Arrowhead Refinery Co. is a 10-acre former waste oil recycling facility in Hermantown, Minnesota, near Duluth International Airport. The company operated from 1961 to 1977, re-refining oil and disposing of acidic, metal-laden sludge in an unlined lagoon while discharging waste process water into a nearby wetland. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984 after investigations identified serious contamination.
EPA has identified 21 contaminants of concern at the site. They include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, chloroform, and vinyl chloride, along with carbon tetrachloride, benzo(a)pyrene, and several other chlorinated compounds. These substances are found in soil, groundwater, and sludge. The site poses health risks from ingestion or contact with contaminants in those media.
Cleanup decisions were issued in 1986 and 1994. Remedial work between 1991 and 1996 included excavating and disposing of sludge, soils, and sediments off-site, plus groundwater extraction and treatment. As an emergency measure in 1990, thirteen residences were connected to the public water supply. Groundwater treatment continued through January 2014, and operation and maintenance activities have continued under state direction since 2004. Land and groundwater use restrictions remain in place.
EPA has determined that human exposure is under control and that contaminated groundwater migration is stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. All cleanup goals for current and anticipated future land uses have been met. The site was deleted from the NPL in September 2021, and a Five-Year Review completed in August 2022 confirmed that cleanup actions remain protective of human health and the environment. The next review is estimated between August and October 2027. A developer has purchased the property, and it now hosts a warehouse on the southern portion and a multi-unit storage facility on the northern portion.
Community members can share concerns or information about site conditions during five-year review periods. EPA contacts are available to answer questions directly, and site documentation including administrative records and the NPL deletion docket are available through EPA's Superfund database for public review.
