Region 5 Superfund (SF)

U.S. EPA REGION 5
HENNEPIN COUNTY
MINNEAPOLIS

Congressional District # 05

GENERAL MILLS/HENKEL CORP.

EPA ID# MND051441731
Last Updated: April, 2009

Site Description

The General Mills/Henkel Corporation site is located in an industrial section of Minneapolis, Minnesota. General Mills operated a technical center and research laboratories at the site from 1930 through 1977. Food research was conducted until 1947 when chemical research began. From 1947 to 1962, approximately 1,000 gallons per year of solvents were believed to have been disposed of in a soil adsorption pit onsite. The underlying aquifers are contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as trichloroethylene (TCE). Although the site is in an industrial section of Minneapolis, approximately 5,000 people live within one mile of the property. Access to the site is restricted. All residences and businesses in the area are connected to the municipal water system, which obtains its water from the Mississippi River north of the city.  The site was placed on the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1984.

Site Responsibility

This site is being addressed by a potentially responsible party under the state's oversight.

Threats and Contaminants

Groundwater is contaminated with VOCs, including TCE, benzene, chloroform, toluene, and xylenes. Soil was also contaminated with VOCs. People who come into direct contact with or accidentally ingest contaminated groundwater may be at risk; however, exposure is unlikely, as access to the site is restricted while treatment continues. 

Cleanup Progress

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) conducted an investigation of groundwater and soil contamination. A consent order between General Mills and the State, including a response action plan, was finalized on October 23, 1984. Cleanup began in 1985 when groundwater pumpout wells were installed. Remediation involves continuing the extraction and treatment of groundwater. The offsite contaminated groundwater is pumped directly to the Minneapolis storm sewer network. The state has issued discharge permits for all activities. The onsite contaminated groundwater is pumped to an onsite air stripper, then discharged into the Minneapolis storm sewer network. The air stripping tower is designed to remove 99 percent of VOCs from influent groundwater at a discharge rate of 150 gallons per minute. All construction at the site is complete, and the contaminants in the ground water have stabilized since the pump and treat system began.

EPA completed the first Five-Year Review for the site in September 1994. The second review was completed on September 23, 1999, and the third Five-Year Review was completed on September 21, 2004.  The 2004 Five Year Review contained the following recommendations for the site:

• Finalize the institutional controls which will consist of a restrictive covenant.  The current property owner has submitted a draft restrictive covenant for MPCA review and will record the final document with Hennepin County upon approval by MPCA.
• Continue to operate, maintain and monitor the groundwater containment system to the extent necessary to maintain protectiveness of human health and the environment.  The effectiveness of the groundwater containment system should continue to be evaluated on an annual basis with the intent of revising the system as needed.
• Amend the current consent order to establish new performance standards and to clarify the objective of the remedy as plume containment. 
• Recommend to EPA that the site be deleted from the NPL once the Consent Order is amended and institutional controls are put in place.

In summary, the 2004 review concluded that the groundwater containment remedy is controlling plume migration, that the remedy is functioning as intended, and that it is protective of human health and the environment in the short term.  Long-term protectiveness will be ensured once the amended performance standards have been implemented and the institutional controls are in place.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will be performing the 2009 Five-Year Review for the site.

Contacts

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

Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA
dave novak
(312) 886-7478

Aliases

HENKEL TECH CTR
TECH CTR RESEARCH LAB
GENERAL MILLS/HENKEL CORP

 

Site Profile Information

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