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Superfund U.S. Navy Glenview Landfill Site 26 Remediation

The U.S. Navy is the lead agency responsible for environmental cleanup at the Naval Station Great Lakes. As part of this effort, the Navy is preparing to remediate Site 26, a former 1.5‑acre landfill and burn pit located in the southwest corner of the former Navy housing area off Buccaneer Drive in Glenview.

The Navy’s cleanup plan includes removing the temporary cover that was placed in 2000 and excavating contaminated soil and waste from the former Glenview Landfill. Excavated material will be placed in covered trucks and transported to a permitted off‑site disposal facility. More details can be found in the Navy’s Proposed Plan and Record of Decision (ROD). 

Background

Naval Station Great Lakes was established in 1911 as a naval training station. The current base encompasses more than 1,000 buildings across 1,200 acres.

Site 26 is located at the former Naval Air Station Glenview, which operated from 1937 to 1995. The Site contains a former landfill and burn pit used in the 1950s for base-generated construction debris, office, and household waste and possibly oils, fuels, and solvents. This landfill was covered and closed in the late 1950’s to early 1960’s.

Illinois EPA’s Role in Remediation

Illinois EPA provides regulatory oversight for the Navy’s cleanup of Site 26. While the Navy plans, funds, and performs the cleanup, Illinois EPA ensures that the work meets federal and state environmental requirements and remains protective of public health and the environment.

Illinois EPA’s responsibilities include:

  • Reviewing and commenting on Navy documents including investigations, the Feasibility Study, Proposed Plan, and the 2018 ROD.
  • Verifying that the Navy’s selected remedy is protective under current environmental standards and site conditions.
  • Participating in annual inspections of the interim cover and Land Use Controls (LUC).
  • Coordinating with U.S. EPA on Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) requirements.
  • Ensuring environmental work is conducted safely and in compliance with Illinois regulations.

Illinois EPA does not perform the cleanup. The Navy is responsible for implementing the remedy, conducting sampling, maintaining the site, and completing all required CERCLA documents.

Current Site Conditions and Protectiveness

Site 26 is currently protective of human health and the environment. In 2000, the Navy installed an interim clay cover, adding approximately three feet of clean clay over the landfill. This temporary cover prevents direct contact with buried waste, reduces rainwater infiltration, and stabilizes the surface.

The clay cover was selected because it is a proven and effective way to provide temporary protection while a long‑term remedy is developed. Annual inspections continue to confirm that the cover remains intact and functioning as intended.

LUCs also in place. These controls prevent digging into the cover and prohibit the use of groundwater under the site for drinking. These restrictions help ensure that no one comes into contact with buried waste or potentially contaminated groundwater.

While the Site conditions are currently protective, protectiveness relies on control of access to the wastes. The planned final remedial action permanently removes waste and permanently eliminates potential future risks. This also allows the property to be returned to productive use without restriction.

Contaminants

The Navy’s historical investigations identified three main groups of chemicals in the soil that were above standards for residential use. These are called the Contaminants of Concern (COCs)

The COCs for this site are:

These contaminants are common in historical landfills and reflect both the waste disposed of by the Navy in the 1950s and, in the case of PAHs, the urban background levels associated with combustion sources. PCBs and pesticides, when present, reflect historical human use rather than natural background.

Early Investigations (1990s–2007)
During Base Realignment and Closure activities in the 1990s, the Navy conducted surveys, dug test pits, and collected soil and water from two waste areas (Areas A and B). According to the report, analytical results showed low levels of the mixture of Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes (BTEX), as well as, noncarcinogenic PAHs, and other Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). The Navy also detailed that lead and PAHs were detected in localized shallow soil deposits. These concentrations were not high enough to exceed regulatory screening levels. (Final Gray Sites Phase II Report, 1996)

A 1999 investigation found some surface soil contaminant levels above site background, but still within protective limits. Arsenic was detected slightly above comparison levels but consistent with natural background levels at the site. All results remained within acceptable risk levels. (Activity Completion Report Site 027 and Site 26 NSTC Great Lakes)

From 2005 to 2007, the Navy collected additional soil and soil‑gas information. Subsequent analysis compared results to cleanup levels, site‑specific background, and typical PAH levels found in urban areas. Seven subsurface soil samples were analyzed for VOCs, SVOCs, PNAs and metals. Of those samples, only two detected contaminants above regulatory limits. Benzo(a)pyrene and Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, both classified as SVOCs, were detected in exceedance in  subsurface samples.  (Glenview Phase I Update)

2013–2018 Investigations
A 2013 Site Investigation was conducted to evaluate the condition of the clay cover, evaluate the soil and evaluate conditions. Samples were taken from surface soil, subsurface soil within and outside the waste areas, landfill waste materials, and leachate beneath the landfill.

Findings included:

  • Surface soil: The eight surface soil (Topsoil) samples exhibited impacts that are consistent with urbanization. PAHs, naturally occurring metals, and low levels of dioxins and furans, were detected. There were also detections that indicated historical chemical use by the Navy such as chlorinated pesticides and PCBs.
  • Subsurface soil and waste: Results were noted to be consistent with buried and burned refuse and fill, primarily consisting of PAHs, chlorinated pesticides, PCBs, dioxins and furans.
  • Groundwater: Detected PAHs would exceed certain screening levels; however, groundwater at this site cannot be used for drinking due to base‑wide restrictions.
  • Leachate: Testing of the liquid beneath the landfill (leachate) showed a mixture of chemicals commonly found in older landfills. Several types of contaminants including some Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), SVOCs, PAHs, pesticides, PCBs, dioxins/furans, and metals were detected above screening levels.

2023 PFAS Investigation
In 2023, the Navy completed a Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Site Inspection that included sampling groundwater for PFAS compounds. All results were below U.S. EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) and below Illinois Groundwater Quality Standards. PFAS was not sampled in soil during this investigation. Illinois EPA and the Navy are currently discussing adding PFAS soil sampling during the confirmation sampling phase after excavation of the landfill. (Final PFAs report) 

Summary of Exceedances

The current summary of exceedances in screening levels at Site 26 are as follows:

Future Cleanup

Per the ROD, signed on September 25, 2018, the selected remedy is Complete Excavation, Off-Site Disposal, and Restoration for Reuse. This remedy permanently removes the landfill waste and contaminated soil, restores the site with clean soil, and prepares the property for unrestricted residential use.

The selected remedy for Site 26 involves completely removing the old landfill and all contaminated soils. The Navy will excavate the waste and affected soil and transport the material off-site to a permitted disposal facility. After excavation, confirmation samples will be collected to verify that all waste and contaminated materials have been removed. Any clean soil present on-site may be reused as backfill, while remaining areas will be restored with clean imported soil. Once the site is filled and graded, it will be seeded with native plants, and the nearby soil mound will be extended so the area blends with the surrounding landscape. When this work is finished, the site will meet the standards required for unrestricted residential use.

Once excavation and backfill are completed the site groundwater will be monitored for at least two semiannual monitoring events to ensure that no residual contamination remains above a level that is considered unacceptable risk for human health and the environment or that any mobilization of the latent contamination has occurred.

According to the Navy, field work is scheduled to begin in Spring 2026, with soil removal and backfilling anticipated to be completed by late 2026. As of May 2026, the Navy has not relayed an updated timeline to the Illinois EPA.

Supporting Documents & Links

Illinois EPA Contact

Morgan Schaab, Office of Community Relations

Shayne Doone, Project Manager