EPA completes contaminated soil removal from 84 residential yards near former Exide battery facility in Logansport, Indiana
Last Updated on December 22, 2025 by Cass County Communication Network
Agency completes a two-year lead cleanup in the neighborhood surrounding the former lead-acid battery manufacturing facility
CHICAGO (December 22, 2025) – On October 8, 2025, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed an extensive cleanup of lead-contaminated soil in 84 residential yards near the former Exide Battery Corp. at 303 Water St. in Logansport, Indiana. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) referred the site to EPA on August 31, 2021, after discovering high levels of lead in yards surrounding the former facility. EPA launched a series of assessments between 2021 and 2023 to determine the nature and extent of the contamination.
“Ensuring the health and safety of our communities is at the heart of EPA’s mission,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Anne Vogel. “By removing harmful contaminants and restoring these residential areas, we are not only safeguarding the well-being of current residents but also contributing to a healthier future for generations to come.”
“The city was glad to partner with the EPA on this significant project to improve the quality of life in these neighborhoods on our west side,” said Logansport Deputy Mayor Jacob Pomasl. “This is a crucial step toward our long-term goals of a safer and healthier community for all current and future residents of Logansport.”
For over two years, crews excavated soil from 84 residential properties and transported 16,664 tons of lead-contaminated soil to an EPA-approved facility for proper disposal. Workers then backfilled the excavated areas with clean soil and restored each property by replacing grass, plants, and flowers. Throughout the cleanup, EPA conducted air monitoring and implemented dust control measures to ensure worker and human health protection. EPA addressed all properties where lead was detected above cleanup levels, and determined no further action was necessary.
Exide Battery operated as a lead-acid battery manufacturing facility for the automotive industry from about 1960 to 1989 before shutting down in 2009. The former facility’s building was demolished in 2016. Due to the nature of the industrial activities at the site, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) conducted an investigative survey of the soils surrounding the former Exide facility after its closure. IDEM found lead soil concentrations as high as 692 parts per million, well above levels required for residential cleanup.
After IDEM referred the site to EPA, the agency began collecting its own soil samples from nearby residential properties that confirmed elevated levels of lead. By the request of IDEM, and in consultation with the city of Logansport, EPA began removing lead-contaminated soil in the fall of 2023. In 2024, EPA expanded its cleanup efforts to address additional properties with elevated lead levels. EPA completed the work in the fall of 2025.
More information about the response is available at the Exide Corporation Site removal website.
SOURCE: News release from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
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