Chemtool Inc.

Rockton, Illinois
Winnebago County

(Updated Sepetember 2026)

Chemtool is the owner of a grease, lubricating oil, and fluids manufacturing plant at 1165 Prairie Hill Road, Rockton (Winnebago County).

The Winnebago County Health Department (WCHD) has established a website with answers to clean-up and public health questions. The site also includes a hotline
(815-972-7300) to call for information and other contact information. 

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency referred an enforcement action to the Illinois Attorney General’s office. 

Due to the Illinois EPA's referral, in April 2022, the Attorney General and Winnebago County State’s Attorney secured a court‑enforceable order requiring Chemtool to follow environmental laws in the cleanup of its Rockton facility after the June 2021 fire.  To read the complete, agreed interim and preliminary injunction order, click here. The order directs Chemtool to manage and dispose of remaining chemicals safely, document waste removal and inspections, investigate all on‑ and off‑site impacts, and reimburse state and county agencies for response costs. It establishes the framework for ongoing cleanup, oversight, and investigation to address the environmental damage caused by the explosions, smoke, debris, and contaminated runoff from the incident.

The company is required to develop and implement a work plan to investigate contamination and environmental impacts resulting from the fire. Field work for the investigation was conducted throughout 2022 to 2024.

In November 2024, the company submitted their draft report of their investigation results. In September 2026, they submitted a revised version based on Illinois EPA’s review of the initial report. Illinois EPA has requested revisions to the report and is requesting additional sampling and data before the state grants final approval.

On June 15, Illinois EPA learned a Chemtool contractor used a fluorinated firefighting foam to assist in putting out the fire that may contain chemicals of concern. 

The company switched to using non-fluorinated foam after the Illinois EPA addressed the issue with them.

The Chemtool/Lubrizol contractor, US Fire Pump, confirmed the foam used was Signature Series 1x3% C6AR-AFFF . The contractor used 3,200 gallons of C6AR-AFFF mixed with 71,000 gallons of water.  

The AFFF foam is a fluorinated surfactant and may contain Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as an unintended by-product, and the foam can break down into Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and potentially others. PFOA and PFHxA are chemicals in the Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) family.  

Data provided to the Illinois EPA has confirmed crews used firefighting foam that contained several PFAS. In addition to containing PFHxA as mentioned above, it also contained 6:2-fluorotelomersulfonic acid (6:2 FTS) which is known to break down in to Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA), Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), and 5:3 fluorotelomer carboxylic acid (5:3 FTCA).

PFAs are a group of approximately 5,000 human-made chemicals that are manufactured for their oil and water-resistant properties. Because PFAS are mobile in soil and groundwater, Illinois EPA took additional precautions to protect the Rock River and groundwater area.

Contractors for the company constructed trenches on the southern and western sides of the property to contain water/foam from fire-fighting efforts. Vacuum trucks were also used  to remove fire water runoff from trenches and on the property. 

Absorbent booms, used to stop and prevent any spill from traveling further, were also deployed by Illinois EPA to further protect the Rock River prior to the use of the foam. 

A breach of foam from firefighting equipment was observed on the Rock River on June 17. A response crew immediately mobilized to mitigate the breach. Booms were placed to contain the foam. U.S. EPA's On-Scene Coordinator was at the foam location and believes the booms placed around the foam were successful. The contractor evacuated the foam under U.S. EPA guidance. Illinois EPA collected additional samples for PFOA and PFHxA on June 17 to identify any contaminants that may have broken through containment, and additional samples were taken from the area with no contaminants detected.

Additional sampling has been requested by the Illinois EPA, including a request in December 2025 for soil sampling of the trenches set up by the contractors, and more recently in September 2026 for samples beneath the former plant slab and in other areas. Illinois EPA wants this data so we can more fully understand the extent of soil and groundwater contamination.

Illinois EPA and National Guard have taken a variety of samples including ash, wipe, runoff, and river samples around the site and in the immediate area. As detailed in the enforcement section above, Illinois EPA continues to request additional sampling and evaluation of environmental impacts resulting from the fire.

