Vinyl Chloride Contamination Issue Settled

A federal judge has signed a decree settling the civil case against more than a dozen companies over vinyl chloride contamination at the Wauconda Sand and Gravel landfill site outside of Chicago. The judgment requires the site to be monitored for the next 15 years, but not everyone is satisfied with this outcome.

The landfill site was closed by the state in 1978 and decades later in 2003, the Lake County Health Department discovered vinyl chloride levels that exceeded regulatory limits in three private wells. The Environmental Protection Agency later found a fourth well in the area that also exceeded federal limits.

In 2004, approximately 400 homes in Wauconda area were connected to the municipal water supply to eliminate the threat of water contamination. However, several dozen homes that should have been connected to the municipal supply have been “orphaned,” according to a Lake County board member.

Vinyl chloride is a toxic chemical known to cause cancer, particularly of the liver. No illnesses have yet been reported by residents in the district. Any resident who develops cancer should consult with an attorney to learn more about their legal options.