EPA, DOJ Reach $2 Million Settlement on Summit, Ill., Hazardous Waste Cleanup

CHICAGO, July 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency Region 5 and U.S. Department of Justice today announced a $2,055,373
settlement for cleanup costs at the former IWI site, 7738 W. 61st Place, in
Summit, Ill. A group of 23 companies will reimburse the government for
cleanup work completed in October 2003.

The late Glenn Wellman operated four companies at the 1.7-acre site from the
late 1960s until the late 1990s: IWI Inc., IWI Industries, Itasco and Wellco.
The business manufactured, cleaned and repaired stainless steel totes
designed to store up to 600 gallons of liquid -- typically flammable or
corrosive materials such as adhesives, inks, oil and paint. The property was
abandoned following Wellman's death in 1999. A fire consumed the former
administrative offices in May 2002.

A nine-month cleanup effort by a Chicago-based EPA Superfund team resulted in
the safe disposal of 683 tons of contaminated soil, 568 tons of hazardous
sludges, 568 drums and 52,300 gallons of hazardous liquids from a railroad
tank car, sumps and totes at the site. The remaining structures on the
property were razed.

The settlement consent decree, United States v. Converters Ink et al, was
lodged July 30 at the U.S. District Court for Northern District of Illinois.

A 30-day public comment period on the settlement now begins. See the consent
decree at www.epa.gov/region5/sites/index.htm#iwi. Information on how to
submit comments can be found at www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html.

SOURCE U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5

Karen Thompson, +1-312-353-8547, thompson.karen@epa.gov, or Mick Hans,
+1-312-353-5050, hans.mick@epa.gov, both of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency Region 5