Spartan Chemical Co.

Overview

The Spartan Chemical Co. site is a 5-acre former bulk chemical transfer and repackaging facility in Wyoming, Michigan. It operated from 1952 to 1991 and was added to the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983. Before 1963, the company discharged wastewater directly into the ground. Chemical spills and leaks from underground storage tanks left soil and groundwater contaminated with more than 130 substances. The site has been divided into three operable units (OUs) covering soils, groundwater, and sitewide activities.

Contaminants include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, and vinyl chloride. Metals such as lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel, and arsenic are also present, along with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), petroleum-related compounds, and other industrial chemicals like methyl ethyl ketone and phthalates. Contamination affects both soil and groundwater. Soil contamination has spread beyond the fenced property boundary, and groundwater continues to move toward a city-owned park with a recreational lake located downstream.

Cleanup has proceeded in several phases. Soil remediation began in 1999 and was completed in April 2010. A groundwater remedy was first selected in 1993 and revised in 2007 to include chemical oxidation, soil vapor extraction, air sparging, monitored natural attenuation, and institutional controls. Soil removal on the southern portion of the site began in 2020. Old buildings and tanks were removed in 2006 under an agreement between the State of Michigan and Kent County, the current property owner. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) leads cleanup, with zoning restrictions in place to prevent land uses incompatible with current contamination levels.

Groundwater remedial design work is ongoing, with completion estimated between October and December 2027. A five-year review was completed on August 25, 2022, and the next is estimated between August and October 2027. The 2017 five-year review found the cleanup is not yet protective. Human exposure control status is listed as insufficient data, meaning uncertainty remains about whether all human exposures are fully under control. Groundwater migration is not yet stabilized. Vapor intrusion at nearby businesses and residences is a potential concern but has not been confirmed. Residents are connected to a public water supply drawing from Lake Michigan, so drinking water is not a current exposure pathway.

Community members who want more information or have questions can contact the EPA's Remedial Project Manager. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy also maintains a dedicated webpage for the site.