Mundell conducts environmental sampling in Franklin, Indiana

This post was updated May 22, 2024

In 2018, Mundell & Associates was hired to complete environmental sampling of homes in Franklin, Indiana because of potential concerns with a historic industrial site. This work has since included evaluating potential impacts from both subsurface groundwater as well as ambient air, historical site reviews, geophysical surveys and environmental modeling. Throughout this project we remain committed to working together with regulatory agencies and all stakeholders in the community.

More information: (317) 630-9060

For more information about Mundell’s role in this project, please call us at 317-630-9060 and ask for Rachel Walker or fill out our contact form and we will be in touch with you shortly.

The information provided below is a short summary of the project as well as related media links.

A group of concerned parents are the drivers behind an investigation into chemical contamination at sites around Franklin, Indiana.

After a growing number of children were diagnosed with cancer, advocates create an organization called “If It Was Your Child” and enlisted the help of a national environmental non profit group called Edison Wetlands to investigate potential contamination.

Mundell & Associates has been part of the ongoing investigation, conducting air samplings, geophysical surveys and participating in community forums.

Government Websites

• EPA in Indiana
• Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Franklin Site

Mundell News Articles

• Final Cleanup Plan in Franklin, IN Ordered to Begin
• Mundell Presents Franklin, IN Community-Wide Vapor Intrusion Investigation at 2022 Battelle Conference
• Mundell’s Franklin, Indiana Work Impacts National Policy on Risk Communications at Contaminated Sites
• Geophysical Survey and Preliminary Contaminant Transport Modeling Study – In-Depth in Franklin, Indiana

Media Links (June 2018 – March 2024)

• Environmental Protection Agency orders final cleanup plan to begin in Franklin (WTHR, 3/26/2024)
• City, EPA question commissioned environmental study (Daily Journal, Franklin, 6/24/2021)
• Report indicates cancer-causing chemicals in Franklin could have spread (Fox59, 6/22/2021)
• Toxic cancer-causing contamination in Franklin may have spread, report says (Indy Star, 6/22/2021)
• (Interview with John Mundell) Report on potential contamination from Franklin Amphenol site shows possible spread (WTHR, 6/1/2021, Video)
• 13 Investigates learns of substance oozing from ground near Hurricane Creek in Franklin (WTHR, 1/8/2021)
• (Interview with John Mundell) Seeking to solve a pediatric cancer mystery (CBS Sunday Morning, 12/13/2020, Video)
• Franklin cleanup and lawsuits will move into 2020 (WTHR, 12/4/2019, Video)
• Franklin families file 2 lawsuits; 1 seeking federal class action (WTHR, 12/3/2019, Video)
• EPA to Host Meeting on Sewer Work Near Tainted Indiana Site (USA News, 11/23/2019)
• Cancer concerns, environmental testing in Johnson County prompts more action (FOX59, 7/19/2019)
• Inspector General sends alert to EPA: Correct outdated risk information for toxic Franklin site (WTHR, 6/27/2019)
• New report details levels of contaminated vapors in Franklin homes, nearby areas (Fox59, 6/27/2019)
• New Report: Areas of toxic exposures likely overlooked in Franklin by EPA (WTHR, 6/26/2019, Video)
• EPA vows to do better in Franklin (WTHR, 6/5/2019, Video)
• After Children Began Getting Sick by the Dozens, Parents Took a Hard Look at Their Town’s Toxic Legacy (NRDC, 5/30/2019)
• ‘Utterly in the dark’: EPA fails to communicate risks of Franklin contamination to exposed families (IndyStar, 5/14/2019
• Franklin Homeowners: EPA failed to adequately warn of toxins and risk (WTHR, 5/9/2019, Video)
• Sewer collapse causes flood of concern for family living near toxic plum (WTHR, 5/7/2019, Video)
• New technology reveals how dangerous vapors may be entering Franklin homes (Indy Star, 3/4/2019)
• Non-profit expands testing for potential contaminants in Franklin (Fox59, 2/27/2019, Video)
• New technology brings Franklin residents faster vapor testing results (WTHR, 2/26/2019, Video)
• 55-gallon drums of dirt awaiting testing in Franklin (WTHR, 2/12/2019, Video)
• What Trevor’s Law May – Or May Not – Do For Franklin (WFYI, 1/30/2019)
• Why It’s Hard For The State To Say Franklin Has A Cancer Cluster (WFYI, 1/29/2019)
• (Interview with John Mundell) Parents demand action from Trump’s EPA, after rash of childhood cancers (CNN, 1/21/2019, Video)
• (Interview with John Mundell) Zionsville Superfund site consultant offers help in Franklin (WISHTV, 1/7/2019, Video)
• ‘EPA failed Franklin’: Families, environmental group demand investigation into contamination (Indy Star, 1/7/2019)
• A Trump County Confronts the Administration Amid a Rash of Child Cancers (NYT, 1/2/2019)
• Sen. Donnelly calls for federal takeover of investigation and cleanup of toxins in Johnson County (WTHR, 11/16/2018, Video)
• State and Franklin city officials knew toxins were migrating into neighborhood in 2013 (WTHR, 11/9/2018, Video)
• State testing results point to possible pattern of vapor intrusion in Franklin (WTHR, 9/13/2018, Video)
• Mothers react to $1 million for cancer investigations; EPA working on neighborhood vapor study (WTHR, 8/24/2018, Video)
• Franklin families wait for re-testing of homes for potential toxins (CBS4, 8/23/2018)
• EPA documents: Contamination in Johnson County known for decades but still being cleaned up (Indy Star, 8/12/2018)
• IDEM launches new investigation into second Franklin products site (WTHR, 8/17/2018, Video)
• Indiana moms demand answers amid spate of kids’ cancer cases (CBS This Morning, 8/13/2018)
• Johnson County families question state officials over cancer, contamination concerns (Fox59, 8/4/2018)
• Indiana lawmakers meet with Franklin families about contamination testing (WTHR, 8/1/2018, Video)
• Johnson County parents take concerns over pediatric cancer cases, contamination to Washington, D.C. (CBS4, 8/2/2018)
• Superintendent: Franklin elementary schools won’t open if chemical test results ‘unfavorable’ (IndyStar, 7/27/2018)
• Franklin elementary schools tested for unwanted chemicals (CBS4, 7/25/2018)
• Vapor testing to be conducted at Franklin elementary schools (WTHR, 7/24/2018, Video)
• Cancer concerns, environmental testing in Johnson County prompts more action (CBS4, 7/19/2018)
• Franklin Community Schools considering air studies in wake of toxic vapor intrusion (WTHR, 7/18/2018, Video)
• System to treat contamination in Franklin could be releasing dangerous toxins (WTHR, 7/17/2018, Video)
• Test results show dangerous contamination levels in Johnson County town (Indy Star, 7/17/2018)
• Vapors from known carcinogens detected after environmental testing in Franklin (WTHR, 7/16/2018, Video)
• Searching for answers (Daily Journal, 6/23/2018)