Background

From about 1915 to at least 1920, the Carnotite Reduction Company operated an elemental radium separation and refining facility in Chicago at 2600 S. Iglehart Place, a street that no longer exists. It is believed Iglehart Place was near what is now Ellis Ave.

This property later became part of the land occupied by the former Michael Reese Hospital. In 1979, the State of Illinois Department of Health, Division of Radiological Health, in cooperation with U.S. EPA, conducted a radiological surface survey of part of the Michael Reese property and located several areas of elevated radioactivity. State personnel concluded that the contamination did not pose an immediate health hazard but should be taken into consideration prior to any future construction.

In September 2008, the owner of Michael Reese filed a petition for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois. In anticipation of Chicago being selected to host the 2016 Olympic Games, the City of Chicago purchased the 37- acre former Michael Reese property in June 2009. The City planned to develop the property as the site of the Olympic Village. The City's bid for the 2016 Olympic Games, however, proved unsuccessful.  

Carnotite & Lindsay Light

f you're interested in the Carnotite Reduction Company site, you may be interested to know that EPA has been successfully overseeing the removal of soil that is contaminated with radioactive material in downtown Chicago for more than a decade. This contamination was caused many years ago by the Lindsay Light Company and widely spread throughout the Streeterville neighborhood.

There is another minor connection: at different times in the early years of the 20th century, a man named Herbert N. McCoy was president of both companies. Both processed radioactive ore, but for different reasons.

• Lindsay Light used radioactive thorium in the manufacture of mantles for gas lights.
• The Carnotite Reduction Company processed ore containing Carnotite to manufacture radium.

Site Update

October 2017

EPA continues to maintain a repository of radiation monitoring reports when intrusive work is performed in the vicinity of the Carnotite site.  Visit the City of Chicago's Former Carnotite Reduction Company's website Exitfor additional information. 

Map

Interactive Map of Uranium and Radium Survey Reports - Updated October 14, 2020

Documents

Radiological Survey Reports

2400-2800 S. Martin Luther King Jr Drive (PDF) (4 pp, 254.2 KB) September 2020
2517 S. Martin Luther King Drive (PDF) (10pp, 1MB, About PDF) July 2018
2622-40 S. Martin Luther King Dr (PDF)(8pp, 446 K, About PDF) September 2017
401-05 East 26th Street (PDF) (9pp, 500K, About PDF)  June 2017
2535 S Martin Luther King Drive (PDF) (44pp, 5.58MB, About PDF)  December 2016
25th/26th St & Martin Luther King Drive(PDF) (5 pp, 276K, About PDF)  July 2016
2547 S Dr Martin Luther King Dr (PDF) (11pp, 3.65MB, About PDF)  August 2015
 2500 Martin Luther King Drive (PDF) (2pp, 653, About PDF)  April 2014
2615 S Martin Luther King Dr (PDF) (12pp, 510K, About PDF)  June 2013
2600-2625 S Martin Luther King Jr Drive (PDF) (7pp, 230K, About PDF) December2012
 2600-2625 South Dr Martin Luther King Jr Drive (PDF) (7pp, 155 K, About PDF)  December2012
2615 South Martin Luther King Drive (PDF) (12 pp, 301 K, About PDF)  December2012
401 East 26th St (PDF) (4pp, 164K, About PDF)  May 2012
2525 South Martin Luther King Dr 7pp, 249K, About PDF) December 2011

Other Documents

• City of Chicago ordinance for radiation monitoring - March 2019 
• City Of Chicago - Dept of Fleet And Facility Management Letter Re: Request to Obtain Radioactive Material Storage License (1pp, 33.5K, About PDF)  October 2013
• Enforcement Action Memorandum: Determination of Threat to Public Health and or the Environment (Redacted) (18pp, 169K, About PDF)  December 2011
• Chicago Chemical Bulletin - The Manufacture of Radium, Uranium and Vanadium in Chicago (1pp, 203K, About PDF) August 1917