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Fact Sheet
April 2008
Second Five-Year Review to Begin, Sherwood Medical Company Superfund Site, Norfolk, Madison County, Nebraska
INTRODUCTION
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducts regular five-year reviews on certain Superfund sites, as required by the Superfund law [42 U.S.C. § 9621(c)]. EPA Region 7 and the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) have started the second five-year review of the Sherwood Medical Company (Sherwood) site. The site is located in Madison County, approximately 1.5 miles south of Norfolk, adjacent to U.S. Highway 81.
Prior to the cleanups, drinking the contaminated ground water in the immediate vicinity of the site posed a potential threat to public health.
Site
The southern part of the site is about 40 acres. It consists of the former Sherwood property, now Tyco/Kendall Health Care, which includes the manufacturing building and Sherwood Lake. The northern part of the site consists of the Park Mobile Home Court (PMHC) and adjacent commercial properties.
The Elkhorn River and Medelman’s Lake are located to the north, within one
mile of the site. Commercial and residential properties are on the north, east, and south of the site. The Karl Stefan Airport is on the west, across U.S. Highway 81.
Background
The former Sherwood Medical Company started its manufacturing operation at the site in 1961. The facility manufactures medical syringes and other disposable medical products using injection molding processes. Former operations at the site used chlorinated solvents which are present in the ground water and in two soil source areas.
EPA supplied the residents of the PMHC with potable water after contamination was detected in the water system in 1988. Investigations identified former Sherwood facility as the source for the contamination. Sherwood then decommissioned its septic system and installed a permanent potable water supply for PMHC, by 1989.
The former Sherwood Medical Company conducted a remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) which resulted in EPA’s 1993 Record of Decision. The remedy required the following activities:
- Land use restrictions:
- To prohibit the use of ground water supply wells in the contaminated portion of the aquifer.
- To prohibit land disturbance in the two soil source areas.
- A supply of potable water to the PMHC and other affected properties, for as long as the aquifer is contaminated.
- A ground water well system to monitor and evaluate changes in the ground water quality.
- Removal of the septic system from the site;
- Excavation and low-temperature thermal treatment of the contaminated soils from the two source areas. After decontamination, the soil would be returned to the on-site excavation.
- Extraction of the contaminated ground water and treatment by air striping. The treated water would be discharged to the Elkhorn River by a pipeline and would comply with a state National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Note: The extraction system would be designed to achieve potable water standards in the contaminated aquifer, within five years from start-up.
The former Sherwood Medical Company proposed changing the soil treatment method to ex-situ soil vapor extraction following a soils preliminary design effort. The EPA and NDEQ agreed and this was documented in a 1995 Explanation of Significant Differences Report.
In 1996, the former Sherwood Medical Company entered into an agreement with EPA to conduct the design, construction and operation of the remedy. The designs were completed in 1998, followed by completion of construction in 1999. The ground water system has operated since 1999. The operation of the remedy is jointly managed by the Tyco/Kendall Health Care facility and Sherwood’s corporate successor, Wyeth.
The Five-Year Review
During this second five-year review, EPA and NDEQ will inspect the site and study site information to make sure the remedy continues to be protective. We encourage the community to tell us about site conditions or concerns you may have.
At the end of the review, a final report will be prepared and will be available in the site information repositories.
Additional Information
Detailed site information is available during normal business hours at:
EPA Records901 N. Fifth St.
Kansas City, Kan.
Norfolk Public Library
308 Prospect Ave.
Norfolk, Neb.
Questions or requests for information can be submitted to:
Fritz Hirter
Community Involvement Coordinator
U.S. EPA Region
7901 North 5th St.Kansas City, KS 66101
Toll free: (800) 223-0425
E-mail: hirter.fritz@epa.gov
