Scope of BASF NW Releases
Below is the scope of BASFs North Works current and ongoing groundwater venting releases as compared to recent Spills and Actions by EGLE and USEPA (based on the FOIA material obtained and references cited)
Note, BASFs venting groundwater discharge is to the Great Lakes surface waters of the Trenton Channel - Detroit River, including the Critical Assessment Zone (CAZ) of the Wyandotte Municipal Intake. The other releases cited were not to a Great Lake or drinking water CAZ.
References:
BASF North Works: BASF North Works Wyandotte - 2021 Executive Memo
(EGLE calculated 57.139 gallons per minute of contaminated groundwater being released from BASF North Works perimeter,
which equates to 3420 gallons per hour, 82, 280 gallons per day, 2,462,400 gallons per a 30d month)
Enbridge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalamazoo_River_oil_spill
BASF North Works - Groundwater Contaminant List
The following contaminants have been identified/reported by EGLE, USEPA, and/or BASF at levels greater than allowable under
Michigan's Water Quality Criteria.
Bold = Felony Level Violation according to Michigan Law (Toxic / Hazardous Waste Release)
Mercury * $
PFOS $ ^
Cyanide *
Sulfate
Arsenic ^
Naphthalene * ^
Phenanthrene
Bis(2-chloroethyl) ether ^
Xylene
3-Methylphenol ^
4-Methylphenol ^
Benzene * ^
Dibenzofuran
pH * #
Chlorobenzene *
Vanadium *
4,4-DDT * $ ^
Phenol
Aldrin $ ^
Total PCBs $ ^
Barium
Cadmium ^
Copper *
Ethylbenzene ^
Lead ^
Zinc *
Chloroform ^
1,2-Dichloroethane ^
Methylene Chloride ^
1,2-Dichloropropane ^
* Above Final Acute Value (Felony to discharge Acutely Toxic contaminants to Surface Waters)
# Above Liquid Hazardous Waste Classification (Felony to discharge Waste into Surface Waters wo Permit)
$ Bioaccumulative
^ Known, Likely, or Probable Carcinogen (USEPA, IARC, DHHS, WHO-IRAC, OSHA)
FOIA DATA Sources:
2006 MDEQ Mixing Zone Review
2012 BASF GSI Report to MDEQ/USEPA
2021 EGLE Mixing Zone Review
2021 EGLE Memo to Executive Office (Director and Deputies)
2021-2022 Perimeter Sampling Data shared by BASF w USEPA / EGLE
BOLD in the Source List indicates the YEAR when BASF, State of Michigan DEQ/EGLE, and USEPA knew of these contaminant data results and their levels.
Notes
i. All Contaminants released by BASF NWs groundwater are venting into the Critical Assessment Zone (CAZ)
of a Municipal Public Surface Water Intake, thus are allowed no Mixing/Dilution under EGLE Policy WRD- 053.
ii. BASF NW Contaminated venting groundwater to the Trenton Channel and CAZ of the Wyandotte intake is a violation of
Civil Action No. 83-CV-4712-DT which is a U.S. District Court Order signed by BASF and the State of Michigan in 1985
specifically to keep BASFs North Works (and South Works) toxic and hazardous waste contaminated groundwater
from reaching the Trenton Channel and the CAZ point of compliance of the Municipal Public Intake.
iii. It is a Felony to violate a Court Order (MCL 324.3115 (2,3,4)) and a Felony to counsel, aid or abet
the continued violation of a Court Order (MCL 767.39) by not enforcing Michigan Law (MCL 324.1601)