Informational meeting
EPA and Illinois EPA will hold an
informational meeting to explain the
residential testing process and
answer your questions. Please plan
to attend one of two sessions:
Tuesday, April 4
3- 4:30 p.m.
or
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Taylor Springs Community Center
613 E. Main St.
EPA and Illinois EPA will be also
available to answer questions at
Tuesday, April 4
7-8pm
Taylor Spring Village Board
626 E. Main St.
If you need special accommodations
to attend one of these meetings,
contact Joe Munoz at least one week
before the meeting at (312) 886-
7935.
Want to learn more?
A repository has been established
at the Taylor Springs Village Hall,
626 E. Main St.
This repository contains documents
from Illinois EPA's previous
efforts in the community and will
be updated to include documents
generated by EPA.
EPA to begin testing for
lead contamination in yards
ASARCO
Taylor Springs, Illinois
March 2006
Soil at some Taylor Springs homes could be contaminated with lead from the
former ASARCO plant. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5
plans to find out this spring by taking samples from residential yards. Those
samples will be tested for lead contamination. Based on the results, EPA will
determine if any cleanup is needed and the best way to get it done.
There will be two public meetings Tuesday, April 4 to explain this process to
area residents (see box, left), and Agency officials will be at the April 4
meeting of the Taylor Springs Board.
EPA will need your permission to take soil samples from your yard. An
agreement form is included with this fact sheet for your convenience. Please
complete the form, sign it and return it to EPA. EPA representatives will also
be going door-to-door during the week of April 3, seeking permission from
property owners.
EPA technicians will take samples from both the front and back yards to find
out if there is any danger to you from lead in the soil. These tests are done at
no cost to you, and all the work is done outside your home.
At the same time, Agency representatives will ask you some questions about
your property. They will also ask if you know whether any materials from
the former ASARCO plant might have been used as fill in your
neighborhood. This will help EPA better identify areas that may need to be
cleaned up, and exactly what it will take to keep you and your neighbors
safe.
What is lead?
Lead is a naturally occurring heavy metal. It is commonly found at low levels
in soil. Low levels of lead can be found in the air, water, food and dust in
cities because of the widespread use of lead in man-made products. The
federal government regulates the amount of lead in the air, water and soil.
How can I be exposed and what are the health effects
related to lead exposure?
Lead is a highly toxic metal that can cause a range of health effects from
behavioral problems and learning disabilities to seizures and death.
Children 6 years old and under are most at risk because their bodies are
growing quickly. Children often have higher levels of exposure because
they play in dirt and may put dirty hands in their mouths or, in some cases,
eat dirt. Also children who lack proper nutrition may absorb more lead and
suffer more harmful effects.
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What should I do to reduce
exposure to lead?
You should take steps to protect children from lead-
contaminated soil. Pregnant women should seek
prenatal care to protect their developing infants. To
prevent swallowing of contaminated soil, you can
limit your children's exposure to dirt in the
following ways:
• cover areas of exposed dirt with grass,
flowers, mulch or concrete
• wash down very dusty areas with a hose.
• discourage children from playing in the
dirt, gravel or ground covers (like
sidewalks and driveways)
• supervise young children to prevent them
from eating dirt
• wash children's hands often, especially
before they eat and before nap time and
bed time
• clean or remove your shoes before
entering your home to avoid tracking
in lead from soil
• make sure children eat nutritious, low-fat
meals high in iron and calcium, such as
spinach and dairy products. Children with
good diets absorb less lead.
To prevent ingestion of lead
contaminated dust, you should:
• place a door mat at the door
• vacuum carpets and drapes
• dust with an oiled cloth
• mop floors often
• wipe your feet before
entering your home
• keep windows closed as much as possible
to reduce dirt in the home
• replace furnace filters often
ASARCO Inc. site background
The ASARCO site is located in the village
of Taylor Springs. The site occupies nearly
673 acres, of which 303 acres are wooded
and 189 acres are used for agriculture. The
former plant is on the remaining 181 acres.
From 1911 through 1924 the site was
occupied by American Zinc Smelting.
ASARCO purchased the site in 1971.
The plant used scrap materials that were
smelted, producing copper, aluminum, lead
and a frothy, reddish-brown waste from
commonly known as slag and cinders.
Through time much of this clinker material was
placed on residential yards and driveways as
fill.
Through a site assessment and soil testing, the
contaminated soil outside of the plant was first
identified by Illinois EPA in 2001. Illinois EPA
has asked EPA to sample residential yards to
further understand the extent of the
contamination and initiate removal of the lead
contamination in the yards.
For more information on lead:
Call the National Lead Information Center
800-424-LEAD (5323) to learn more about
how to protect children from lead poisoning
and for other information on lead hazards, or
visit: www.epa.gov/lead or
www.idph. state, il.us/public/hb/hblead. htm
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ASARCO
(Main Plant Area)
ASARCO AREA MAP
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UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION 5
77 WEST JACKSON BOULEVARD
CHICAGO, IL 60604-3590
CONSENT FOR ACCESS TO PROPERTY
FOR SAMPLING AND TO TAKE RESPONSE ACTION
Name: Daytime Phone Number:
(Print)
Cell phone Evening Phone Number:
D Owner D Tenant
Address(es) of Property(ies):
I give my consent for employees and authorized representatives of United States Environmental Protection
Agency to enter and have access to my property specifically to take soil samples. This includes:
(1) excavation of soil from my property;
(2) backfilling the excavated area(s) with clean soil and/or backfill;
(3) restoring any grass or other vegetation or structures to their pre-excavation state.
These activities are necessary to implement the cleanup of contamination in the soil.
This written permission is given voluntarily with knowledge of my right to refuse and without threats or
promises of any kind. I understand that EPA or authorized representatives of EPA will contact me before the
removal of soil begins, to discuss steps involved in the excavation and removal program and all measures EPA
will take to restore my yard. I also understand that if there is any damage to structures, such as sidewalks,
that is caused by the work conducted by EPA or authorized representatives of EPA, then EPA or authorized
representatives of EPA shall repair such damage.
D I grant access to my property D I do not grant access to my property
Signature Signature
Date Date
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These EPA and Illinois EPA representatives are available to discuss the yard sampling with you:
Craig Thomas
U.S. EPA
On Scene Coordinator
77 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604
(312)866-5907
(800) 621-8431 Ext. 65907
thomas.craig@epa.gov
Joe Munoz
U.S. EPA
Community Involvement Coordinator
77 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604
(312)886-7935
(800) 621-8431 Ext. 67935
munoz.joe@epa.gov
Michelle D. Tebrugge
Illinois EPA
Community Relations Coordinator
1021 N. Grand Ave. E. (MC#5)
Springfield, IL 62794-9276
(217) 524-4825
michelle .tebrugge @epa. state. il .us
Cathy Copley
Illinois Department of Public Health
Environmental Toxicologist
22 Kettle River Drive
Glen Carbon, IL 62034
(618) 656-6680
ccopley@idph. state .il .us
Mark Wagner
Illinois EPA
Project Manager, Office of Site Evaluation
1021 N. Grand Ave. E. (MC#24)
Springfield, IL 62794-9276
(217) 524-1662
mark. wagner@epa. state .il .us
&EPA
United States
Environmental Prelection
Agency
Office of Public Affaire {P 19J)
r r w. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, I L 63604
First Class
US Postage paid
Chicago, IL
G35
POSTAL CUSTOMER
Taylor Springs, IN 62089
ASARCO SITE:
EPA to begin testing for lead in yards
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