Background/ History
The Unilever HPC USA, formerly Chesebrough-Ponds USA, is located in 114 acres at 2900 W. Truman Boulevard in Jefferson City. The site was undeveloped until the early to mid-1960s when Chesebrough purchased the property. In 1965, Chesebrough began operating a manufacturing facility, formulating and packaging health and beauty products, including Vaseline Intensive Care hand lotions, Cutex nail polish removers, Q-Tips and toothpaste. Historically the plant manufactured cough syrup, lipstick, and nail polish. Manufacturing processes at the facility include injection and blow molding of plastic packaging products, formulation of toothpaste, hand lotions and nail polish removers, Q-Tip 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 and other mechanical 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 reclassified the hazardous waste storage area to a less than 90-day storage room for hazardous waste containers before shipping off-site for disposal. The containers are managed under generator storage requirements in 10 CSR 25-5. The department accepted Chesebrough’s closure certification for the hazardous waste storage areas in 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 that the facility 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. In 2008, the department issued a No Further Action letter to Unilever, formerly Chesebrough. The department is in the process of releasing the site 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.
