The Site is located at 7955 West 59th Street in the City of Summit, Cook County, Illinois. Approximately 23 acres in size, the Site is located 10 miles southwest of Chicago, Illinois. The Site is located in the west-central section of Summit, and has the geographic coordinates of latitude 41.46.39 N, longitude 87.49.13 W. The Site is bordered by an industrial complex and 59th Street to the north; by railroad tracks and an automobile junkyard to the east; and by railroad tracks and railroad yard to the south and west. Although the Site is located in an industrial neighborhood, there is significant residential development less than 1000 feet to the southeast of the site.
The Site previously operated as a scrap metal processing/recycling facility for more than 20 years. The scrap metal shredder was utilized for the processing of scrap metal articles, such as automobile hulks and light iron. The shredding process facilitates separation of ferrous and nonferrous metals from nonmetallic materials contained in the feed material; after separation, the remaining material is commonly referred to as shredder residue. Shredder residues consist predominantly of nonmetallic solid material, including plastic, glass, rubber, soil, carpet and fabric. It is an unconsolidated, heterogeneous solid, medium to dark brown in color and typically exhibiting a slight, musty odor.
Key Site features include the main ASR pile, two sets of abandoned railroad tracks, the former materials processing/shredder area, a surface water impoundment located along the northern edge of the Site, and two office/garage buildings currently being leased to trucking companies. The main ASR pile extends along the Site’s eastern border in a north-northeast/south-southwest direction and measures approximately 875 feet along its longest axis. The pile ranges in height from 30 to 70 feet above ground surfaces and in width from 125 to 250 feet. Two separate operations are active at the Site. These companies have leased discrete areas in the west-central and northeastern sections of the Site to conduct their operations. Generally, ground elevations increase by five to 10 feet from north to south, with drainage patterns to the north and northeast. Water and/or leachate from the ASR pile was observed accumulating along the east border and flowing off the Site toward the adjacent automobile junkyard. Other small piles of ASR are located throughout the Site, and many of the berms on Site are constructed of ASR material.
A Removal Site Assessment was conducted on March 15, 2000, to determine the extent of the automobile shredder residue (“ASR”) previously observed at the Site, and to obtain additional analytical data to warrant a removal action. Samples of the ASR were collected from various locations throughout the Site. Eleven samples were collected at 200 foot intervals along the base of the large pile, and eight samples were collected on the top of the pile. Eight surface samples, a sediment sample and one water sample were also collected. The samples were analyzed for Total lead, TCLP metals, and PCBs. The results identified total lead levels ranging from 20.6 to 180,000 ppm, TCLP lead levels of 0.283 to 94.1ppm, and PCBs from 7.6 to 217.7 ppm. The ASR appears to cover an area in excess of 20 acres with depths ranging from one to 10 feet. The largest volume of ASR is located in the pile along the eastern perimeter and is estimated to contain 350,000 cubic yards. In addition to the ASR, the Site allegedly has four underground fuel storage tanks which probably contained diesel fuel for the Site vehicles. The condition and/or possible contamination from these tanks were not addressed during the initial site assessment activities. These potential fuel tanks are outside the scope of this removal action.
This is the initiation of the next phase of action to consolidate the ASR pile for future capping. On 6/15/09, Environmental Quality Management (EQM) mobilized to the site to begin work to consolidate the current pile into an area that will be the final footprint of the pile prior to capping. The main work will be to move the southern pile off of property currently owned by a third party, and to pull material back from the site perimeter to allow for cover and drainage canals. A detention pond is planned for the norhtwest corner of the site.
The general pile footprint is now completed and most of the remaining work will focus on side slopes and perimeter drainage swales. The east perimeter slope is completed and a shallow drainage swale will be excavated to retain surface runoff. Work is on going along the north perimeter to reduce the slope angle. Water is being retained in the channel and retention pond, and is believed to be shallow groundwater since there has been minimal rainfall in the past two weeks.
ERRS is currently pursuing sources for cover material, and obtaining the required three bids. Anticipate to start covering pile by the middle of next week. ASR samples are also being sent out for bench scale testing for the various treatment chemicals that might be used for lead fixation.
Parcel 7 has been cleared of the main ASR pile, but residual ASR and the shredder foundation remain as original site conditions and are the responsibility of a third party.
Site mobilization and setup. - Completed
Consolidation of numerous small ASR piles into the final foorprint area. - Completed
Install drainage channels and detention pond.
Reshape/Reconfigure pile to design standards.
Temporary cover with 6" of limestone screenings
Replace perimeter fencing along east boundry.
Demobilization.
Continue to consolidate the ASR into one main pile, grade to final contours.
Complete drainage swales.
Install fencing along east perimeter.
Maintain dust control measures as needed.
Apply 6" of limestone screenings as temporary cover.
Maintain site security.
Demobilization from site to allow a re-development plan to possibly conduct off-site disposal of the ASR and remediate remaining hot spots on site.
Return to site by March 1, 2010, and complete final cover if development plan is not viable.
Determining future status of Parcel 7.
Confirming ownership of all parcels associated with the site.
A re-development plan is in the works that would address the ASR pile and residual contamination on the site property. If successful, the ASR pile would be treated for lead and shipped to a TSCA approved landfill for disposal. Additional areas on the site that have residual ASR contamination would also be remediated, and the property would have some type of industrial development. The Agency has proposed a March 1, 2010 deadline for this development plan to be finalized and an AOC signed with the Agency to initiate the removal work plan. Failure to meet the deadline would result in the Agency continuing with the planned capping option.
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