Acme Steel Coke Plant sits on 104 acres about 14 miles south of downtown Chicago in Cook County, Illinois. The plant made coke through coal distillation from the early 1900s until it shut down in November 2001. EPA added it to the National Priorities List (NPL) on March 7, 2023, making it eligible for federal funding for long-term cleanup. The NPL identifies the country's most serious uncontrolled or abandoned contamination releases.
The site contains several contaminants. Semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), cyanide, and mercury were found in exposed waste on the property. Sampling shows SVOC contamination has spread into the Calumet River and Indian Ridge Marsh. Groundwater on-site had elevated benzene levels. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were also found in contaminated soil. The contamination threatens nearby surface water, wetlands, and areas sometimes used for fishing.
Between 2002 and 2007, EPA conducted site assessments and removal actions. Workers removed transformers, drums, asbestos-containing materials, and soil contaminated with cyanide and PCBs. That removal action ran from October 5, 2005, to May 29, 2007. An initial site assessment was completed on September 15, 2005. Despite those early actions, EPA has not fully investigated the extent of contamination. Current data are not enough to determine whether human exposure is under control or whether groundwater contamination is stabilized.
The site is divided into two operable units: a sitewide area and a source area. A combined remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) for the source area is estimated to begin between March and May 2026. That study will identify what cleanup methods are needed. No cleanup remedy has been selected yet, and construction has not started. EPA and the Illinois EPA both supported placing the site on the NPL based on contamination risks to human health and the environment. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $3.5 billion nationally to speed up Superfund work, which supports sites like this one.
Community members can get involved through the Community Involvement Plan (CIP) that EPA finalized in November 2025. The CIP guides EPA's communication with nearby residents and will evolve as cleanup progresses. People with questions can contact the EPA staff assigned to the site.
