Removal Action for TCE Contamination

INTRODUCTION

The Toastmaster Macon Superfund Site (site) encompasses a light industrial and residential area of Macon, Missouri, where trichloroethylene (TCE) has been detected in the groundwater, soil gas, and indoor air at the former Toastmaster small-appliance manufacturing facility and certain other properties. The facility, located at 704 South Missouri Street, is now occupied by Compton’s Furniture & More, a retail outlet.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 has reached settlements with Compton’s LLC, Spectrum Brands, Inc., and Cooper Industries, LLC, the current and previous owners of the facility, to address TCE contamination at the site.

TCE INFORMATION AND HEALTH RISKS

TCE is used in industrial solvents and degreasers, and household products such as correction fluids, paints, paint removers, adhesives, rug and metal cleaners, and spot removers. It is a manufactured substance and does not occur naturally in the environment.

TCE is the primary contaminant of concern at the site. Exposure to TCE poses potential human health hazards to the central nervous system, kidney, liver, immune system, male reproductive system, and developing fetus. TCE is characterized by EPA as “carcinogenic in humans” by all routes of exposure.

BACKGROUND

From the mid-1950s to 2001, Toastmaster, Inc. manufactured small appliances at the facility. In 1991, during Toastmaster’s ownership, TCE was discovered to have been released from an above-ground storage tank on the facility, and also found in nearby groundwater. Further investigation found that TCE vapors were present in both the indoor air and sub-slab air of the facility.

In July 2014, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources conducted indoor air and sub-slab soil gas sampling in homes in the immediate vicinity of the facility to determine whether the contaminants from the facility were impacting nearby residences. 

The results of this sampling documented elevated indoor air and/or sub-slab levels of TCE in two of the nearby residences. TCE had volatized (evaporated) and entered the indoor air through vapor intrusion. In October 2014, EPA conducted a Superfund removal action and installed sub-slab vapor mitigation devices in the two affected residences.

Sampling was conducted at nearby residences in 2016 and 2017. The responsible parties, through the settlement reached with EPA, installed another vapor mitigation device at a third residence.

CURRENT ACTIVITIES

EPA is currently overseeing sampling and mitigation activities at the facility to ensure that TCE concentrations in indoor air are reduced below health-based levels. EPA is also overseeing investigation activities that will address the main source of TCE contamination at the site.

NEXT STEPS

EPA continues to review work being conducted at the facility to address indoor air. EPA will review the data collected during the most recent sampling activity to determine next steps for the site.

EPA will be in the community in May 2018 conducting interviews of residents to develop a Community Involvement Plan to ensure the community has access to updates of the site’s progress.

ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD

The Administrative Record for the Toastmaster Macon Site is available on EPA’s website.

ADDITIONAL TCE, VAPOR INTRUSION, AND SITE INFORMATION

For more information about TCE health risks, visit the CDC/ATSDR ToxFAQs.

• EPA’s VI page
• EPA’s Citizen’s Guide to VI Mitigation
• EPA’s VI at Superfund Sites page
• ATSDR’s VI Fact Sheet

Learn more about Superfund Community Involvement.

• Fact Sheets for Missouri sites are posted online.
• Public Notices are posted online.

EPA CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have questions about this Fact Sheet, need additional information about the Site and/or would like to receive site updates, please contact EPA: