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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