Hazardous Waste Program

Euticals Inc.

EPA ID# MOD095038329

DNR Contact:      Meagan Prestegard, 573-751-3553 or 800-361-4827
EPA Contact:      Wray "Randy" Rohrman, 913-551-7543 or 800-223-0425
Facility Contact:  Nancy Luxton, 417-868-3438
Last Updated:      Dec. 29, 2010

What’s New

Euticals is implementing the approved remedy for on-site groundwater and soil contamination and performing long-term monitoring and maintenance of the closed former surface impoundment under two hazardous waste permits. The status of Euticals' post-closure and corrective action activities is described below. The public can review and copy paper copies of all permits, reports and supporting documents at the agency locations above.

Facility Description

Euticals Inc. currently operates a pharmaceutical chemical manufacturing facility, located at 2460 W. Bennett St. in Springfield. The facility was operated as a chemical manufacturing facility since 1949, under the names Archimica Inc., Hoffman-Taff Chemical Co., Syntex Agribusiness Inc. and Clariant LSM. Before 1988, the facility occupied about 7.4 acres. In 1988, 1990 and 1992, the facility expanded and acquired additional property south and east of Jordan and Wilson creeks. The facility currently occupies approximately 72 acres.

A variety of compounds have been produced at the facility over the years. Some products include food additives, alcohol denaturants, disinfectants, herbicides and pharmaceutical products. Volatile organic compounds were often used as raw materials at the facility, including methylene chloride, toluene, xylene, 1,2-dichloroethane, methanol, benzene and chloroform. A by-product of some of the production lines was 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD).

Before 1960, waste from the facility was discharged through underground pipes that began at the production buildings and emptied into a ditch along the western side of the property. From about 1960 through 1965, the system was expanded to connect all buildings and the laboratory and pilot plant as well. The system led to two common north-south underground vitrified clay pipes. One pipe emptied directly into a 300,000-gallon, unlined hazardous waste surface impoundment and one emptied into a brick-lined settling pit before discharging into the same surface impoundment. The surface impoundment then discharged directly into Jordan Creek. After 1965, an aeration basin was built and wastes were pumped from the surface impoundment and settling pit into the aeration basin before discharging to the City of Springfield sewer and publicly-owned treatment works. 

The southern half of the surface impoundment was closed in 1975. The settling pit and aeration basin were decommissioned and decontaminated in 1984. The other half of the surface impoundment was used until March 1982 and closed in 1985. The department accepted the closure certification for the surface impoundment on October 25, 1990; however, corrective action and post-closure care activities continue at the facility due to soil and groundwater contamination.

Post-Closure and Corrective Action Status

Closure activities included removing, treating and disposing wastewater, excavating contaminated soil, installing a french drain to recover contaminated groundwater, filling the impoundment with compacted clay and capping with an engineered concrete cap. From 1984-1985, Syntex conducted extensive analysis of the soil and groundwater at the site. Monitoring wells were installed as part of their Order. The settling pit and aeration basin were decommissioned and decontaminated in 1984 when TCDD was detected. In January 1985, Syntex submitted to the department and EPA, a summary of the information on the monitoring wells and the results of the first sampling of the soil and groundwater at the facility. The results were sufficient to indicate that contamination was present in the soil and groundwater at the facility.

From 1985 to 1989, Syntex periodically sampled the monitoring wells. In 1989, the underground pipe system was replaced with overhead lines, the wastewater treatment system was replaced, and an interim measures groundwater recovery and treatment system was implemented. The major sources of contamination on site include releases from the former settling pit, former surface impoundment, former underground pipe system, and the contaminated sewer pipes at Building 14.

Eleven solid waste management units, or SWMUs, were identified and investigated in a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, or RCRA, Facility Investigation, or RFI. A final RFI Report was submitted to the department and EPA on June 14, 1996.  EPA approved the report July 23, 1996. The RFI confirmed that seven SWMUs required no further remediation; however corrective action was needed at four SWMUs to protect human health and the environment.

Archimica (Syntex) performed a Corrective Measures Study, or CMS, to identify and evaluate potential remedial alternatives. A final report was submitted to the department and EPA on Jan. 9, 2002. The department and EPA jointly approved the report on March 28, 2005. The department and EPA reviewed the proposed remedy and other remedial alternatives. The department, in coordination with EPA, proposed enhanced institutional controls, dense non-aqueous phase liquid recovery, surface water monitoring, groundwater containment and monitoring and continued monitoring and maintenance of the closed, capped former surface impoundment as the remedy for the soil and groundwater contamination. The department invited the public to review and offer written comments on the proposed remedy during a 45-day public comment period. On Sept. 30, 2010, the department, in coordination with EPA, approved the proposed remedy for Archimica, without modification.

The next step in the corrective action process is for Euticals to implement the approved remedy for on-site groundwater and soil contamination and perform long-term monitoring and maintenance of the closed, capped former surface impoundment. The approved remedy includes enhanced institutional controls, dense non-aqueous phase liquid recovery, surface water monitoring, groundwater containment and monitoring. A groundwater pumping system is already installed and operating, and more pumping wells would be installed as part of the approved remedy.

Hazardous Waste Permit Status

Euticals is conducting post-closure and corrective action activities under two hazardous waste permits, one issued by the department and one issued by EPA, both on Sept. 30, 2010. The department issued the Missouri Hazardous Waste Management Facility Part I Permit. EPA issued the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments Part II Permit. These permits require Euticals to implement the approved remedy for on-site groundwater and soil contamination and perform long-term monitoring and maintenance of the former surface impoundment.