Cleanup of hazardous material and soil at an illegal dump site in Markham has been completed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The federal cleanup began in April and cost $400,000. The agency removed 2,000 tons of soil from the area from people breaking batteries at the location and 110 containers of hazardous materials.
The state of Illinois began cleanup of the 12-acre site last year. Discarded tires, chemical drums, compressed gas cylinders and other waste were removed. The initial cleanup cost $1.3 million.
"When EPA and Illinois EPA were first called out to the site in April 2010, there were 30-foot-high piles of debris," said U.S. EPA spokesperson Mick Hans.
The cleanup location was near the intersection of I-294 and 159th Street. Authorities became aware of the problem last year when tires caught fire.
