Schmalz Dump sits on three-quarters of an acre in Harrison Township, Calumet County, Wisconsin, near the northern shore of Lake Winnebago. Unauthorized dumping took place from 1968 to 1979. That dumping included fly ash and bottom ash from a utility company in 1972 and 1973, and building demolition debris laced with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in 1978 and 1979. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1984. The NPL is the federal roster of hazardous waste sites that warrant investigation and cleanup.
Four contaminants drive cleanup decisions at the site: chromium, copper, lead, and PCBs. Chromium shows up in groundwater, soil, and debris. Copper and lead were found in debris, and lead also contaminated groundwater and soil. PCBs turned up in debris, sediment, and residuals. EPA determined that all four pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment.
Cleanup was organized into three operable units (OUs). Operable units are separate portions of a cleanup targeting specific problems or areas. OU1 addressed PCB contamination through excavation, treatment, offsite disposal, and dewatering. OU2 covered groundwater monitoring and a final cap, using soil cover, drainage and erosion control, revegetation, and long-term monitoring. In the 1980s and 1990s, EPA fenced the site, excavated and removed 3,500 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated soil and sediment, and installed a soil cover. Construction finished in September 1993. An Explanation of Significant Differences issued in September 2018 updated institutional controls and modified the cleanup objectives for OU2.
Human exposure is currently under control across the entire site. Contaminated groundwater is stable and confined to its original area, with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. The site reached "Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Use" status in June 2011, meaning all cleanup goals for current and future land uses have been met and required land-use restrictions are in place. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources collects annual groundwater samples to confirm contaminants stay below state drinking water standards. EPA has conducted five-year reviews since 1993 to verify the cleanup continues to protect public health. The most recent review was completed in September 2023, and the next is estimated between September and November 2028. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL, and operation and maintenance activities remain ongoing.
Community members with questions can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.
