ASARCO Taylor Springs

Overview

The ASARCO Taylor Springs site is a former zinc smelting and refining facility that operated from 1912 to 2004 in Taylor Springs, Illinois. EPA added it to the National Priorities List in September 2006 after sampling found elevated lead levels in residential soils. The site covers 96 acres, and waste materials, including slag, spread onto neighboring properties and were used as fill dirt in the surrounding neighborhood.

The four contaminants of concern are arsenic, cadmium, lead, and zinc. Lead has been found in soil, while arsenic, cadmium, and zinc have been detected in groundwater. EPA and the Illinois EPA determined in 2005 that the site and nearby residential areas posed a public health hazard because residents could be exposed to elevated metals in surface materials. Human exposure is not currently under control, meaning unsafe contamination levels remain and people could reasonably come into contact with them. Groundwater migration, however, is under control, with no unacceptable discharge to surface water.

EPA issued a Record of Decision in September 2021, selecting a cleanup estimated at $100 million. The remedy includes excavating contaminated soil from the facility and residential areas, consolidating waste under a cap, and placing institutional controls on land and groundwater use. Remedial design began in September 2022, and active cleanup started in April 2024. In October 2025, EPA revised the plan in line with the Residential Lead Directive, lowering the soil lead cleanup level from 400 to 170 milligrams per kilogram and adjusting excavation depths, with deeper digging required for produce gardens and children's play areas.

As of December 2025, EPA identified 119 residential properties needing remediation and is prioritizing those with the highest lead levels. An Explanation of Significant Differences documenting these changes was expected in spring 2026. As of June 2026, the document had not yet been published and EPA had not provided an updatd timeframe. Remediation of the industrial facility area is planned for 2027. The 533-acre Custodial Trust portion of the site is zoned industrial and access is restricted by fencing and posted signs.

Community members can get involved by signing an Access Agreement to allow EPA to sample their property at no cost. EPA held a community meeting in early March 2026 to explain the revised cleanup plan. Factsheets on lead in soil, new sampling levels, the cleanup process, and road worker protection are available on the EPA's official site profile page. Public records can be reviewed at Taylor Springs Village Hall, 626 E Main Street, or by calling 217-532-3354. Two EPA staff members handle questions directly: Kayla Butler, Community Involvement Coordinator, at butler.kayla@epa.gov or (312) 866-3449, and Catherine Nield, Remedial Project Manager, at Nield.Catherine@epa.gov or (312) 353-6318.