Wipe Samples

Wipe samples were tested for metal compounds – One wipe sample at a location close to the Chemtool property had one metal compound result, chromium, above the residential exposure limit.

Public Water Supply Samples

The Illinois EPA conducted sampling at various locations in the Rockton community water supply in response to the Chemtool, Inc. fire. Specifically, sampling was conducted to determine whether potable water quality impacts resulted from the Chemtool incident. Sampling was conducted from each well used as source water by the Rockton community water supply and the finished water storage tank located adjacent to the Chemtool fire. 

Samples were analyzed for Inorganic compounds (IOCs), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs), and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS).

The results (June 18 and June 19) from the Well #5 (WL11665), Well #6 (WL11666), Well #7 (WL00796), Well #9 (WL01784), Well #10 (WL01981) and the finished water storage tank (Prairie Street Tower), showed compliance with applicable drinking water and groundwater standards. The Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) sample results were below Agency Health Advisory levels.

Wastewater Runoff and Rock River Samples

Immediately following the fire, the Illinois EPA conducted sampling at various locations in response to the incident at the Chemtool, Inc. facility. Specifically, sampling was conducted to determine whether runoff from the incident resulted in water quality impacts to the Rock River. Sampling was conducted in the Rock River, both upstream and downstream of the Chemtool facility, as well as at the Village of Rockton Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and onsite at the Chemtool facility. 

Samples were analyzed for biological oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), metals, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs), nutrients, dissolved oxygen, pH, and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). 

On June 15, 2021, water samples were collected in the Rock River, both upstream and downstream of the Chemtool facility. Results from all water samples collected on June 15, 2021, showed compliance with the Illinois water quality standards.

On June 16, 2021, water samples were collected in the Rock River, downstream of the Chemtool facility, at the Village of Rockton STP, and from a frac tank at the Chemtool facility. Results from all water samples collected on June 15, 2021, showed compliance with the Illinois water quality standards, except for:

• The sample collected at the Village of Rockton STP contained ammonia, copper and zinc at levels exceeding the Illinois water quality standards, and total suspended solids that exceeded the state's effluent standard.
• The sample collected from a frac tank at the Chemtool facility, which was not released into the environment, contained elevated levels of cadmium, phenols, zinc, and silver.

On June 17, 2021, water samples were collected in the Rock River, downstream of the Chemtool facility, at the Village of Rockton STP, from an interceptor trench at the Chemtool facility, and from runoff at the Chemtool facility.

• The sample collected at the Village of Rockton STP contained zinc at levels exceeding Illinois water quality standards.

The sample collected in the Rock River, downstream of the Chemtool facility, had a pH outside of the range allowable by the Illinois water quality standards of 6.5 – 9.0 standard units.

On June 18, 2021, water samples were collected in the Rock River, downstream of the Chemtool facility, and in sanitary sewer manholes, both upstream and downstream of the plugged sewer line at the Chemtool facility. Results from all water samples collected on June 18, 2021, showed compliance, except for:

• The sample collected in the sanitary sewer manhole, upstream of the plugged sewer line at the Chemtool facility, contained boron, copper, zinc and pH at levels exceeding the Illinois water quality standards, and BOD5 that exceeded the state's effluent standard.
• The sample collected in the sanitary sewer manhole, downstream of the plugged sewer line at the Chemtool facility, contained bis (2-ethylhexyl) phythalate, copper, zinc and ammonia at levels exceeding the Illinois water quality standards, and BOD5 that exceeded the state's effluent standard.

One June 19, 2021, water samples were collected in the Rock River, downstream of the Chemtool facility, and from runoff at the Chemtool facility. Results from all water samples collected on June 19, 2021, showed compliance with the Illinois water quality standards, except for:

• The sample collected in the Rock River, downstream of the Chemtool facility, contained levels of carbon disulfide exceeding Illinois water quality standards.
• A sample of runoff from the Chemtool facility contained levels of carbon disulfide, phenols and ammonia exceeding the IPCB’s water quality standards, and BOD5 and oil and grease that exceeded the state’s effluent standards.
  

