with an estimated completion date between September and November 2027. A five-year review was most recently performed in July 2025. Before any final cleanup decision is made, the EPA will open a public comment period.
Community members who own property within the site boundary may be contacted by the EPA to allow soil and groundwater sampling on their land. Residents can sign an access agreement form to participate. Materials about the sampling effort and the access agreement are available in English and Spanish. For questions, residents can reach the Community Involvement Coordinator, Kayla Butler, or the Remedial Project Manager, Caitlin Shanahan.
