Region 5 Superfund (SF)

U.S. EPA REGION 5
INGHAM COUNTY
LANSING

Congressional District # 08

BARRELS, INC.

EPA ID# MID017188673
Last Updated: April, 2008

Site Description

The Barrels, Inc. Site, is a 2.3 acre former drum reclamation facility located in an industrial area in the northern section of the City of Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan.  Barrels, Inc. began operations on the Site around 1961 and continued until 1980, when the Site was abandoned.  The Barrels, Inc. reclamation process consisted of:  cleaning drums in a caustic solution, rinsing, repairing, and repainting.  Spills to surface soils allegedly occurred at the loading dock and drum storage areas.  The spills at the loading dock allegedly consisted of the contents of the caustic tank which contained the cleaning solution and residual materials which remained in most of the drums.  The state detected lead and zinc in the shallow groundwater in 1983.  Soils onsite were heavily contaminated with heavy metals, volatile hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), oil, grease, and many inorganic substances.

Approximately 9,000 people live within one mile of the site. Three schools are located within one-half mile of the site. A Lansing municipal well, which supplies water for the city of Lansing, East Lansing Township, and Delhi Township is located in close proximity to the site. The Grand River flows within one-half mile of the site. Air Quality reports indicated elevated levels for benzene and methylene chloride at the site boundary when barrels were onsite.  The area is fenced, which addressed the direct contact risk associated with the site.

Site Responsibility

The Barrels, Inc. Site is the subject of a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) State-lead CERCLA enforcement action.  The primary regulation that governs remedial actions at this Site is Part 201 of the State of Michigan Natural Resources and Environmental Proection Act, 1995 Public Act 451, as ameded.

Threats and Contaminants

The state detected lead and zinc in the shallow groundwater in 1983. Soils onsite were contaminated with heavy metals, volatile hydrocarbons, PCBs, oil, grease, and many inorganic substances. 

Cleanup Progress

One thousand drums, 1,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil, and nine underground storage tanks were removed by the State of Michigan and disposed of in a federally-approved disposal facility in 1986. This removal action greatly reduced the potential for exposure to contaminants from the site while investigations and final cleanup plans are developed.

A Consent Decree (CD) was entered into among the State of Michigan and the Potentially Responsible Party (PRP) group on March 1, 1993. This CD called for the PRP group to complete a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS) and to submit a Remedial Action Plan (RAP). The Final RI Report was approved by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in July 1995. The Final FS Report was approved by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) in January 1996. The PRP group is in the process of revising the RAP, which will outline additional cleanup activities to be conducted at the site, and will submit it to MDEQ for review.

The RAP target is a Limited Industrial (land-use-based) closure pursuant to part 201 of the Michigan Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act.  It is anticipated that construction of the remedy will begin within 6 months of MDEQ's approval of the RAP.  The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is working with MDEQ to facilitate approval and implementation of the RAP.

 

 

Property Reuse

It is anticipated that Restrictive Covenants will be recorded with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and Ingham County Recorder of Deeds. The institutional controls will:  1)  prohibit public access to and development of the Site; 2) ensure the property is zoned for industrial purposes only; 3) restrict contact with and use of affected groundwater; and 4) run with the land and shall be binding upon any and all persons who acquire title or any legal interest in property within the site.  These restrictions shall remain in full force and effect until the MDEQ determines that the restrictions are no longer required to prevent interference with maintenance, and monitoring of the remedial action and that the restriction is no longer necessary to protect human health and the enviornment.

Contacts

Remedial Project Manager, U.S. EPA
linda kern (kern.linda@epa.gov)
(312) 886-7341

Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA
virginia narsete
(312) 886-4359

Aliases

BARRELS, INC
BARRELS INC

 

Site Profile Information

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