Former worker says site still an issue

Willie Neal will not stop holding meetings about the former Koppers facility, a closed wood treatment plant that allegedly used dangerous chemicals from 1905 to 1991, any time soon.

But the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency soon may.

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“The major part of the clean-up will be done this year,” said Bri Bill, agency spokeswoman. “We don’t typically have a meeting once clean-up is complete.”

While most of the cleaning will be done this fall, there will be some construction after. The agency will continue monitoring the site while there are chemicals there.

It is not uncommon for the agency to have meetings to inform the public, but the laws governing their involvement in this process do not require them, Bill said.

Neal, who worked at the wood treatment plant for most of the 1950s, has spoken to many state and city officials on the topic. Neal said he read the total clean-up of the site will take about 30 years, and he plans on continuing the meetings for at least that long.

One of his primary concerns is the agency is not getting rid of the chemicals, but essentially creating a landfill where the chemicals can remain.

“Instead of hauling it out they’re covering it up,” Neal said. “There’ll be a meeting as long as it’s piled up.”

There are community meetings on the topic the last Saturday of every month at Thomas School, he said. In fact, the meetings are becoming more productive and there are still many community members still involved, Neal said.

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The Illinois EPA called a meeting earlier this month because several people contacted them about concerns, Bill said.

The issues most people spoke to the agency about are health related and have to do with past contaminations, which are out of the agency’s jurisdictions, Bill said.

Neal hired an attorney to investigate if the plant caused medical problems to people in Carbondale and plant workers. However, Neal is not the only community member who has been concerned. Area residents have recently gone to the Energy and Environment Advisory Commission with concerns about the facility, said Priscilla Pimentel, committee member.

“We’ve had about three or four people, which is a lot,” Pimentel said.

While she feels the Illinois EPA is doing sufficient work, she said community members have told her they do not feel the same way.

She said she believes if the city had an outside, independent researcher look into what is happening at Koppers, it might alleviate some of the community members’ concerns.

“They absolutely have the right to have their questions answered,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel has asked the Carbondale City Council to look into hiring an outside researcher in the past, but Mayor Brad Cole said he believed the agency’s reports are sufficient enough. She said she also asked the Illinois EPA to do a detailed report on the health status of Carbondale’s residents.

Reporter Destiny Remezas can be reached at [email protected].