Region 5 Superfund (SF)

U.S. EPA REGION 5
WASHINGTON COUNTY
OAKDALE

Congressional District # 04

OAKDALE DUMP

EPA ID# MND980609515
Last Updated: December, 2006

Site Description

The Oakdale Dump site, located in Washington County, Minnesota, is an approximately 40-acre site which was used for waste burial, drum reclamation, and open burning of combustible materials.  The site comprises three chemical waste dumps, used from the late 1940s through the 1950s (Abresch, Brockman, and Eberle sites), known collectively as the Oakdale Disposal sites.  The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) investigated the sites in 1980.  Analysis of wastes indicated that a variety of hazardous substances, particularly volatile organic compounds (VOCs), were disposed of in trenches at the site.  Soil sampling at the Eberle site also revealed heavy metal contamination.  Analysis of residential well water revealed that nine shallow wells were contaminated with hazardous substances. 

Site Responsibility

This site is being addressed through federal, state, and potentially responsible parties' actions.  The State of Minnesota has taken the primary lead for oversight of the project.

Threats and Contaminants

Analysis of wastes indicated a variety of hazardous substances, particularly VOCs, were disposed of in trenches at the site. Soil sampling at the Eberle site also revealed heavy metals contamination. Analysis of residential well water revealed that nine shallow wells were contaminated with hazardous substances. 

Cleanup Progress

The Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M) has performed remedial actions (RAs) to address soil and groundwater contamination, according to the provisions of the July 1983 Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) and Response Order by Consent which was entered into by 3M, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), and MPCA. More than 1,000 privately-owned wells were identified within the search area. One hundred fourteen wells were sampled and 44 were found to lie within the identified plume. Thirty-nine of those wells were abandoned in fall 1984. Of the five remaining wells, three were incorporated into the groundwater monitoring network, and two were found to be contaminant free. Three residences and one business were provided with city water. Waste excavation and disposal activities were performed in 1983 and 1984. More that 11,500 cubic yards of bulk solids (waste materials, container carcasses, and associated soils), 4,200 drums, and 8,700 five-gallon pails were removed. In addition, more that 4,600 cubic yards of contaminated soils were excavated. Fifteen intact containers were excavated and over-packed. The largest volume of excavated materials (11,800 tons) was transported to the 3M incinerator in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. Sixty-five hundred tons of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated wastes were excavated and transported to hazardous waste landfills for disposal. Soils with lower levels of contamination were treated onsite at constructed aeration pads. Approximately 173,000 gallons of water were taken to a wastewater treatment facility for processing. 

3M constructed the groundwater pumpout system at the Abresch site in 1984 and 1985. The system consists of 12 wells placed to intercept groundwater flow in the most significantly-affected portions of the shallow aquifer. Since 1985, the system has removed an estimated 35,000 gallons of VOCs from the shallow aquifer. All construction at the site is completed and U.S. EPA documented this in a Preliminary Close-out Report (PCOR) dated September 1995.  U.S. EPA is reviewing data to see if this site can be deleted from the National Priority List. 

First 5-Year review was completed by EPA in March 1993.  A second 5-year review was prepared by MPCA and was completed in March 1998.  the most recent 5-Year review was completed by EPA in April 2004.  The 5-Year review found that the ground water remedy on-site was removing VOCs from the glacial drift and it recommended that the remedy to be continued.  It also found that the remedy is controlling plume migration both laterally and vertically.  It was concluded that the remedy was functioning as intended and is protective of human health and the environment in the short-term.  Long-term protectiveness will be ensured once the ICs are in place.

 

Congressional Interest

Congresswoman McCollum expressed interest back in June 2006 to learn more about EPA responsibility at the site.  The congresswoman's staff was advised that the State of Minnesota has been the lead in the past few years.

Contacts

Remedial Project Manager, U.S. EPA
thomas alcamo (alcamo.thomas@epa.gov)
(312) 886-7278

Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA
cheryl allen
(312) 353-6196

Aliases

ABRESCH BARRELL & DRUM
OAKDALE DSPL SITE
OAKDALE DUMP SITES
ABRESCH BARRELL & DRUM CO
NO NAME SITE

 

Site Profile Information

This profile provides you with information on EPA's cleanup progress at this Superfund site.