Roto-Finish Co., Inc. sits on 7 acres in Portage, Michigan and operated as a manufacturing facility from 1950 to 1988. Before 1980, the company discharged wastewater into on-site drywells and lagoons, which contaminated groundwater beneath the property. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. The NPL is EPA's roster of the country's most serious hazardous waste sites. A second combined remedial investigation and feasibility study began in October 2023 and is expected to wrap up between September and November 2028.
Eight contaminants of concern have been identified, all found in groundwater. They are 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethene, 1,2-dichloroethane, chlorobenzene, chloroethene (vinyl chloride), tetrachloroethene, and trichloroethene. These chemicals were flagged because EPA determined they pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment. The main exposure concern is people ingesting or touching contaminated groundwater.
The selected cleanup approach relies on monitored natural attenuation, meaning contaminants are allowed to break down on their own over 50 to 60 years while EPA tracks progress. Lagoons and stained soils were excavated and disposed of off-site, with those areas backfilled with clean material. Institutional controls are also in place. These include zoning restrictions that ban residential use and restrictive covenants that prohibit drawing groundwater from the property. EPA placed the site on its Construction Completion List in March 1997.
Human exposure is currently under control, meaning no unacceptable exposure pathways exist at this time. However, contaminated groundwater continues to move and has not been fully contained. Not all cleanup goals have been met yet, and the site is not ready for all anticipated future uses. Central Manufacturing Services, Inc. currently operates a warehouse at the property, and as of December 2024, the business employed 3 people and generated roughly $187,500 in annual sales. Long-term monitoring is ongoing, and EPA most recently completed a five-year review in April 2022. The next review is estimated for April through June 2027.
Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.
