The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking steps to remove a six-acre section of the Allied Paper Superfund site in Kalamazoo, Michigan, representing a milestone in the rehabilitation of one of the nation's most polluted sites. This tract of land, once a landfill riddled with toxic waste, has undergone a thorough cleanup and will no longer be listed as a priority on the Superfund's list of the country's most contaminated areas. The six acres in question, part of a much larger 80-mile stretch along the Kalamazoo River, have reached a point where only "periodic inspection, continued monitoring, maintenance, and groundwater-use restrictions" are necessary, The Detroit News reports.
The transformation of the site has been substantial since it was first listed in 1990 due to the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dangerous chemicals linked to cancer and other health issues, and supposedly, the removed material counts in at close to 470,000 cubic yards, signifying a heroic effort by the agency in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, which also saw the cleanup and restoration of 12 miles of the river and the capping of 82 acres of toxic material. According to the EPA's official statement, the site's Operable Unit 2, which includes the areas east of Davis Creek, requires "no further response action" beyond ongoing oversight.
However, the Kalamazoo River and its environs continue to bear the scars of a bygone industrial era when paper mills used the waterway to power their operations and dispense waste. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, understanding the continuing concern, recommends against the consumption of any fish caught in the river, as the potential for PCB contamination remains a real threat to public health as outlined in the southwest Michigan 2023 Eat Safe Fish Guide noted by The Detroit News.
The proposal to delist this area from the National Priorities List begins a new chapter for the community bordering the Kalamazoo River, and the EPA is open to hearing from the public on this decision through March 18, 2024, those wishing to voice their comments can do so online or via email to the agency, and questions can be addressed to EPA Community Involvement Coordinators Diane Russell or Phil Gurley whose contact information is available through the agency's news release, and while the EPA is reaching out to the public for comment, it's clear-cut there is a widespread acknowledgment of the progress that's been made on the environmental front. For more information, interested individuals can visit EPA's website.
