The Folkertsma Refuse site covers 8 acres in Walker, Michigan, near Grand Rapids. It operated as a general landfill before 1969 and then as an industrial disposal facility through 1972. The landfill holds about 57,000 cubic yards of waste, including foundry sand, chemical products, construction debris, and heavy manufacturing waste. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989 after investigations confirmed contamination in groundwater, sediments, and landfilled materials.
Contaminants found at the site include metals such as arsenic, lead, chromium, mercury, cadmium, and nickel. Organic compounds include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), toluene, trichloroethene, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) like benzo(a)pyrene. These substances were detected across groundwater, surface water, sediment, and solid waste. Health risks came from direct contact with or ingestion of contaminated groundwater and sediments, and from inhaling contaminated dust. Contaminated sediments also posed environmental risk through potential bioaccumulation of chemicals in wildlife.
Potentially responsible parties carried out the cleanup under EPA oversight. Work included excavating contaminated sediments and placing them in the landfill, capping the landfill with clay, improving drainage, and installing gas vents. A wood pallet business that operated on part of the site relocated to an area north of the landfill so it could keep running during and after cleanup. Construction finished in 1994, and EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 1996. The site achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status in 2007.
Human exposure is currently under control. All cleanup goals for current and anticipated future land uses have been met, required land-use restrictions are in place, and there are no unacceptable risks. Institutional controls include zoning restrictions that prevent residential uses and fencing that limits access. Monitoring of groundwater and surface water continues, and operation and maintenance activities are ongoing. The most recent five-year review, completed in February 2024, confirmed the remedy remains protective of human health and the environment. The status of contaminated groundwater migration remains uncertain, and EPA continues monitoring to track groundwater movement.
Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Remedial Project Manager. State-level inquiries can be directed to Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). Public records for the site, including an administrative record of 91 documents, are available through EPA's online system.
