East St. Louis, North Alcoa Superfund Alternative Site and Redevelopment

Welcome to the Homepage for the North Alcoa Superfund Alternative Site. Here you will find general information about activities currently underway at the site, as well as those planned through 2023. The 400-acre site was divided into two areas: OU-1 – approximately 225 acres, which included the Residue Disposal Areas (RDAs) where residue from bauxite ore processing was placed, and OU-2 – approximately 180 acres, which includes properties surrounding OU-1 where residue is present.

Construction activities to implement the OU-1 remedy selected by the Agencies and finalized through a Consent Decree between the City of East St. Louis, Alton and Southern Railway and Alcoa were conducted from 2013 to 2016.  Following completion of the OU-1 remedy, investigation activities and development of the remedial design for OU-2 were conducted from 2017 to 2022.  The current construction activities relate specifically to OU-2; the OU-2 remedy selected by the Agencies in their June 2020 Record of Decision is being implemented through a Consent Decree that US EPA entered into with the City of East St. Louis and Alcoa.

Waste Management National Services (WMNS) has been contracted by Alcoa to perform the selected activities for OU-2.  OU-2 remedy construction work began in October 2022.  WMNS is committed to the communities they work in, whether through local hiring practices or use of local subcontractors and suppliers. Local hiring also has sustainability benefits by reducing the greenhouse gas footprint associated with longer commutes.  The OU2 remedy is expected to be completed during the second half of 2023.  Following completion, inspection of the installed soil cover systems will continue to occur as has been conducted for OU1 to assure that the cover layer is properly maintained.