The Prairieland Steel Site (Site) is located at 550 Pear Street, Havana, Illinois, and is surrounded to the south, east, and west by residential areas. A review of Sandborn maps revealed that industrial processes have taken place on at least one parcel of the site since approximately 1887. Prairieland Steel obtained the property in 1959 and produced industrial strength wire by drawing raw material stock 304 and 316 stainless steel through dies to give the wire the desired shape and thickness. Electric motors were used to pull the wire through the redraw device, and lead dross was used as the lubricant. After 1990, the facility only cleaned industrial strength wire using trichloroethylene (TCE) in the final step as a degreaser.
The Site is currently composed of at least five separate parcels. Four of the parcels are under private ownership. The former rail right of way, which roughly forms the border of the site, is owned by the City of Havana.
In 2003, the IEPA collected additional groundwater and soil samples. Analytical results found tetrachloroethene at concentrations up to 71 mg/kg and lead contamination at up to 1,700 mg/kg. The 2003 investigation also revealed arsenic contamination in soil in the right-of-way surrounding the former Prairieland Steel property at concentrations up to 500 mg/kg.
In June 2004, a Pre-CERCLIS Screening Assessment was conducted by Illinois EPA. An X-ray fluorescence (XRF) survey was conducted at the Site. The XRF survey revealed lead levels up to 67,000 parts per million (ppm) and elevated levels of arsenic primarily in the upper two feet of soil. Analytical results taken at this time revealed total lead at up to 45,000 ppm in a waste pile and a concentration of 360 mg/l pursuant to the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP).
In July 2006, U.S. EPA conducted an assessment of the Site. Several soil samples were collected in the vicinity of the waste pile to determine the aerial extent of lead contamination. Soil samples collected from a depth of 0-6 inches on the waste pile found total lead levels at up to 210,000 mg/kg.
On November 13, 2007, U.S. EPA returned to the site to complete the installation of an asphalt cap over a lead contaminated concrete pad and portions of a site road with elevated lead levels. Two inches of asphalt were placed over the contaminated media to prevent contact with the lead and migration of the contamination.
No further removal actions area planned for the Prairieland Steel Site.
On October 16, 2007, an area of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was discovered at approximately 2 feet below ground surface while excavating lead contaminated soils. A soil sample was collected from this area, a piece of snow fence was placed on the bottom of the excavation as a demarcation barrier, and the area was backfilled. Analytical results found high levels of tetrachloroethene at approximately 300 ppm. The Illinois EPA was provided the analytical results and plans on conducting additional assessment work in this area.
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