Velsicol Superfund Site Remediation Program

Situated along the winding banks of the Pine River in St. Louis, Michigan, lies the former site of the Velsicol Chemical Corporation. 

For over 40 years, this facility churned out a variety of industrial and agricultural chemicals, including, pesticides, cattle feed supplements and fire retardants. Among its products was the pesticide DDT, whose harmful persistence in the environment eventually led to a ban by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In a tragic mix-up in 1973, a fire-retardant product was mistakenly shipped off-site as a cattle feed supplement. This event, known as the "PBB Disaster," resulted in the chemical entering the food chain, exposing over nine million Michigan residents, and accelerating the plant's closure in 1977.

Velsicol’s poor industrial practices and the operation of a disposal area known as the “Burn Pit” resulted in extensive contamination across the 52-acre site, the Burn Pit area, the surrounding neighborhood, and the Pine River itself.

In the early 1980s, Velsicol conducted an initial cleanup of the site, and it was believed that the worst was over. However, when high levels of pesticides were later discovered in fish tissue and river sediment, it became evident that the original remediation had failed. Consequently, the state of Michigan issued a strict no-consumption advisory for all fish species. Together, the state of Michigan and the EPA began investigating the condition of the Pine River and the former manufacturing facility.

After Velsicol Chemical filed for bankruptcy in 1999, the EPA took control of the former manufacturing facility, Pine River and Burn Pit sites to remediate these areas. Soon after, Jacobs partnered with the EPA to clean up the Velsicol Chemical Superfund site, leveraging our extensive experience in environmental cleanup and soil remediation.

Over two decades, we've completed site investigations, remedial designs and overseen construction, including sediment removal and Pine River restoration. Our technical support for the EPA has included:

• Developing and maintaining a sophisticated groundwater flow model.
• Conducting large-scale residential soil sampling and remediation.
• Designing a large-scale soil excavation.
• Designing and implementing four In Situ Thermal Treatment systems (ISTT).
• Designing final remedy containment systems.
• Investigating and designing cleanup for downstream areas impacted by contaminants.

Safety is our top priority. "Any health and safety program is only as good as the people involved, and we have outstanding people!" says Jacobs Project Manager Scott Pratt. "Our goal is to create a safe environment where everyone feels empowered to complete their work. There's nothing more important than going home the way you came to work." 

This culture has led to over 5,700 days with no recordable health and safety incidents.

Our efforts at the Velsicol Superfund site continue, with remedial work expected at least through 2030. As the project advances, regular inspection, operation and maintenance will be required for decades. With ISTT at the Burn Pit in progress, Jacobs remains committed to innovative solutions to help the EPA foster a healthier future for Pine River.