The Schroud Property is a 74-acre former waste disposal area near 126th Street and Avenue O in Chicago, Illinois. Slag and other industrial wastes from the Republic/LTV Steel plant were dumped there from the 1950s through the early 1990s. The EPA added the site to its National Priorities List in November 2019 after Illinois referred it, citing lack of maintenance and no viable responsible party to conduct cleanup.
Soil, waste materials, and nearby wetlands contain elevated levels of lead, chromium, and other metals. Indian Creek, which runs adjacent to the site and extends 1.25 miles from Wolf Lake to the Calumet River, is also contaminated with these metals. The Illinois Department of Public Health issued a fish advisory for Indian Creek in fall 2023. EPA currently has insufficient data to determine whether human exposure is under control or whether groundwater contamination is stabilized.
EPA completed a removal action between January 2022 and October 2024. A combined remedial investigation and feasibility study began in August 2022 and is ongoing. Phase 1 of the investigation wrapped up in 2025, covering surface water and sediment sampling from Indian Creek and Hyde Lake Wetlands, installation of groundwater monitoring wells, and soil sampling at nearby residential properties. Phase 2 fieldwork is planned for 2026 and will expand sampling to more locations and additional residential properties. A cleanup remedy has not yet been selected, and no decision document has been issued for the site's operable unit.
The site is privately owned and fenced. The City of Chicago and EPA completed a barrier system in 2023 and 2024, including a gate on the northern access road and cameras to deter trespassing. The City of Chicago now handles ongoing maintenance of those barriers. Zoning restrictions prevent residential development inconsistent with current contamination levels. EPA began searching for potentially responsible parties in early 2020 and has sent multiple information requests related to waste disposal at the site.
Community members can get involved through the Superfund Redevelopment Program, which is conducting a site-specific reuse assessment that incorporates community feedback and city zoning plans. The Community Involvement Plan outlines public participation opportunities. Physical records related to cleanup work are available at the Hegewisch Branch of the Chicago Public Library at 3048 E. 130th St., Chicago, IL 60633. Phil Gurley serves as the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator and is the main point of contact for residents with questions.
