The East Chicago Superfund Site has been divided into three zones, depending on the company responsible for the contamination.
The greatest amount of lead was found in Zone 1 which is the area that is presently being demolished. Atlantic Richfield Co, and Du Pont de Nemours Co. have agreed to pay for the clean up in Zones 1 and 3. Negotiations are ongoing for Zone 2.
Zone 2 is contiguous to it but levels of lead are lower though still above that
considered acceptable by the EPA. Some initial cleaning has been done to some of the houses in this area. In a recent community meeting, the EPA estimated it would probably take approximately 3 years to complete the cleaning for Zones 2 and 3.
Residents in these zones have two worries. (1) The lead found in the soil around their homes and (2) the contaminated dust that may be blowing into the air around them from the ongoing demolition in Zone 1.
In terms of the second concern, there has been a great deal of care taken to avoid secondary contamination. To date, according to the EPA and Construction Company engaged in the demolition, the air is clear of contamination as registered on the 14 air quality devices located around the demolition site with 10 mounted on the perimeter fence and 4 mobile devices. In addition to the technical aspects of pollution detection, there is also a human element. The manager of the Amereco Construction Company grew up in the Zone. He is not about to endanger the neighborhood in which he once lived.
The neighborhood is considered one of the poorest in East Chicago and is predominantly African-American but those of Eastern European descent and Hispanic origin also inhabit the Zone. Most of he houses are wooden, old, rundown with corroded plumbing and peeling paint that may very well be lead-based,
Residents are unanimous in wanting their homes, both the interior and the exterior, cleaned, according to EPA regulations. However, they are divided as to additional safeguards. Some would prefer to have their homes demolished as the homes in Zone 1 were. They believe that the value of their homes has decreased immeasurably if they wish to sell and leave the area and that even with the cleaning, the area remains unsafe.