EPA, General Latex Sign Dow Legacy Site Corrective Action Agreement

March 9, 2009
EPA Region 5 has signed a voluntary agreement with General Latex Chemical Co. to investigate and clean up if necessary a 7-acre vacant property at 1526 Cleveland Ave. in Ashland, Ohio. General Latex is a subsidiary of Dow Chemical Co., and this location is one of three "legacy sites" in the region where Dow has agreed to investigate and clean up possible contamination.

As part of the corrective action agreement, Dow will investigate, stabilize and clean up historic releases of hazardous waste at the rural site. Latex and polyurethane products were manufactured there from 1954 to 2001, and pollutants of concern include volatile organic compounds and semi-volatile organic compounds.

The Ashland agreement requires a full environmental investigation currently underway be completed by Dec. 31. A proposed cleanup plan is due 1 year later. A site condition report will be submitted to EPA by May 11.

Under the legacy site program, Dow voluntarily identified three locations where hazardous waste was handled and contamination possibly occurred. The three areas were not previously on EPA's list of known regulated places.

EPA regulates hazardous waste from production to final disposal under the Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA). Learn more about RCRA.

About the Author

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.

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