The former Nelson Knitting Site
located at 909 S. Main Street in Rockford, Illinois was referred to EPA by Illinois
EPA in July 2020 for the presence of large quantities of damaged friable
asbestos containing materials that have been released into the environment. The asbestos contamination at the site is the
result of prior scrapping of metal pipes and other building materials, with
little or no abatement of the asbestos insulation surrounding these materials. While asbestos is the principal contaminant of concern,
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) lighting ballasts, lead acid batteries,
miscellaneous chemicals, mercury switches, and fluorescent light tubes have
been observed at the Site. The Site is in a mixed-use area of Rockford and is
across the street from homes and near a public elementary school. There is
evidence that the Site is frequently trespassed.
The property is currently owned
by Winnebago County Land Trust who purchased the site through tax delinquency on October 17,
2022. An action memo was signed in December 2022. EPA is allowed up to approximately $500,000
to complete the removal. EPA will mobilize to the Site in January 2022 and will
complete the removal in approximately 6 weeks.
