Hazardous Waste Program

Former US Department of Agriculture Grain Storage Sites

History 
In the 1940s, the Commodity Credit Corporation  or CCC was created within the U.S. Department of Agriculture or USDA to stabilize, support and protect farm income and prices, while distributing and maintaining adequate supplies of agricultural products in the United States.  As part of this objective, the CCC started large-scale grain bin construction projects throughout the U.S. in the late 1940s for the storage of surplus grain.  During storage, the grain was fumigated to control destructive insects.  The most commonly used fumigant was an 80/20 mixture of carbon tetrachloride and carbon disulfide.  CCC ended this grain storage program by the early 1970s and sold all existing grain storage bins and equipment.  Groundwater contaminated with carbon tetrachloride has been discovered around some of these grain storage areas.  The EPA has determined that carbon tetrachloride is a probable human carcinogen.

Investigation Activities
As of Sept. 30, 2010, the USDA began its investigation by looking at five, out of 85 former grain bin sites, for carbon tetrachloride contamination.  The five sites currently slated for investigation are located in or near the towns of Savannah, Albany, Montgomery City, Forest City, and Nevada, Missouri.  A total of 65 of the original sites were determined to pose no significant threat to human health or the environment.  Follow-up research on these 65 sites is needed to confirm no releases occurred.  Two of the original sites had duplicate listings and were not valid sites.  Thirteen sites still need initial screening due to denial of access or inability to identify the former grain bin location.  The oversight for these site investigations is being handled by the department's Hazardous Waste Program’s Federal Facilities Section under an Intergovernmental Agreement with the CCC, acting through the Farm Service Agency of the USDA.  The agreement was signed on Jan. 3, 2006.

To date, Phase I and II investigations have been performed at the Savannah site, a Phase I investigation began Oct. 2010 at the Montgomery City site, and partial Phase I activities have begun at the Albany site.  In addition, a whole house filtration system has been installed at a residence near the Albany site to filter out the carbon tetrachloride in the private well supplying drinking water to the home.  The performance of this treatment system is being evaluated and an alternative water supply is being considered.

Investigation Objectives
The objectives of the Phase I investigation include:

The objective of the Phase II Investigation is to fully define the amount and location of the carbon tetrachloride contamination beneath the former grain bin sites and the extent of any offsite contamination for cleanup purposes.  If you have any questions regarding the former USDA grain bin sites, please contact the Federal Facilities Section at 573-751-3907.

Status of Former USDA Grain Storage Sites in Missouri 

Sites identified for investigation by USDA with DNR oversight
Site Location County Investigation Phase
Albany Gentry Phase I
Forest City Holt Phase I
Montgomery City Montgomery Phase II
Nevada Vernon Not Started
Savannah Andrew Phase II

 

Sites needing initial screening

Site Name

Reason for exclusion from initial site screening

Blue Springs

No access

Eureka

FUD site

Hillsboro

No site

Hopkins

No access

Kirksville #1

No access

Kirksville #2

No access

Lancaster

No access

Linneus

No access

Louisiana

No access

Moberly

No access

Richmond

Could not find

Rockport

Could not find

Watson

No access

 

Sites with no significant threat to human health but need confirmation that no release occurred

Site Name

County

Site Name

County

Bethany

Harrison

Maryville #2

Nodaway

Boonville

Cooper

Maysville

DeKalb

Bowling Green

Pike

Memphis

Scotland

Burlington Junction

Nodaway

Mendon #1

Chariton

Butler

Bates

Mendon #2

Chariton

Carrollton

Carroll

Mexico

Audrain

Carthage

Jasper

Milan

Sullivan

Chillicothe

Livingston

Montgomery City #2

Montgomery

Clearmont

Nodaway

Monticello

Lewis

Columbia

Boone

Mound City

Holt

Craig

Holt

New London

Ralls

Edina

Knox

Palmyra

Marion

Fairfax #1 - Meyer

Atchison

Paris

Monroe

Fairfax #2 - Seymour

Atchison

Platte City

Platte

Faucett

Buchanan

Plattsburg

Clinton

Fayette

Howard

Princeton

Mercer

Fulton

Callaway

Ravenwood

Nodaway

Gallatin

Daviess

Sedalia

Pettis

Grant City

Gentry

Shelbina

Shelby

Harrisonville

Cass

Sheridan

Worth

Henriette North

Ray

Skidmore

Nodaway

Henriette South

Ray

Slater

Saline

Higginsville

Lafayette

St. Charles

St. Charles

Kahoka

Clark

St. Joseph/Prime

Buchanan

Keytesville #1

Chariton

St. Peters

St. Charles

Kingston

Caldwell

Tarkio

Atchison

Langdon

Atchison

Treloar

Warren

Liberty

Clay

Trenton

Grundy

Macon

Macon

Troy

Lincoln

Maitland

Holt

Union

Franklin

Malta Bend

Saline

Unionville

Putnam

Marshall

Saline

Westboro

Atchison

Maryville #1

Nodaway