THE BARREL FILL PORTION OF THE TREMONT CITY LANDFILL SITE IS ONE OF THREE DIVISIONS OF THE SITE, THE OTHER TWO BEING THE LANDFILL AND THE WASTE TRANSFER STATION. REGION 5 DEFINED THE BARREL FILL OPERABLE UNIT (BFOU) AS THE BARREL FILL AND ANY NEARBY AREAS AND/OR MEDIA CONTAMINATED FROM THE BARREL FILL. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 50,000 BARRELS BURIED IN THE BARREL FILL, CONTAINING PAINT SLUDGE, GLUES, RESINS, ADHESIVES, ASBESTOS, AND INK SLUDGE. THE CONDITION OF THE BARRELS, INCLUDING HOW MUCH OF THE BARRELS' CONTENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN RELEASED, IS UNKNOWN.
AFTER MONTHS OF REGION 5 NEGOTIATING WITH THE BARREL FILL GROUP (BFG, THE SEVEN PERFORMING RESPONDENTS LISTED IN THE AOC), THE REGION AND THE BFG AGREED TO AN AOC, SIGNED ON OCTOBER 3, 2002 BY THE SUPERFUND DIVISION, WHERE THE PERFORMING RESPONDENTS WILL CONDUCT A REMEDIAL INVESTIGATION AND FEASIBILITY STUDY OF THE BFOU.