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 ASARCO Taylor Springs Superfund Site

U.S. EPA planning to change scope of cleanup for ASARCO Taylor Springs Superfund Site

The U.S. EPA plans to make changes to the scope of cleanup  for the ASARCO Taylor Springs Superfund Site. The scope of cleanup was previously agreed upon with the Illinois EPA in the 2021 Record of Decision (ROD). 

U.S. EPA plans to document the proposed cleanup changes in an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD), which explains how the remedy chosen in the original ROD would be modified under new federal guidance.

The U.S. EPA is having a public availability session for members of the community to ask questions about this action at the following time and location:

Thursday, March 5th from 4 - 7 p.m.
Taylor Springs Community & Recreation Center
613 E Main Street
Taylor Springs, Hillsboro, IL 62049

The U.S. EPA is planning to change the scope of the cleanup pursuant to new federal guidelines released in October 2025 through the Residential Lead Directive for CERCLA Sites and RCRA Hazardous Waste Cleanup Facilities. Based on the updated directive, U.S. EPA intends to lower the residential lead cleanup level for and make changes to the original cleanup plan that would result in less cleanup than Illinois EPA prefers to see. 

Here are the changes proposed by the U.S. EPA for the ASARCO Superfund Site:

  • Lower the cleanup level for lead by more than half. The original ROD selected a cleanup level of 400 mg/kg for lead-in-soil. The new directive would drop the cleanup to 170 mg/kg. 
  • Reduce the maximum excavation depth by half to only 12 inches in most areas instead of the original 24 inches. Areas where residents frequently or significantly disturb the soil below 12 inches, such as in-ground play areas or produce gardens, may warrant additional cleanup.
  • Previously cleaned up yard areas that were remediated during the 2007-2009 Time-Critical Removal Action (TCRA) may not be re-evaluated to determine whether additional cleanup may be warranted to meet the revised cleanup level. 

The lead cleanup level in the U.S EPA's October 2025 guidance is based on a blood lead reference value of 5 µg/dL. Although this is a reduction from the blood lead reference value of 10 µg/dL used in the 2021 ROD, it is higher than U.S. EPA’s guidance from 2024 which recommended a blood lead reference value of 3.5 µg/dL, and aligned with current Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Illinois Department of Public Health standards.  Applying a blood lead reference value of 3.5 µg/dL yields a cleanup level of 100 mg/kg. However, because the soils in the area naturally contain lead up to values of 120 mg/kg, cleanup would only be required to the 120 mg/kg “background” level. This is the level preferred by the Illinois EPA.  

Background

The ASARCO Taylor Springs Superfund Site in Illinois is contaminated with high levels of lead, arsenic, cadmium, and zinc, primarily stemming from former zinc smelting operations dating back to 1911. The 533-acre site, located in Montgomery County, features contaminated soil, waste slag piles, and groundwater pollution.

Work to resolve the issues of contamination at the Site has been ongoing starting in 1994.  For over three decades, Illinois EPA has performed site investigation and worked to address lead contamination impacting nearby properties.  Before U.S. EPA listed the Site on the National Priorities List, Illinois EPA investigated the facility area in 1994 in response to an anonymous complaint that demolition debris was buried there. ASARCO LLC conducted three phases of investigation between 1995 and 2000. Illinois EPA conducted a CERCLA site investigation in 2001. In 2003, Illinois EPA conducted sampling at 17 residential properties, roads and alleyways in the Village of Taylor Springs and found elevated lead levels in soils. The ASARCO Site was added to the National Priorities List of Superfund hazardous waste sites in September 2006.