Marion (Bragg) Dump

Overview

Marion (Bragg) Dump sits on 72 acres near Marion in Grant County, Indiana. RCA, Bragg Construction Company, and Waste Reduction Systems operated disposal and transfer facilities there from the 1960s through the 1970s, leaving behind roughly 1.1 million cubic yards of waste. The site was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. The NPL is the EPA's roster of contaminated sites that warrant investigation and cleanup.

EPA has identified 17 contaminants of concern at the site. They include arsenic, benzene, bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, cadmium, chloroform, lead, mercury, mercury compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), trichloroethene, and other inorganic compounds. These substances were found in groundwater, surface water, soil, and solid waste. EPA determined that the amounts present, combined with possible exposure routes and health effects, pose an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment.

The site is divided into two operable units (OUs). OU1 covers surface cleanup and involved excavating contaminated soil, installing an engineered cap, consolidating waste on-site, adding drainage and erosion controls, and replacing private drinking water wells. Surface cleanup construction finished in September 1997. OU2 covers groundwater, and the selected remedy there is monitoring with no further action, along with deed restrictions that prevent groundwater use at the site. Contaminated groundwater migration has been stabilized, and EPA continues to monitor groundwater, pond water, and river water to confirm conditions hold.

Human exposure across the entire site is currently under control. Physical construction is complete site-wide. The site achieved "sitewide ready for anticipated use" status in September 2017, meaning all cleanup goals have been met for current and expected future land uses, required restrictions are in place, and no unacceptable risks remain. The most recent five-year review found that cleanup actions protect human health and the environment. The sources give slightly different dates for the most recent completed five-year review, citing both August 2015 and August 2025. EPA is conducting its sixth five-year review, expected to be completed in September 2025. That review includes a site inspection, an evaluation of cleanup status, and a look at current monitoring data. Ongoing operation and maintenance work is estimated to continue through mid to late 2028.

Community members who want to learn more or review site documents can visit the Marion Public Library at 600 S. Washington Street in Marion, Indiana, where public records related to Superfund work at the site are available. The EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator and Remedial Project Manager are also available to answer questions directly.