Wednesday, August 28, 2019

EPA plans public meeting about 'Agent Orange' Superfund cleanup site in Verona, Missouri

An industrial site in the small town of Verona, Missouri that once manufactured the Vietnam War-era herbicide Agent Orange remains a concern to local officials, who fear the site may be polluting water wells in the area.
The 180-acre Syntex tract on the west edge of town was declared an Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Cleanup site in 1983, and tons of dioxin-contaminated soil and equipment were removed in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Dioxin was a byproduct of manufacturing Agent Orange, and later from the production of the antibacterial chemical hexachlorophene at the site. Now, Verona mayor pro tem Claude Carr said he fears water wells are being contaminated by chemicals he believes are coming from the site.The Verona Well Field is located in Battle Creek, Michigan. Site contamination impacted three aquifers and 27 drinking water wells over a 160-acre area. EPA determined that the sources of contamination were three 1-acre facilities. The Thomas Solvent Company used two facilities for storage, blending and containerization of solvents; the Grand Trunk Western Railroad operated a paint shop on the third facility. Leakage from containers and underground storage tanks, spillage, and direct dumping contaminated the soil and groundwater with hazardous chemicals. Following cleanup, operation and maintenance activities are ongoing.

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