Saginaw homes to be cleaned

 

    Residents of the Riverside Boulevard neighborhood in Saginaw will see cleanup of dioxin contamination in their homes and yards starting later this month.

    The Dow Chemical Co. and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced an agreement Tuesday involving work at 11 homes along the Tittabawassee River. Dow will pay to excavate residential yards and backfill with clean soil, clean home interiors, pave driveways and pave Riverside Boulevard.

    Dow's 1,900-acre chemical manufacturing plant in Midland was a source of dioxin and furans, which are byproducts from the manufacture of chlorine-based products. Dow spokesman John Musser said the contamination is thought to have been the result of releases from pre-World War I operations.

    Jeff Kimble of the EPA spent part of Tuesday afternoon informing residents in that neighborhood of the agreement.

    "I would say it's a positive outlook on it for some of the residents," he said.

    Of the landowners, only one did not agree to testing on property that took place this spring, Kimble said.

    "We're anticipating at least all of the residents will listen to the proposal and make an informed decision," he said.

    Kimble said three unoccupied houses will be eligible for the work along with eight actively used by people.

    EPA's data shows unacceptably high levels of dioxin contamination in yards, the unpaved Riverside Boulevard roadway and in the interior of some homes. The area of contamination is about 1,000 feet long and 150 feet wide, according to Dow.

    Musser said it's in a unique area along the river.

    "They get flooded more often than anybody else because they are within 100 feet of the river bank and they are a lower level relative to the river level," he said.

    Work already has begun to get the cleanup under way, Musser said.

    "We have to get access agreements from the residents in order to do the work," he said. "We've got a good jump on it and we'll start engaging the residents immediately to get the access agreements in place."

    The site is the fifth area where Dow and the EPA have agreed on cleanup orders. Three sites along the Tittabawassee River were completed last summer and one area on the Saginaw River saw cleanup work.

    Musser said Dow and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality knew of the site along Riverside Boulevard and had been in discussions about it. In April, the EPA took soil samples at the residential properties following discussions and consultation with MDEQ and Michigan Department of Community Health.

    The EPA will oversee all aspects of the work in coordination with the state departments. Soil excavated is expected to be transported offsite to an approved landfill. Completion of the work is anticipated by Oct. 15.

    The EPA expects to present more information on testing at an Aug. 7 community meeting at Horizons Conference Center in Saginaw.