Resource Center
From Waste to Wildlife
Creating a Sustainable Protected Nature Reserve at Former Industrial Waste FacilitiesByline: BTB Editor
October 18, 2020 / Time to read: 5 minThe 1950s and 1960s represent a period of vast economic growth for industrial manufacturing and harnessing atomic energy. New manufacturing processes and technologies captivated the public and atomic energy was thought to become the perfect solution for the nation’s increasing energy demands.
US Ecology opened and operated a 5.8-acre hazardous waste disposal site in 1967. This landfill safely and securely disposed of the increasing amounts of manufacturing and industrial waste from surrounding businesses to help protect human health and the environment. Earlier that same year, Sheffield, one of the United States’ six original commercial low-level radioactive waste sites was also opened by the state of Illinois. The sites are adjacent to one another, and sit on 20 acres of rolling terrain three miles southwest of Sheffield, Illinois.
The history of these facilities dates back to the 1960s which was a period of vast economic growth for industrial manufacturing and atomic energy. US Ecology opened a 5.8-acre hazardous waste disposal site in 1967. This secure landfill safely disposed of the increasing amounts of manufacturing and industrial waste from surrounding businesses to help protect human health and the environment.
Earlier that same year, the state of Illinois opened one of the United States’ six original commercial low-level radioactive waste sites near Sheffield and adjacent to the US Ecology facility.
For many years, these two sites, while separately owned, were managed by US Ecology and handled different waste types. The radioactive portion of the state-owned facility reached its permitted capacity in 1978, having buried about 3.2 million cubic feet of low-level radioactive waste in 21 earthen trenches, and closed its doors. US Ecology officially closed the hazardous waste site in 1984 and began the EPA-required 30-year post-closure period, which included implementing many safety measures to prevent the release of hazardous material and monitor and analyze the local groundwater.
We also installed a new, low-permeability clay cap over the waste trenches. The area was covered with topsoil and hydroseed. Fences surrounding the land were installed and US Ecology has been monitoring and maintaining both sites ensuring the ongoing protection of the local community and the wildlife that lives there.
We also installed a new, low-permeability clay cap over the waste trenches. The area was covered with topsoil and hydroseed. Fences surrounding the land were installed and US Ecology has been monitoring and maintaining both sites ensuring the ongoing protection of the local community and the wildlife that lives there.
Today, the terrain is unrecognizable to someone who knew of it during times of active operations Protected, sustainable areas like this are important. They help prevent habitat loss for many species, mitigate extreme weather events and enhance carbon storage. US Ecology has maintained the sites for more than 30 years, and still actively monitors for any contamination. While the sites are not open to the public, US Ecology offers tours to visitors.
“As a company whose mission it is to protect human health and the environment, while offering our customers compliant and sustainable solutions for hazardous or radioactive waste, there is no greater visual representation of the incredible work our team is capable of,” said Simon Bell, Chief Operating Officer at US Ecology. “Most days, you can see dozens of deer gathering on the hilly landscape during sunrise. We are proud to have helped build this ecosystem, and ensure the continued health and safety of the nearby community from waste of the past.”
US Ecology has been a steward of the environment for 70 years and is committed to the sustainability of our communities across North America. Our dedication and effort that went into transforming these former waste sites is an example of this commitment and the values we live by every day.
