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| U.S. MAGNESIUM | Tooele County, Utah | |
Site Location:
The U.S. Magnesium site spans 4,525 acres on the southwest edge of the Great Salt Lake in Tooele County, Utah. The facility is located 40 miles west of Salt Lake City and 33 miles northeast of Grantsville.
Site History:
The site has produced magnesium since 1972. It uses brine from the Great Salt Lake as the raw material and generates a variety of wastes. The facility currently has active and inactive portions. The current owner/operators are U.S. Magnesium LLC and parent company Renco Group, Inc.
Site Contamination/Contaminants:
Contaminants include: metals (arsenic, chromium, mercury, copper, and zinc), acidic wastewater, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins/furans, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and chlorine gas. These wastes are being released into the air, soil, surface water, and ground water.
Potential Impacts on Surrounding Community/Environment:
Risk assessments show environmental and human health risks. The site is adjacent to the Great Salt Lake, an ecosystem that attracts millions of birds per year and houses many unique plants and animals of federal and state concern. Observations indicate mortality to waterfowl from the contamination, and bird egg studies have documented concentrations of PCB and HCB in eggs at or near the site. Additionally, approximately 20 years ago, the lake level rose and flooded the site, causing contaminants to travel into the Great Salt Lake. Dioxins and HCB are present at levels potentially posing both cancer and non-cancer (diabetes and immune system) risks to industrial workers. Blood testing of workers in 2002 and in 2004 found elevated levels of dioxin and HCB as compared to the general U.S. population.
Response Activities (to date):
There have been no response activities to date. EPA and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ) have been involved with matters related to environmental contamination by wastes at this site for more than 15 years.
Need for NPL Listing:
Listing on the NPL will provide the ability to pursue a comprehensive cleanup to address human health and environmental risks posed by the site. EPA received a letter of support for placing this site on the NPL from the state.
[The description of the site (release) is based on information available at the time the site was evaluated with the HRS. The description may change as additional information is gathered on the sources and extent of contamination. See 56 FR 5600, February 11, 1991, or subsequent FR notices.]
For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at ATSDR - ToxFAQs (http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html) or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.