United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region V
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

The property is located at 2028 South Sheridan Road in North Chicago, Lake County, Illinois.  Coordinates for the site are latitude 42 degrees 19' 22.6" North and longitude 87 degrees 50' 30.1" West, as determined by Arcview or Landview III. It is located in an  industrial neighborhood with surrounding residential and commercial areas.  The Site is approximately 17.5 acres and is located adjacent to Pettibone Creek which discharges to Lake Michigan.

R. Lavin & Sons, Inc. began operating a secondary copper and brass recovery facility in 1941.  Scrap copper and brass in many forms were imported from off-site sources, melted and refined in furnaces, and then poured into ingots that were shipped to customers.  R. Lavin & Sons, Inc. fell under SIC Code 3341 and had approximately 200 employees.  The facility was upgraded several times in advance of and in response to environmental regulations.  Upgrades included installation of several baghouses; improvement of a closed-loop, cooling water recirculating system; implementation of surface run-off containment and control measures.  Currently R. Lavin & Sons, Inc. is non-operational and in a liquidating bankruptcy with its assets being sold for cash by its creditors.  Areas of concern on-site include the three open top storage tanks with 2.6 million gallons of capacity, the two retention ponds that directly discharge to the storm sewer, the process pit, the slag piles most of which are outside and uncovered, and the numerous baghouses throughout the facility.

Releases of contaminants to the storm sewer have been and continue to be an ongoing problem at this Site.  Wastes generated by furnace clean-outs, flue dust collection, and contact cooling water treatment have been subject to heavy precipitation that has resulted in contaminated runoff being released to the ground and then to the groundwater and/or storm sewer that runs to Pettibone Creek and then to Lake Michigan.  In addition, large volumes of slag were stored outside and were exposed to rainfall.  A 1994 study by Illinois EPA compared sediment concentrations of certain metals upstream and downstream of the Site’s outfall into the Creek.  The contaminants, copper, lead, and zinc were increased by 2387%, 3932%, and 2769%, respectively, downstream of the Site.

K-Plus Environmental completed work on the northwest tank and partially completed the northeast tank when funding for the project ran out.  Approximately 135 yards of treated sludge was removed prior to shutting down activities at the site.  100-150 yards of sludge remain in the northeast tank and will be removed when additional insurance settlements are finalized.

Site visit on 3/23/05, the 2-million gallon tank on the south property had been removed, work on the northeast still pending.

Contacted by Ray Reott, attorney for R. Lavin Ceditors Committee, work scheduled to start this month on the northeast tank, will pump off  water then remove and treat sludge.

Site visit on 11/1/05, sludge removal proceeding with new contractor.  Midwest Power Vac, Inc. will be completing the site work.  Sludge removal completed by 11/03/05.  Five roll-off boxes of sludge treated with lime were generated and shipped for disposal on 12/06/05.

Additional work under the AOC was also completed with the removal of approximately 85 drums and 11 pallets of various oils, lubricants, and unused products throughout the facility.  Additional funding from another insurance settlement paid for this work.

All removal actions as stated in the AOC have been completed

Final Report was submitted on January 20, 2006.  Based on review of the report and the final inspection on December 14, 2006, work required by the Order has been completed.  Completion of Work letter was sent to the Respondent January 31, 2006.

City of North Chicago intends to purchase the property for redevelopment, and may continue to work with the Brownfields Program.