LA PORTE COUNTY, Ind. — Commissioner Joe Haney today announced that the cleanup of the Glycerin Traders site has concluded.
 
“I’m pleased to announce that clean up of the Glycerin Traders site, located in unincorporated La Porte County’s Stillwell area has successfully concluded.” Haney continued, “I completed the final walk through of the site last week, along with Building Commissioner Polan and EPA’s Region 5 coordinator Allen Jarrell.”
 
The cleanup was extensive, spanning from mid-2025 through the end of July 2026, and involved federal, state, and county agencies.
 
“When I called for an investigation into the Glycerin Traders site roughly two years ago, I didn’t imagine that this much toxic and hazardous waste would be found. It’s mind blowing to think over 300,000 gallons and over 2 tons of solid waste were discovered and removed.”
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported the following:
 
-EPA quantified more than 710 containers of uncontrolled liquid wastes on the property. Hazardous waste exhibiting the characteristics of ignitability, corrosivity, and toxicity, as defined by 40 C.F.R. §261.21, §261.22, and §261.24 respectively, were identified at the Site.”
 
-EPA mobilized to the Site from June 24, 2025 to begin the removal action process by conducting a site assessment by conducting a container inventory (over 710 containers including frac tanks, drums, vats, totes, tanks, pallets, and other miscellaneous containers) and sampling several containers with unknown contents. Labels on some containers indicated the potential presence of hydrochloric acid (HCl), organic peroxides (UN3109), potassium nitrate, oxidizers (UN3098). In addition, multiple totes of unknown acids and oxidizers were documented. Totes of acids, oxidizers, and flammable oxidizers were observed to be stored on pallets in close proximity, and there was a leak in the building’s ceiling above potentially reactive substances.
 
EPA completed the removal and disposal of all hazardous materials on site, removing approximately 313,595 gallons of liquid waste and over 2 tons of solid waste from tanks, totes, drums, pallets, and other containers abandoned at the facility.
 
“EPA’s total cleanup costs for the site are approximately 2.8 million dollars” Haney continues, “Those are costs the County and local taxpayers couldn’t have covered, we’re extremely grateful for all of the hard work by the EPA Region 5 team.”
 
Agencies that responded and helped coordinate the cleanup and investigation included EPA Region 5 Response, EPA Criminal Investigation Division (CID), the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), and the Office of the Indiana State Chemist (OISC). La Porte County entities involved included the Sheriff’s Office, Building Commission, HazMat, EMA, E911, and County Commissioner Joe Haney.
 
Information regarding any possible investigations by Federal, State, or other agencies is the purview of those agencies.
 
Haney made a point to commend the interagency response and coordination: “I cannot speak highly enough of the individuals from the Federal and State agencies that coordinated with our local County entities to bring this to a successful conclusion.”
 
The successful conclusion of the cleanup marks the end of a multi-year interagency effort to address the hazardous conditions at the Glycerin Traders site.