TRW, Inc. (Minerva Plant)

Overview

The TRW, Inc. (Minerva Plant) is a 135-acre former metal casting facility in Minerva, Ohio, listed on the EPA's National Priorities List. The site was sold in 1986 and is now operated by PCC Airfoils, a manufacturer of aerospace parts. As of December 2024, the on-site business employs 214 people and generates an estimated $196.7 million in annual sales revenue.

The main contaminants are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). VOCs came from degreasers that were discharged directly into a ditch, spreading into soil and groundwater. PCBs used at the facility contaminated soil and sediment. The site has three operable units covering surface soils, groundwater, and sitewide activities.

Cleanup began under two State of Ohio Consent Orders in 1985 and 1986. A 3-acre containment cell for contaminated soil and sediment was built in 1986. A groundwater pump-and-treat system, completed in 1987, uses air stripping to clean water before it is discharged under a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit. Construction across all operable units was completed in September 1994. Contamination levels at the site have steadily decreased, and the Minerva public well field has not been affected.

Physical construction of the cleanup is complete, but cleanup goals have not been fully achieved across the entire property. A second combined remedial investigation and feasibility study for groundwater started in January 2009 and is ongoing. Ongoing work includes soil and groundwater sampling, evaluation of the pump-and-treat system, and human health and ecological risk assessments, all under Ohio EPA oversight. The site has not been deleted from the National Priorities List and has not achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status. The most recent five-year review was conducted in September 2005. EPA has determined that it cannot currently confirm whether human exposures are controlled or whether contaminated groundwater migration is stabilized, due to insufficient data.

Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Remedial Project Manager or Community Involvement Coordinator.