U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency removed lead-contaminated soil at the
former Conn Band Instruments facility.
During
the cleanup, EPA:
- Put a fence up at the site.
- Excavated lead-contaminated soil.
- Treated soil on-site and transported off-site for proper disposal.
- Monitored air quality for worker and public safety.
- Wet roads and work areas to control dust.
- Inspected equipment and trucks leaving the work area to
minimize contamination leaving the site.
Workers followed strict rules to keep nearby roads and properties free from contaminated soil
and debris. EPA completed the work in June 2026.
Background
The
Conn Band Instruments site is at 1101 East Beardsley Ave. in Elkhart, Indiana.
The property is an empty lot on 10 acres of land.
Conn
Band Instruments was at one time the largest instrument manufacturing facility
in the world. It stopped operations in 1978. The city acquired the property in
2019 and demolished the remaining structure. The city is redeveloping the
property through a brownfields grant. Brownfields projects put previously
contaminated properties back into productive use. The city discovered high
levels of lead in the soil and requested EPA assistance in 2025.
