Janesville Ash Beds

⚠ Superfund · Ready for anticipated reuse

EPA is conducting a five-year review of the Janesville Old Landfill and Janesville Ash Beds. The Superfund law requires regular checkups of sites that have been cleaned up – with waste managed on-site – to make sure the cleanup continues to protect people and the environment. This is the fifth review of the Janesville sites.

Location

CityJanesville
CountyRock County
StateWisconsin
Coordinates42.70306, -89.02750

Contaminants of concern

Contaminated media

Cleanup timeline

  1. Initial Assessment Completed — 05/01/1983
  2. Proposed to the National Priorities List — 09/08/1983
  3. Finalized on the National Priorities List — 09/21/1984
  4. Remedial Investigation Started — 09/30/1986
  5. Final Remedy Selected — 12/29/1989
  6. Final Remedial Action Started — 09/09/1996
  7. Construction Completed — 09/18/1997
  8. Deleted from National Priorities List — Not Yet Achieved
  9. Most Recent Five-Year Review — 06/24/2021
  10. Achieved Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Reuse — 06/12/2008

EPA references

Other Superfund sites in Rock County

EPA-regulated facilities nearby

Understanding this Superfund site

Janesville Ash Beds is a federal Superfund site in Wisconsin. The Superfund program, created by Congress in 1980, addresses sites where hazardous substances have been released or threaten release into the environment. EPA scores potential sites using the Hazard Ranking System; those that score high enough are placed on the National Priorities List.

Current status: Ready for anticipated reuse. EPA considers this site ready for anticipated reuse, meaning cleanup has progressed enough for certain land uses. This does not necessarily mean all contamination has been removed — institutional controls like deed restrictions may limit how the land can be used.

EPA has identified 10 contaminants of concern at this site, including 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethene (cis and trans mixture). Contamination has been detected in soil, groundwater.

If you live near this site and have health concerns, your state health department can provide site-specific guidance. EPA maintains a community involvement program for most NPL sites, and site documents — including the Record of Decision, five-year reviews, and public health assessments — are typically available through EPA's Superfund site profile.