Gelman Sciences
Background
Gelman Sciences Inc., a former medical filter manufacturer near Ann Arbor, Michigan, left contamination stemming from years of unregulated waste handling on its facility grounds. A plume of 1,4-dioxane has spread through the groundwater in Ann Arbor and Scio Townships, including a western part of the city of Ann Arbor.
In 1992, a county circuit court ordered Gelman to address the plume. Gelman was ordered to contain the plume, prevent groundwater use in contaminated areas, prevent well use within the plume or areas threatened by the plume, connect affected properties to municipal water. Michigan Environment, Great Lakes and Energy is the enforcement lead for Gelman site and oversees this work. EPA has no formal role.
EPA is aware of petitions to add the site to the National Priorities List of the most contaminated sites in the United States. EPA generally does not add sites to the NPL without a request from a governor. If Michigan asks EPA to consider the site for the NPL, EPA’s next step would be to provide funding for EGLE to further evaluate the site.
Update
February 2022
EPA’s contractor, Weston Solutions, has reviewed background site information, prepared a preliminary sampling plan, and shared it with EPA and EGLE. Next, the contractor will finalize the sampling plan which will consist of limited samples of soil, sediment, and groundwater to support EPA’s evaluation of the site for eligibility for the Superfund National Priorities List. Once the plan is approved, EPA anticipates sampling to start in May.
November 2021
Weston Solutions Inc, (Weston) has been selected to conduct the Gelman Site Inspection, which is the next step to determine if the site continues to be eligible for evaluation as a Superfund National Priorities List site. After initial discussions with EPA, Weston will begin reviewing available data in order to prepare a site inspection sampling plan.
Weston conducted a Conflict of Interest (COI) query in mid Sept 2021 to determine their eligibility to conduct this work for EPA, before EPA opened a task order for them to conduct the site inspection. No conflicts were identified at that time. Weston intends to proactively assess potential COI issues with any additional staff working on the EPA Gelman task order.
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