Whiteford Sales & Service Inc./Nationalease

Overview

The Whiteford Sales and Service Inc./Nationalease site is an 11-acre former truck washing and degreasing facility in South Bend, Indiana. The facility operated from 1967 to 1983, discharging wastewater into three dry wells on the property. That practice contaminated both soil and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990 after finding contamination still present. The NPL is the federal list of the most serious hazardous waste sites in the country.

EPA identified ten contaminants of concern at the site. Those found in groundwater include 1,1-dichloroethene, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, chloroethene (vinyl chloride), manganese, silver, tetrachloroethene, and thallium. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were the only contaminant found in soil. EPA determined these substances posed unacceptable risks to human health or the environment and required cleanup action.

The responsible party removed approximately 210 cubic yards of contaminated sludge and soil from the dry wells and disposed of it off site, finishing in July 1988. EPA then conducted follow-up investigations and a risk assessment. In September 1995, EPA selected a "No Further Action" remedy, meaning no additional cleanup work was needed. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in September 1996 after confirming all cleanup goals had been met.

Human exposure to contamination is currently under control across the entire site. Groundwater migration is also under control, with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. EPA will continue monitoring to confirm contaminated groundwater stays in its original area. All required land-use restrictions and other controls are in place. The property today serves as a stormwater retention basin. The site achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status in June 2006.

Community members with questions about the site can contact the EPA's Remedial Project Manager. Additional site records, including an administrative record of 130 documents, are accessible through EPA's Superfund database.