Uniliver MFG USA Inc.

Background/ History

Unilever MFG USA, formerly Chesebrough-Ponds USA, is located on 114 acres at 2900 W. Truman Blvd. in Jefferson City. The site was undeveloped until the early to mid-1960s. Chesebrough-Ponds purchased the property and began operating a manufacturing facility in 1965. Chesebrough formulates and packages health and beauty products, including hand lotions, nail polish and remover, cotton swabs and toothpaste. Manufacturing processes at the facility include injection and blow molding of plastic packaging products; formulating toothpaste, hand lotions and nail polish removers; cotton swab assembly and product packaging. 

A variety of hazardous wastes were produced as part of the facility operations, including solvent purging of nail polish filling lines, solvent degreasing of mechanical equipment, and replacement of antifreeze, hydraulic and lubricating oils in process equipment. The wastes were stored in 55-gallon drums, transferred to a hazardous waste storage area when full, and then transported off-site for disposal. Chesebrough operated the hazardous waste storage area under the “interim status” portions of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Cleanup Summary

After sampling results showed no contamination, Chesebrough-Pond's reclassified the hazardous waste storage area to a less than 90-day storage area for hazardous waste containers managed under generator storage requirements in 10 CSR 25-5. The department accepted Chesebrough’s closure certification for the hazardous waste storage areas in November 1991. 

Chesebrough was subject to corrective action because they completed closure of the interim status hazardous waste management unit after the effective date of the federal Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments. Initial investigations revealed contaminated soil at the site. Chesebrough conducted a removal action and performed confirmation sampling. The department determined the hazardous waste management unit was closed according to the approved closure plan, met the requirements of the Missouri Hazardous Waste Management Law, and did not pose a threat to human health or the environment. On Dec. 10, 2025, after a thorough technical review of facility historical records and department inspection reports, the department determined that no further corrective action was needed at the site based on current conditions.

On May 5, 2026, following the opportunity for public review and comment, the department approved the final remedy of no further corrective action and released the facility from regulation as a former interim status hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities subject to the corrective action requirements of the Missouri Hazardous Waste Management Law and regulations.