The 2nd and Smelter Superfund Site (site) consists of portions of two vacant lots owned by Watco Companies LLC (Watco) in Pittsburg, Crawford County, Kansas. The property is the location of the former Robert Lanyon Zinc Works.
This zinc smelter ceased operations in the early 1900s.
Multiple rounds of environmental sampling have identified multiple piles of smelter waste and widespread heavy metals (most notably lead) contamination in the soil at the site.
In 2019, Watco and EPA entered into a settlement agreement obligating Watco to address the site’s heavy metals contamination.
Watco and EPA have since agreed to a plan to manage the smelter waste and impacted soil to facilitate future industrial development, while protecting human health and the environment.
This plan proposes to cover smelter waste and contaminated soil with a minimum of 16 inches of clean soil. Once the contamination has been covered, a deed restriction will be placed on the property to ensure that it is only used for industrial purposes.
Work is scheduled to begin in August 2023 and continue through January 2024.