PFAS Samples

On June 17 and 18, 2021, wastewater samples were collected and analyzed for the presence of PFAS in the Rock River, both upstream and downstream of the Chemtool facility, at the Village of Rockton STP, at various locations on the Chemtool facility, and at a location downstream of where firefighting foam had back flowed into the Rock River. No results from PFAS samples collected on June 17th and 18th were detected above Agency Health Advisory levels, except for the June 17th sample collected at a location downstream of where firefighting foam had back flowed into the Rock River. At this location, the PFAS analytes known as PFOA and PFOS were detected at or above Agency Health Advisory levels.

On June 19, 2021,  water samples were collected and analyzed for the presence of PFAS in the Rock River, both upstream and downstream of the Chemtool facility, and at a location downstream of where firefighting foam had back flowed into the Rock River. No results from PFAS samples collected on June 19th were detected above Agency Health Advisory levels, except for the sample collected at a location in the Rock River, upstream of the Chemtool facility. At this location, the PFAS analyte known as PFOA was detected above the Agency Health Advisory level.

Between 2022 – 2025, more than 1,700 samples from groundwater monitoring wells had exceedances of seven different PFAS. Of those, four exceeded Illinois and federal groundwater standards, those were PFOA, PFOS, Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS). The additional three identified exceeded the state’s health advisory level, those included Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 6:2 FTS. These three PFAS are not currently included in federal regulations, so no federal exceedance levels have been established for them.

Groundwater Monitoring Well Sampling

Following the fire at the Chemtool facility, Illinois EPA collected samples from groundwater monitoring wells located at the former Beloit Corporation Superfund site on June 25, 30 and July 14, 2021. Illinois EPA has confirmed the presence of elevated metals, including antimony, cadmium, chromium, and nickel, in some of the groundwater monitoring wells. Groundwater monitoring wells do not serve as drinking water sources for the public. There were no metals found in the municipal water supply for the Village of Rockton, which was tested on June 21.

As a precaution and in the direction of Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and WCHD, residents with private wells that live in the Blackhawk neighborhood adjacent to the Chemtool property are recommended to NOT use their private well water for drinking or cooking. 

Residential Private Well Sampling

On July 22, 2021, the Illinois EPA collected samples from 12 private wells near the groundwater monitoring wells where elevated metals were detected. The samples were analyzed for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), and metals. Based on these sample results, there has been no contamination of private wells with the metals identified. There were no detections of antimony, cadmium, chromium and nickel (which were identified in monitoring wells) in any of the residential wells sampled. One private well sample exceeded the State's Groundwater Quality Standards (GWQS) for lead. The same private well also had a detection of copper that exceeded the health-based guidelines. Tetrachloroethylene (a VOC) was also detected in two other private wells, but the concentrations were below the GWQS and less than IDPH health screening values. Based on the location of one of the wells, it is not expected to be related to the facility site or the Chemtool fire. The IDPH has contacted the impacted well owners and provided a detailed interpretation of the results, including potential health impacts and appropriate mitigations, for the impacted private well owners. Owners who have not been contacted by IDPH are unaffected but should have also received a summary of their results. 

US EPA Air Sampling

U.S. EPA began collecting air samples around the incident on June 14. Current data indicates no violations of national ambient air quality standards and no significant concerns at the ground level. A webpage for response at Chemtool, Inc. has been established by U.S. EPA at https://response.epa.gov/site/site_profile.aspx?site_id=15241

Winnebago County Health Department Incident page

U.S. EPA Chemtool page

Beloit Corporation Superfund Site

Fact Sheet - Returning Home After a Chemical Fire

For more information, please contact the Illinois EPA Office of Community Relations. Additional documents not available on this webpage may be obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request or through IEPA Document Explorer.

Media inquiries:  Kim.Biggs@illinois.gov