EPA Michigan dioxin cleanup order baffles Dow

28 June 2007 19:28  [Source: ICIS news]

By Al Greenwood

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--Dow Chemical said on Thursday that it was puzzled by a US agency criticising its progress in cleaning up a site, since the project was well underway.

The cleanup involves three areas along the Tittabawassee River in Michigan, said John Musser, Dow's external issues director.

"We are putting every resource forward to try to keep things moving as quickly as possible," Musser said. "We want to get this issue behind us."

Musser said that Dow had no estimates for the cost of the clean-up project.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Wednesday that Dow was taking too long to clean up the areas. The EPA told Dow to reply within five days and start field work by 15 August.

The contamination arose from manufacturing that took place before World War I, Musser said. Although the EPA described the pollutants as being dioxins, Musser said furans make up most of the contaminants.

Although furans are related to dioxins, they are much less dangerous to people, Musser said.

He said the EPA's order is baffling, since Dow has been working on the project for several months.

Musser said that Dow has designed and submitted clean-up plans to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, the state agency charged with enforcing federal regulations on behalf of the EPA.

A spokesman for the state department was not immediately available for comment.

Moreover, the state department has given Dow approval to start portions of the clean-up project next week, Musser said. Dow has already started other parts of the project that do not require state permits, he said.

If the process has taken several months, it is due to regulatory requirements, Musser said. Regulations require Dow to collect data, analyse tests and receive permits.

Regardless, Dow plans to cooperate with the EPA and respond to its requests, Musser said.

By: Al Greenwood
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