Himco Dump

Overview

Himco Dump is a closed, unlicensed landfill at the intersection of County Road 10 and John Weaver Parkway in Cleveland Township, Elkhart County, Indiana. The landfill operated from 1960 to 1976 and accepted household refuse, construction rubble, medical waste, and calcium sulfate. It was added to the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL), the federal government's roster of contaminated sites requiring cleanup, in 1990. Leachate from the landfill contaminated private wells in the surrounding area.

EPA has identified more than 200 chemical substances at the site. These include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as trichloroethene, benzene, toluene, and vinyl chloride. Heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and mercury are also present, along with pesticides such as aldrin, dieldrin, and DDT, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons like benzo(a)pyrene. Contaminants were found in landfill gas, solid waste, and groundwater.

Cleanup work has addressed the site in stages. An emergency removal in 1992 pulled out 71 drums containing VOCs. EPA's 1993 cleanup plan called for capping the landfill, installing a gas management system, monitoring groundwater, removing construction debris, and connecting 39 nearby residences to municipal water. A 2004 update added contouring and vegetation on the landfill cover, expanded deed restrictions and fencing, and established a long-term groundwater monitoring program. Construction of all remedial actions was completed in September 2012, and operation and maintenance activities began the following month. EPA issued a partial NPL deletion in August 2022 covering the capped landfill area, four adjacent properties, and 43 downgradient properties connected to municipal water. Groundwater remains on the NPL and is undergoing monitored natural attenuation. EPA assessments confirm that human exposure is currently under control and groundwater contamination is stabilized. The site achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status in May 2018. Five-year reviews were completed in 2016, 2021, and most recently on February 17, 2026.

Community members can get involved by attending public meetings or submitting comments during review periods. EPA has held open houses, including two sessions in February 2008 at the Elkhart Area Career Center and a public meeting in June 2008 at the Elkhart Public Library. Site records are available for public review at the Elkhart Public Library Pierre Moran Branch at 2400 Benham Avenue in Elkhart. For questions, contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.