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NPL Site Narrative for Parsons Chemical Works, Inc.
PARSONS CHEMICAL WORKS, INC.
Grand Ledge, Michigan
Federal Register Notice: March 31, 1989Conditions at proposal (June 24, 1988): Parsons Chemical Works, Inc., manufactured pesticides, solvents, and mercury compounds on a 6.5-acre site in Grand Ledge, Eaton County, Michigan, from April 1945 until the plant closed in the summer of 1979. ETM Enterprises, Inc., a manufacturer of fiberglass, then purchased the site.
Parsons installed a septic tank and tile field system in the mid-1950s for sanitary sewage and wash waters. A floor drain discharged wash water from inside the building to the ground. The tank-tile system was hydraulically connected to a storm drain on-site. The drain discharged to an unnamed stream that merges with the Grand River, which is used for recreational activities.
The State, Eaton County, ETM, and EPA confirmed that surface and subsurface soils on-site, as well as bottom sediments from the unnamed stream and the Grand River, are contaminated with dioxins, pesticides, other organic compounds, and inorganic compounds. Ground water near the site is shallow (8 feet) and soils permeable, conditions that facilitate movement of contaminants into ground water. About 11,000 people obtain drinking water from three Grand Ledge municipal wells or private wells within 3 miles of the site, the nearest within 200 feet.
In November 1983, the State required ETM to remove the septic tank, its contents (contaminated sludge and effluent), and contaminated soils. In June 1985, the State fenced off an area approximately 12 feet by 12 feet where soils were contaminated with dioxin.
Status (March 31, 1989): EPA is considering various alternatives for the site.
For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.