Sheffield Radioactive Waste Site, Illinois

One of the nation's six original low-level radioactive waste sites. Sheffield was opened in 1967, was filled to permitted capacity in 1978, and was subsequently closed. For much of its life it was operated by Nuclear Engineering Co. (which later became US Ecology, a subsidiary of American Ecology), which also operated the first commercial radioactive waste site in Beatty, Nevada. The state of Illinois sued US Ecology on more than one occasion, for contaminating a nearby lake with radioactivity, among other violations. Though no longer accepting waste, this site will continue to be radioactive indefinitely, and will remain off-limits, while continuing to be monitored. It is located next to two hazardous chemical waste disposal facilities, and is overgrown and in a farming community. As of 2016, there are four active commercial radioactive waste sites in the country, which accept only "low level" waste, such as contaminated laboratory material from medical facilities. High level radioactive waste is managed by the government and the commercial power plants that produce it.